Men's Soccer Honors CSUN Faculty on MVP Night
10/25/2025 10:33:00 AM | General, Men's Soccer
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – In the third MVP Night of the 2025-2026 academic year, the CSUN Men's Soccer team paid tribute to 13 CSUN professors during halftime of the Matadors' Big West match against UC San Diego at Matador Soccer Field.
The MVP nights are a great celebration of our student-athletes and their dedication to both academics and athletics, said Mary Beth Walker, CSUN's Acting Director of Athletics. The faculty here, through their insight and dedication, have an enormous impact on the success of these student-athletes.
Each participating student-athlete recognized one professor who has made a significant impact on their academic journey, showcasing the strong connections between CSUN faculty and student-athletes. All honorees were celebrated at midfield during the halftime ceremony.
The following professors were recognized:
- Martel Okonji, Department of Academic First-Year Experiences – invited by Dave-Ryan Tankou
- Damián Zepeda, Department of Biology – invited by Michael Blevins
- Tom Hogen-Esch, Department of Political Science – invited by Bryan Castaneda
- Kristy Mouradian, Department of Communication Studies – invited by Justin Sosa
- Nayan Ramirez, Department of Criminology and Justice Studies – invited by Enrique Pineda
- Emelia Akhlaghi, Department of Systems and Operations Management – invited by Siddiq Lezzar
- Kent Hymel, Department of Economics – invited by Jake Shaked and Axel Agurcia
- Kristen Walker, Department of Marketing and MBA Program Director – invited by Finn Werner
- Masis Geragosian, Department of Systems and Operations Management – invited by Ryan Chu
- Christine LaMonica, Department of Kinesiology – invited by Rashad Suhaiba
- Chris Garlington, Department of Systems and Operations Management – invited by Yart Van Lieshout
- Roxana Naraghi, Department of Systems and Operations Management – invited by Dorian Drucks
- Sevana Hacoupian, Department of Mathematics – invited by Miles Johnson
Professors Marlesha Bell (Psychology), Autumn Fabricant, (Academic First-Year Experiences & Civic and Community Engagement), and Otilia Gonzales (Mathematics) were also recognized but were unable to attend the event. CSUN Athletics thanks all participating faculty for their ongoing commitment to supporting the academic and personal growth of student-athletes.
The next MVP Day of the 2025-25 academic year is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, when the Matador Women's Water Polo team takes on Concordia at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
