Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs band together for successful 2020-21
6/18/2021 11:00:00 AM | General
The 2020-21 Fresno State Athletics season was unlike any other amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With teams having to undergo consistent regular testing, the Bulldogs banded together and were resilient in delivering great performances on the playing field as well as traversing the many challenges in the classroom.
In a year that saw three Mountain West Players of the Year, seven All-Americans and a combined 57 all-conference selections, success was found all over the fields and courts. Academically, 18 sport programs finished the spring semester with over a 3.0 team GPA and the athletics department finished with a collective 3.30, marking the 19th consecutive semester of over a 3.0 departmental GPA.
Competitively, the year was highlighted by a MW championship from softball, as the 'Dogs returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 (34th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance) and claimed their first MW title since 2016.
Pitcher Hailey Dolcini racked up a plethora of awards earning MW Pitcher of the Year honors as well as being named an All-American by Softball America. Freshman outfielder Keahilele Mattson made history as the first player to earn the MW Player of the Year and MW Freshman of the Year honors in the same season.
Water Polo, the Golden Coast Conference Champions, joined softball as a NCAA Tournament qualifier making their NCAA debut with a win over Cal Lutheran. Head coach Natalie Benson was named the GCC Coach of the Year while five Bulldogs earned All-GCC honors with Emily Nicholson & Daphne Guevremont garnering All-American honors.
For the second straight season, the Bulldog women's basketball team had a standout season on the court with a runner-up finish at the Mountain West Tournament and a top-four finish in the regular season. Sophomore guard Haley Cavinder was sensational on and off the court earning MW Player of the Year honors as well as being named CoSIDA Academic All-District for her work in the classroom.
Sophomore forward Orlando Robinson was a star on the court for men's basketball, garnering second-team All-MW honors and off the court Robinson earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
On the golf course, women's golfer Brigitte Thibault put together a historic season as the first Bulldog to qualify for the NCAA Championships while earning All-MW honors for the third consecutive season. As a team, the Bulldogs placed fourth at the MW Championship with Jessica Hall and Harriet Lynch joining Thibault for a trio of top 15 finishes at the conference tournament.
On the men's side for golf, sophomore Tommy Stephenson had a stellar campaign earning a bid to the NCAA Albuquerque Regional after earning All-MW and PING All-Region honors by Golf Coaches Association of America.
With the COVID-19 pandemic putting the football season on hold until late October, the 'Dogs had a great fall on the gridiron in Kalen DeBoer's first season at the helm highlighted by 10 All-MW selections. Running back Ronnie Rivers earned first-team all-league honors while leading the conference in all-purpose yardage and scoring touchdowns. In the classroom, the Bulldogs had an impressive 54 Academic All-MW honors.
With both soccer and volleyball moving their seasons from the fall to the spring, soccer nabbed four All-MW selections, its most since Fresno State joined the MW in 2012, while starting 3-0 for the first time since 2006 and finishing in second in the west division. Volleyball featured three All-MW selections and finished in a tie for fourth in the conference.
Typically competing in both the fall and spring, equestrian saw its season cut in half to spring only, but the Bulldogs persevered to go on to a second-place finish during the Big 12 regular season. The 'Dogs rode that success into the postseason making their first team appearance at the NCEA National Championship since 2017 and finished the season with a pair of All-American honors, four All-Big 12 honorees, and 13 Academic All-Big 12 selections.
In the pool, swim and dive saw a successful season with eight All-MW accolades. Sophomore Athena Clayson was crowned both the 100 and 200-meter backstroke champion and junior Yuliya Tykha qualified for the NCAA Zone E Diving Championship. Fellow winter sport, wrestling, saw its 23rd All-American in program history with redshirt freshman Kyle Parco finishing sixth at 149 lbs. at the NCAA Championships.
The third and final MW Player of the Year honor went to junior Dalia Ahmed of women's tennis, who put together a stellar season earning All-MW honors in singles and doubles as the Bulldogs finished in second place and tied for the MW lead with eight conference wins en route to a 15-5 overall record.
On the men's side, the 'Dogs assembled a fantastic season on the court winning 20 matches and finished third in the ITA Northwest Region rankings while three 'Dogs earned All-MW honors.
A major coaching accomplishment came in baseball with head coach Mike Batesole earning his 600th career victory at Fresno State against Air Force on April 10 and went on to also surpass the legendary Pete Beiden for the second-most wins as a Bulldog.
Lacrosse had five All-MPSF selections with Logann Eldredge being named MPSF Rookie of the Year and four 'Dogs earned All-Tournament honors after making the first MPSF championship game in program history. In the classroom, 12 Bulldogs earned Academic All-MPSF honors.
The spring wrapped up with the final All-American honor for Fresno State with senior Vanja Spaic finishing fourth in the javelin at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships a month after claiming her third career MW title in the event.
In addition to Spaic, four other 'Dogs qualified for the NCAA West Regional and a pair of 'Dogs, Hannah Chappell in the hammer throw and Breanna Covington in the triple jump, finished first and second in the MW, respectively in their events.
With the 2020-21 athletic season in the books and summer upon us, the fall and the 'Dogs taking the field against UCONN at Bulldog Stadium on Aug. 28 is right around the corner.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
