SBVC Athletics Closes Exceptional 2022-2023 Academic Year With String Of Records, Victories & Success Stories

 

While it might be a cliché to say that a season was one for the record books, the 2022-23 school year at San Bernardino Valley College saw several athletes make their marks in the school’s all-time records.

 

And nowhere was that more apparent than with the 2022-23 men’s basketball team, which made a trip to the state’s Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. The Wolverines finished the season with a record of 27-4, falling in the state quarterfinals to the defending state champions – and this year’s runner-up – City College of San Francisco. San Francisco lost in the championship game to Fullerton, which SBVC had beaten earlier in the season.

 

While the team fell short of its ultimate goal, SBVC fans were treated to seeing two of the school’s all-time best finish their careers at San Bernardino. Dominique Daniels and Armon Muldrew leave SBVC with their names atop categories in the school’s all-time records.

 

Daniels finished his two seasons at SBVC with the second most points scored in school history, pouring in 1,454 points in his two seasons, just 83 points behind the school record set by Ernie Powell from 1964-66. Part of Daniels’ success came from beyond the three-point arc, from where he posted the school record, with 91 3-pointers made in 2022-23, which gave him a career total of 144, one off the top spot all-time. He also posted the fifth-highest single game point total in school history, scoring 47 points – including a school record nine 3-pointers – against College of the Desert on Jan. 25. Daniels will continue his career at Cal Baptist University in the fall.

 

Meanwhile, Muldrew put his name in the top 10 in several categories as well during his career – including taking the top spot in career 3-pointers – finishing with 145, one ahead of Daniels. Muldrew’s season – which saw him miss several games due to injury – ended with him posting the fifth-best shooting percentage from beyond the arc, making 42 percent of his three-point attempts, and for his SBVC career, he finished second, making 40.5 of his three-point attempts.

 

The 2023 season was supposed to be one of new beginnings for the SBVC softball team. But unforeseen construction issues caused the opening of the school’s new softball complex on hold indefinitely. Forced to find a new off-campus home, the Wolverines landed at Loma Linda University’s Drayson Center for the 2023 season, and the team made the most of their new home away from home.

 

SBVC returned to the postseason for the first time since 2015, and posted its first winning record since 2017, as the Wolverines finished the season with a record of 20-17. The team had a chance to take the Inland Empire Athletic Conference championship on the final day of the regular season against Chaffey. The two rivals battled back-and-forth over nearly four hours in the first game of a doubleheader, before the Panthers prevailed 7-6 in a 12-inning battle. SBVC battled back in the second game, beating Chaffey 10-8 to finish a game behind Chaffey in the standings, and secure their berth in the postseason.

 

Part of SBVC’s success during the 2023 season came from within the circle, as Sofia Gonzalez became the team’s No. 1 starting pitcher. Gonzalez, who was named IEAC Pitcher of the Year, found a groove late in the season to help propel the Wolverines. On April 14, Gonzalez pitched a perfect inning – striking out three Cerro Coso batters on nine pitches – then went on to strike out the first nine batters she faced in the game. She finished the season with a school record 130 strikeouts on the season, giving her 220 for her two-year career – also a school mark.

 

Over on the baseball diamond, the Wolverines had an up-and-down season. One of the team’s bright spots came from sophomore Nathan Campos-Jaramillo. The pitcher/outfielder was named first-team All-Conference for his play in 2023. He also led the state in doubles in the regular season with 25 – a total that puts him near the top of the SBVC record book. On the track, new coach Kenneth Lawler began rebuilding the SBVC squad after the Covid-19 pandemic left the team struggling to find athletes. The team had seven athletes participate in to the Southern California Regionals in May, with Yoselin Canseco missing out on the state finals in the 3000 meter steeplechase by one place, after tweaking her ankle during the race. In the fall, both the men’s and women’s soccer teams returned to the postseason, both falling in the opening round of competition. The men’s team lost in a penalty kick shootout at Bakersfield, after tying the game with less than a minute remaining in extra time.

 

Both teams had players enter the school record books as well. Women’s team goalkeeper Haley Weghorst opened the season with a bang, recording 30 saves in a game against regional finalist Santiago Canyon (a game that SBVC was awarded as a victory due to a paperwork issue by Santiago Canyon). Weghorst finished the season with 104 saves, only the third known goalkeeper to record more than 100 saves in a season.

 

On the men’s side, sophomore Ebrima Njie finished his career among the top overall scorers in school history. Njie finished his two years fifth in goals scored with 13, while finishing ninth in points with 31 (goals are worth two points, assists are worth one).

 

Our men’s cross country team continued to be one of the top programs in the state, as it won another Inland Empire Athletic Conference team championship. It was the team’s 25th conference championship in the past 26 seasons. At the IEAC Championships, the team placed six runners in the top 10. They went on to post a strong team performance at the Southern California Regionals to send the team to the State Championships in Fresno.

 

Contributed by Bill Norris, Sports Information Specialist.