For senior defender Madeline Bister, last season's run to the CCAA Championship match felt almost magical. "It was a surreal, almost dreamlike experience to watch all our hard work, time, and sacrifice come to life on the field," she said. "What made it even more powerful was doing it alongside a group of teammates who shared the same drive, the same fire. It felt like the stars had aligned just for us."
An injury kept Bister from playing in the final, but she still walked away with immense pride. "That journey meant everything. We had built something so special, something rooted in trust, effort, and belief."
Her Pioneer career hasn't been without adversity. Multiple knee surgeries, some during critical academic periods, forced her to rethink who she was beyond the game. "When your identity is so closely tied to your sport, losing that connection, even temporarily, is incredibly difficult," she admitted. "It's been a challenging journey, but through it all I've learned resilience, self-awareness, and how to keep pushing forward even when things feel uncertain."
That perspective has shaped her vision for life after East Bay. A Psychology major with a Sociology minor, Bister plans to pursue a career in sports psychology. "I want to be someone who helps athletes perform freely, without the mental weight that can hold them back," she said. "And for the first time, the end goal doesn't feel distant, it feels close. I'm more confident than ever that I'm exactly where I need to be, heading exactly where I want to go."
She's also passionate about addressing the urgent need for mental health support in sports. "On college campuses, athletes can become so mentally overwhelmed that they lose touch with the sport they've spent years mastering," Bister said. "This is a serious and growing issue that demands open and compassionate dialogue. I'm committed to entering the field of sports psychology to help drive that change and ensure athletes receive the mental support they truly need."
From championship highs to the challenges of injury, Bister's journey has been about more than soccer. It's about resilience, purpose, and building a future where she can help athletes find the freedom to love their sport again.
Latest Women's Soccer
- Levy, Pioneers Blank Cal State LAALAMEDA, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay women's soccer used a key first half goal from Kella Folkerts and stellar play between the pipes from Ashley Levi to shutout Cal State LA on Friday afternoon. The Pioneers improved 5-5-2 overall and 3-1-1 in CCAA play with the victory and now sit alone in second place.
- Pioneers Battle to Road Draw at Cal State San MarcosSAN MARCOS, Calif. — Cal State East Bay women's soccer fought to a hard-earned 0–0 draw against Cal State San Marcos on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers used a strong defensive showing to earn the road point, moving to 4–5–2 overall and 2–1–1 in the CCAA.
- Pioneers Fall 2–0 to Cal Poly HumboldtLIVERMORE, Calif. — Cal State East Bay women's soccer dropped its first home CCAA match of the season Friday afternoon, falling 2–0 to Cal Poly Humboldt at Las Positas College. The visiting Lumberjacks scored twice in the opening 25 minutes to move the Pioneers to 4-6-1 overall and 2-1 in CCAA play.
- Pioneers Blank UC Merced for Second Straight CCAA WinMERCED, Calif. – Cal State East Bay women's soccer continued its strong start to conference play Sunday afternoon, earning a 1-0 road victory over UC Merced on a late goal by Kella Folkerts. The Pioneers improved to 4-4-1 overall and 2-0-0 in CCAA action, while the Bobcats dropped to 4-2-3 and 1-1-0.
- Pioneers Open CCAA Play with 2-1 Road Win at Stanislaus StateTURLOCK, Calif. – Cal State East Bay women's soccer started conference play in style on Friday afternoon, earning a 2-1 victory over Stanislaus State at Warrior Stadium. The Pioneers used second-half goals from Morgan Pearson and Kella Folkerts, to improv to 3-4-1 overall and 1-0-0 in CCAA action.
- Pioneer Spotlight Alumni Edition: Maya FarkasWhen Maya Farkas wore the Pioneer jersey, she never imagined how deeply those years on the pitch would shape her future. Today, as a recent Fire Fighter 1 academy and EMT program graduate preparing to enter the fire service, she draws daily from the lessons she learned at Cal State East Bay—lessons of discipline, teamwork, and resilience.
