CYPRESS, CA- Former Cypress student-athletes across seven sports commit to compete at four-year universities throughout the nation.
The 2022-2023 Cypress Chargers season ended with a total of 28 athletes set to transfer and compete at four-year programs in 2023-24. Charger Athletics prides itself in having a high number of student-athletes commit to continue their academic and athletic journey at the next level. Seven of fourteen programs will see a student-athlete from the 2022-23 season in uniform at an NCAA or NAIA program during the upcoming season.
Baseball
Chargers baseball had a successful 2023 year as the team ended the season in the Super Regional round of the 3C2A playoffs. The campaign had the team ranked No. 5 in SoCal and No. 21 in the 3C2A state bracket. Cypress defeated the Cerro Coso Coyotes in the first round of playoffs but could not escape a double elimination round against Santa Ana. Fourteen players from the 2023 season have committed and will compete at the four-year level.
Commits List:
Luke Honikel- University of Oregon (Division I, PAC-12)
Dean Toigo- University of Oregon (Division I, PAC-12)
Logan Groff- Fresno State (Division I, Mountain West Conference)
Isaac Rodriguez- UNLV (Division I, Mountain West Conference)
Connor Wylde- New Mexico State (Division I, Conference USA)
Aaron Perez- Utah Tech (Division I, Western Athletic Conference)
Evan Adolphus- Cal Poly Pomona (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Trey Seeley- Hope International University (NAIA, Golden State Athletic Conference)
Josh Landry- Hope International University (NAIA, Golden State Athletic Conference)
Cole Wentz- Biola University (Division II, PacWest Conference)
Nick Mascaro- Cal State Bakersfield (Division I, The Big West)
Edgar Rosales- University of Arkansas, Little Rock (Division I, Ohio Valley Conference)
Ryan White- Cal State San Marcos (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Cade Liefer- Johnson University in Tennessee (Division II, Appalachian Athletic Conference)
Andrew Kotin- Cal State Monterey Bay (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Andrew Dusablon - University of Evansville (Division I, Missouri Valley Conference)
Men's Basketball
Cypress men's basketball put together an impressive year which ended in the SoCal Regional playoff bracket. After the Chargers pulled off an upset against Long Beach City, the team fell short against the No. 2 Citrus Owls. Head Coach Andrew Alhadeff and the rest of the basketball staff improved upon the prior years efforts to finish fourth in the OEC and win 3C2A playoff game. The lone commit in Grant Sii will be playing alongside a former men's basketball player, Sebastian Castro at Hope International University.
Head Coach Andrew Alhadeff and the rest of the basketball staff are ecstatic to see Grant Sii perform at the next level. "I am excited for Grant, I think he is going to do great at Hope International. He was great for us as a two-time All Conference player. He is a great student and he was a model player for us. Great in the classroom, great on campus and great for our team. We love him and are very proud of him."
Commit List:
Grant Sii- Hope International University (NAIA, Golden State Athletic Conference)
Women's Basketball
Cypress women's basketball assembled a team that finished second in the OEC and competed in the Elite 8 at the 3C2A State Tournament. In the SoCal Regionals, the Chargers bypassed the first round of competition. There, Cypress defeated Ventura and Moorpark to advance to the State Competition. For the first game of state, the team faced off against Butte who was placed No.1 from NorCal. Cypress ended their season in the Elite 8 but first-year Head Coach Brittany Imaku and the team completed a rewarding year with two of their players committing to the next level.
Head Coach Brittany Imaku and the rest of the staff are enthusiastic to see two former Chargers compete for four-year programs. "Congratulations to Lexi. She really worked hard in her three years and I am excited to see her play at the next level. She is going to a great program at Indiana which will help her grow and be committed to the game and the classroom. For Ashley, I am excited to see her get back to the D1 level. I feel like that is where she belongs and that she was underrecruited. Heading into Gardner Webb, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets All-Conference."
Commits List:
Ashley Hawkins- Gardner-Webb University (Division I, Big South)
Lexi Alvarez- Indiana University Northwest (NAIA, Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference)
Men's Soccer
Chargers men's soccer improved in their 2022 season as the team finished second in the OEC. The ten win squad hosted the first round of the 3C2A SoCal Regional playoffs for the first time in the program's history. Though Cypress did not make it out of the first round, they saw six players be selected to All-OEC honors. Men's soccer will see three athletes advance to four-year programs. Logan Garcia will join former Charger, Nomar Ibarra, who will also begin his athletic career at California State University, San Marcos.
Commit List:
Logan Garcia- Cal State San Marcos (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
RJ Carroll- Cal State Fullerton (Division I, The Big West)
Alex Felix- Southwest Baptist University (Division II, Great Lakes Valley Conference)
Women's Soccer
Cypress women's soccer accumulated a notable season with six players awarded All-OEC honors.The No. 6 ranked squad in the 3C2A SoCal bracket won their first postseason matchup against the Antelope Valley Marauders. The Chargers met and were defeated by an OEC rival, Saddleback Bobcats, in the third round of the playoffs. The success from the 2022 season saw five Chargers commit to four-year universities.
Head Coach Erick Hurtarte spoke about how proud he was to see his former student-athletes progress in their academic and athletic journey. "Watching our kids move on to 4-year schools is why we do what we do. Soccer aside, the fact that they are graduating from Cypress and continuing their education is a greater accomplishment than wins and losses. We are very proud to be part of their life accomplishments."
Commits List:
Presli Dillon- California State University, Los Angeles (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Siri Gudiño- Minot State University (Division II, Dakota Athletic Conference)
Jassmin Ortiz- California State University, Los Angeles (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Alyssa Villalobos- California State University, Dominguez Hills (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Christine Duarte- California State University, Dominguez Hills (Division II, California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Men's Water Polo
Cypress men's water polo sees two Chargers commit to the next level after a fifth place finish in the OEC. The team started the season strong with five straight wins and ended the year with 14 total wins. Though Cypress missed the playoffs, they had two players earn All-OEC awards and two members move on to four-year institutions.
Commit List:
John "Howie" Zeff- University of California, Merced (Division II, Sierra Pacific League)
Sawyer Nering- University of La Verne (Division III, Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Wes McCurtis, Athletic Director and Associate Dean of Kinesiology, is excited and encouraged to see former Chargers continue their academic and athletic careers at the next level. "Seeing the work that our student-athletes put in everyday to balance athletics, academics, and life's challenges to accomplish their goal of transferring is what we are all about. Cypress College coaches and staff do everything they can to help support the goals of our student-athletes. To see our programs consistently recruit high caliber student-athletes with outstanding character and move them on to 4-year universities shows the commitment of everyone involved."
Stay connected with the Chargers through social media. Follow Cypress College Athletics on Twitter @CypressChargers. Check in with the Chargers on Facebook/CypressChargers and on Instagram @CypressChargers.
