Cal State East Bay Athletics saw some outstanding accomplishments among teams and student-athletes throughout the fall sports seasons of 2024. After all, all three fall team sports reached postseason action, there were some great results on the golf course by both Pioneer golf teams, several medals were achieved in swimming and records were set in cross country. However, most notably, there are three stories of the 2024 fall season that captivated the Pioneer community that are the focus of this week's Pioneer Spotlight.
 
Cole McKain sets new Pioneer record en route to fourth All-CCAA selection
Distance running requires many years and hours of training for endurance, strength and mental focus to run at an optimal speed on a long course. Cole McKain from Cal State East Bay men's cross country proved to be one of the best distance runners in program history, culminating in a senior season that included a new Pioneer record as well as becoming an All-CCAA Men's Cross Country selection for the fourth time, spanning his entire Pioneer career with the like honors.
 
On October 25, McKain competed in the CCAA Cross Country Championships. During the meet, two historic moments occurred in his running career. He became the first Pioneer to be named All-CCAA Men's Cross Country in all four years competing by way of his 11^th place finish in 24 minutes, 35.7 seconds. His finishing time also set a new Pioneer record for men's 8k runs – a record that until that meet, stood for more than eight years.
 
Men's Soccer reaches CCAA Tournament for first time and advances to semifinals on home pitch
In his second season as head coach of Cal State East Bay men's soccer, Mike Haswell led the program this fall to a postseason spot never seen by the program before. And to reach the CCAA Tournament, the Pioneers needed nearly every second of the regular season to get in.
 
Heading into the final match, East Bay needed only one point in the standings (win or draw), to reach that goal. On November 7, the Pioneers trailed 1-0 in the final minute to Cal State San Marcos. With just 13 seconds remaining, a free kick taken by Pablo Almontes threaded through the defense and found Oscar Avendano, who put home perhaps one of the most important goals in program history to equalize the match, which would be good enough for the needed point to reach the postseason.
 
Just three days later, the Pioneers took the pitch in the CCAA postseason for the first time when they faced higher-seeded Chico State on the road. In the 43^rd minute, Yuto Hatayama found the net for East Bay for a 1-0 lead. From there, the defense needed to hold the Wildcats from finding the net, and it did. Chico State was unable to make much of an offensive threat until late in the match. A key save by Adan Corona helped preserve the shutout and East Bay advanced to the semifinals.
 
And the semifinals took place on the Pioneers' own home field. In the semifinal match, East Bay gave up three first half goals to fall behind 3-0 against Cal Poly Pomona. Despite the hole they were in, they made a valiant comeback attempt, as Julian Valle scored a pair of second half goals to cut the deficit to only one goal. The Pioneers had four quality scoring chances in the final minutes, but came up short in what became an incredible, historic season for the program.
 
Three Pioneers were named All-CCAA Honorable Mention including Drew Gibbons, Alan Gutierrez and Eugenio Perez-Vera Merino.
 
Women's Soccer carries long unbeaten streak to reach CCAA Tournament, then advance to Championship Match
On October 13, a goal in the final minute for Cal State San Bernardino in Hayward took away a point in the standings from the Pioneers, who fell to 1-3-0 in conference play after the loss, as it seemed like a long shot for the East Bay to reach the CCAA Tournament.
 
But four days later, fortunes turned when Abigail Kern scored a goal at Pioneer Stadium to break a scoreless tie against SF State in the 61^st minute in what became the first win to start an unbeaten streak for the Pioneers to finish the regular season.  
 
The unbeaten streak included a pair of draws on the road in the next two matches, and four straight wins to round out the regular season. On the final day of the regular season, November 7, a 2-1 win over Cal State San Marcos clinched a spot in the CCAA Tournament. The win, combined with favorable outcomes elsewhere in conference action that day, lifted the Pioneers' spot in the standings to second place, earning a first round bye to automatically play in the semifinals of the CCAA Tournament.
 
And in the semifinal match against Cal State Monterey Bay, the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Morgan Pearson in the 36^th minute. Despite many scoring opportunities and shots for CSUMB, and a key save by Ashley Levi in the 88^th minute, a shutout was preserved and the Pioneers advanced to the CCAA Championship match for the second time in four years.
 
Several postseason honors were bestowed upon Cal State East Bay. Five Pioneers received All-CCAA Awards, including Mika Sayfurahman (First Team), Kern (Second Team), Levi (Honorable Mention), Jaeden Nelson (Honorable Mention) and Gabriella Rodil (Honorable Mention). Sayfurahman was also named to the D2 CCA All-West Region Second Team.