Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Boasts Five on All-Big West Team, Gina Brewer Named Coach of the Year
11/1/2025 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Complete All-Big West Team
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Fresh off winning its first regular season championship in nine years, CSUN Women's Soccer placed five on the All-Big West team while head coach Gina Brewer received the Big West Coach of the Year award on Saturday. Junior Paige Califf and sophomore Sydney Lipkin each picked up All-Big West First Team honors while seniors Riley Liebsack and Cailey Jackson were both voted to the Second Team and Alex Valente was placed on the All-Freshman Team.Â
An Orange native, Califf was a difference maker in the Matador midfield in 2025. Califf started 18 matches, posting a career-high three goals, two assists and 10 points while totaling 30 shots with 11 on goal. She would lead the Matadors with her three goals in Big West play with one game winner in a victory over UC Riverside on Sept. 28. Califf also helped contribute to the Matadors' strong defense that was among the best in the Big West.
With the first-team nod, Califf has now earned All-Big West honors for the second time in her career after taking home an Honorable Mention last season. Califf has played three seasons with CSUN since transferring from Pittsburgh, starting 53 of 54 times to go with 10 career points.Â
Lipkin, a defender from Bothell, Wash., would anchor the CSUN defense all season long at the center back position. She logged the third-most minutes on the team in the regular season with 1,688 of a possible 1,710 minutes while playing full time in 17 matches including nine of 10 Big West contests. Lipkin's work on the backline helped the Matadors produce a team-record seven consecutive shutouts in Big West play and just four total goals allowed to league foes.Â
Lipkin's award is the first all-conference honor of her Matador career. Since debuting with the Matadors last season, Lipkin has played in 37 career matches with 30 starts recorded on defense.Â
Liebsack had a banner season at goalkeeper, playing every single minute for CSUN. The Torrance native finished tied for second in the Big West and 13th overall in the nation in shutouts with nine including sharing the conference lead with seven in league action. Liebsack was fourth in the Big West in saves (68) and goals-against-average (0.79) while registering eight wins. She would make CSUN history during the regular season by tying Cynthia Jacobo for the most Big West Defensive Player of the Week awards in a single season with three.Â
Liebsack's Second Team selection marks her first career All-Big West accolade. Transferring in from UNLV in 2023, Liebsack has started all 38 Matador matches at goalkeeper over the past two seasons. She ranks fourth in CSUN history in career shutouts (12) and seventh in career wins (13) and saves (168).Â
A Rancho Cucamonga native, Jackson would also have a career season as she led CSUN with five goals, three assists, 13 points, 56 shots and 24 shots on goal. Her point total was tied for sixth in the Big West while her goal mark was tied for eighth. In Big West play, Jackson hit the net once, posting a game winner over Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 12, and finished with three points in league action. She also played full time in seven matches at the forward position.Â
Jackson earned her second consecutive All-Big West honor after earning an Honorable Mention in 2024. In four seasons at CSUN, Jackson has started 44 of 61 games and racked up 10 goals, five assists and 25 points.Â
Valente, a Long Beach native, totaled the second-most minutes on the team as a true freshman in 2025. Playing full time in 17 of 19 matches, Valente saw action in all but 12 minutes on the season, totaling 1,698 minutes on the backline. Valente was also a key contributor to the Matador defense that posted nine shutouts on the year, limiting the opposition to one goal or fewer in 15 contests.Â
Brewer becomes the third CSUN head coach to be named Big West Coach of the Year in team history. In just her second season leading CSUN, Brewer coached the Matadors to their second Big West regular season championship in team history and first since 2016. The Matadors' run to the top of the Big West came just two seasons removed from finishing in last place in the league in 2023. The Matadors finished 6-1-3 in Big West play this season, posting their best conference win percentage (.750) since 2016 and third-best overall in program history.
#GoMatadors
Â
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Fresh off winning its first regular season championship in nine years, CSUN Women's Soccer placed five on the All-Big West team while head coach Gina Brewer received the Big West Coach of the Year award on Saturday. Junior Paige Califf and sophomore Sydney Lipkin each picked up All-Big West First Team honors while seniors Riley Liebsack and Cailey Jackson were both voted to the Second Team and Alex Valente was placed on the All-Freshman Team.Â
An Orange native, Califf was a difference maker in the Matador midfield in 2025. Califf started 18 matches, posting a career-high three goals, two assists and 10 points while totaling 30 shots with 11 on goal. She would lead the Matadors with her three goals in Big West play with one game winner in a victory over UC Riverside on Sept. 28. Califf also helped contribute to the Matadors' strong defense that was among the best in the Big West.
With the first-team nod, Califf has now earned All-Big West honors for the second time in her career after taking home an Honorable Mention last season. Califf has played three seasons with CSUN since transferring from Pittsburgh, starting 53 of 54 times to go with 10 career points.Â
Lipkin, a defender from Bothell, Wash., would anchor the CSUN defense all season long at the center back position. She logged the third-most minutes on the team in the regular season with 1,688 of a possible 1,710 minutes while playing full time in 17 matches including nine of 10 Big West contests. Lipkin's work on the backline helped the Matadors produce a team-record seven consecutive shutouts in Big West play and just four total goals allowed to league foes.Â
Lipkin's award is the first all-conference honor of her Matador career. Since debuting with the Matadors last season, Lipkin has played in 37 career matches with 30 starts recorded on defense.Â
Liebsack had a banner season at goalkeeper, playing every single minute for CSUN. The Torrance native finished tied for second in the Big West and 13th overall in the nation in shutouts with nine including sharing the conference lead with seven in league action. Liebsack was fourth in the Big West in saves (68) and goals-against-average (0.79) while registering eight wins. She would make CSUN history during the regular season by tying Cynthia Jacobo for the most Big West Defensive Player of the Week awards in a single season with three.Â
Liebsack's Second Team selection marks her first career All-Big West accolade. Transferring in from UNLV in 2023, Liebsack has started all 38 Matador matches at goalkeeper over the past two seasons. She ranks fourth in CSUN history in career shutouts (12) and seventh in career wins (13) and saves (168).Â
A Rancho Cucamonga native, Jackson would also have a career season as she led CSUN with five goals, three assists, 13 points, 56 shots and 24 shots on goal. Her point total was tied for sixth in the Big West while her goal mark was tied for eighth. In Big West play, Jackson hit the net once, posting a game winner over Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 12, and finished with three points in league action. She also played full time in seven matches at the forward position.Â
Jackson earned her second consecutive All-Big West honor after earning an Honorable Mention in 2024. In four seasons at CSUN, Jackson has started 44 of 61 games and racked up 10 goals, five assists and 25 points.Â
Valente, a Long Beach native, totaled the second-most minutes on the team as a true freshman in 2025. Playing full time in 17 of 19 matches, Valente saw action in all but 12 minutes on the season, totaling 1,698 minutes on the backline. Valente was also a key contributor to the Matador defense that posted nine shutouts on the year, limiting the opposition to one goal or fewer in 15 contests.Â
Brewer becomes the third CSUN head coach to be named Big West Coach of the Year in team history. In just her second season leading CSUN, Brewer coached the Matadors to their second Big West regular season championship in team history and first since 2016. The Matadors' run to the top of the Big West came just two seasons removed from finishing in last place in the league in 2023. The Matadors finished 6-1-3 in Big West play this season, posting their best conference win percentage (.750) since 2016 and third-best overall in program history.
#GoMatadors
Â
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's SoccerA Conversation With Keith West v2
Tuesday, May 19
A Conversation With Keith West
Tuesday, May 19
Interview With Lindsay Kutscher
Monday, August 05
Women's Soccer vs. UNLV
Thursday, August 30