The 2024-25 athletic year for Cal State East Bay was memorable and BOLD! And the spring season brought so many outstanding feats individually and for the teams in season. While track & field and baseball had some outstanding moments and accomplishments in the spring, the Pioneer Spotlight will focus on the men's golf, women's golf and softball. 

The Pioneers made their statement early and often in the fall season to start the 2024-25 campaign. Right out of the gate, three straight wins, including the Saint Martin's Bishop Invitational, Wildcat Classic and Otter Invitational. The success carried into the spring season with a win at the NNU Invitational. East Bay finished no lower that sixth in all of its regular season tournaments. 

Easton Hether was the medalist at the NNU Invitational, while CCAA weekly awards went to Hether and Ananjan Kaushik throughout the season. 

But perhaps a moment that will be the most memorable was in April in Santa Barbara when the Pioneers won their first CCAA Championship since 2016. Not only did East Bay earn the conference crown, but Cooper Groshart was the CCAA medalist. 

With a CCAA Championship was an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II West/South Central Regional. That is where the Pioneers placed third making the cut to advance to the NCAA Championships. 

East Bay this week is competing in the NCAA Division II Championships in Florida, which is their first appearance in the championship tournament since 2017. 

The season will also be known for outstanding accolades, including Alan Sue being named CCAA Coach of the Year for the second time, Groshart and Hether receiving PING All-West Region honors, and All-CCAA recognition to Oscar Blomqvist, Hether and Kaushik. 

Late season success propelled Cal State East Bay to an at-large bid for the NCAA West Regionals. It was at the regionals in Amarillo, Texas where a BOLD third round comeback carried the Pioneers into the NCAA Division II Championships for a third straight season. It was the team's third straight national championship appearance and fourth in which at least one Cal State East Bay golfer reached the championship tournament. 

After one round of the West Regional, inclement weather forced 36 holes to be played on the final day of the tournament. And the first 18 were not in the Pioneers' favor after a team round score of +13. But in the third round, a complete turnaround, led by Sophia Tejeda, helped the Pioneers climb into a fourth place tie to finish the tournament and advance to the NCAA Division II Championships for a third straight year. 

The regular season was highlighted with a win in the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, an individual win by Torrie Bowman to close out the regular season at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic. Jasmin Krishna and Bowman each won a CCAA Golfer of the Week award. 

CCAA postseason awards included Bowman, Krishna and Tejeda being named All-CCAA Honorable Mention. Bowman was also named CCAA Freshman of the Year. 

A CCAA regular season championship, CCAA Coach of the Year, Pitcher of the Year for the conference and region...Is there more for Pioneer Softball? Yes there was, making 2025 a year to be etched into the record books in Hayward. 

It all started with 11 straight wins, and consistency throughout the regular season. The Pioneers did not lose a regular season series, and in the final regular season series, clinched the CCAA Regular Season Championship. 

Along that journey, the Pioneers opened the season with a 7-1 win over the 2024 national runner-up, swept a nationally-ranked team on the road, Marissa Quintero and Ashlee Toy each tossed a no-hitter, and four CCAA Pitcher of the Week honors were bestowed upon the Pioneers. 

The success of the regular season established the region's top ranking and in early May, Cal State East Bay hosted the NCAA Division II West Regional as the No. 1 seed. During those regionals, East Bay reached 40 wins for the first time since 1992. 

Much of the success can be attributed to the leadership and guidance of head coach Claire Sua-Amundson, who earned her 200th career win during the postseason and was named CCAA Coach of the Year. 

And may there be more to mention. Quintero was named CCAA Pitcher of the Year and D2 CCA West Region Pitcher of the Year. Quintero, Toy and Annelise Garcia all picked up regional and All-CCAA postseason honors, with four more added to the list of All-CCAA honorees (Marissa Farias, Alexa Zumstein, Ysabella Cortez, Jenna Porto).