Mustang Report

Clinching the Cup

Written by Connor Leary
Images Courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics

Cal Polyʼs 2023-24 athletic year was one for the books. For the first time in school history, Cal Poly won the Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner’s Cup. The cup honors the highest achieving athletic department in the Big West Conference, the conference in which Cal Poly competes in 16 of its sports. The Mustangs finished with the highest point total in the 24 years the cup has been awarded. Strong performances in nearly every sport — across multiple conferences — fueled a thrilling season for the Mustangs.

To celebrate the Commissioner’s Cup, here are the top 10 moments from the last season:

Cal Poly's beach volleyball team members celebrate a victory on the sand

Beach Volleyball

TEAM MAKES FIRST EVER NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL

The 2024 team will go down as the program’s best after becoming the first in Cal Poly’s Division I history to make an NCAA Championship semifinal. The Mustangs won 31 matches overall and were ranked as high as No. 3 in the country — both program records. Head coach Todd Rogers was named the Big West Coach of the Year, four players were named All-Americans and all 10 starting pairs earned All-Conference honors.

A women's track and field athlete runs near starting blocks on Cal Poly's track

Track & Field

TEAMS SWEEP CONFERENCE TITLES AND SET 16 NEW RECORDS

For the Mustang men, it was their first Big West Championship in program history, while the women earned their second. The Mustangs captured eight Big West individual titles at the conference track meet, which Cal Poly hosted. Overall, 25 Mustangs and two relay teams earned All-Big West honors by placing in the top three in their respective events. Fourteen Mustangs competed at the NCAA West Preliminaries.

Women’s Tennis

TEAM WINS SECOND BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP

Melissa LaMette earned the match-clinching point in all three of the team’s victories at the conference tournament, sending Cal Poly to the NCAA Championships for the third time ever. Four players garnered All-Big West honors, head coach Ellie Edles Williams was named Big West Coach of the Year, and the team finished the season ranked No. 68 in the country.

Cross Country

TEAMS CLAIM BIG WEST TITLES AT HOME

While hosting the Big West Championship, Cal Poly swept the men’s and women’s conference titles for the second straight year. The men beat out second-place UC Santa Barbara as four runners, including individual title holder Davis Bove, finished inside the top 10. On the women’s side, Cal Poly edged out UC Davis to repeat as Big West champions. At the NCAA West Regional meet, the Cal Poly men and women both placed eighth while Bove, Anthony Guerra and Tatiana Cornejo all secured All-West Region honors. Bove, who placed eighth at regionals, then went on to compete at the NCAA Championships, placing 108th overall.

Softball

JESSICA CLEMENTS SETS RECORDS ON OFFENSE

Clements, the Big West Player of the Year, notched a .464 batting average (third in the nation), a .526 on-base percentage (11th in the nation) and 71 hits (49th in the nation). After leading the conference with 105 total bases and a .686 slugging percentage, Clements remained the top hitter in program history with a .416 career batting average. She helped lead the Mustangs to a third-place finish in the Big West standings with 28 wins.

Wrestling

ADAM KEMP WINS THE PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Kemp claimed his first Pac-12 title this season to become the program’s third conference champion at 174 pounds. Kemp was one of five Cal Poly wrestlers that made it to the NCAA Championships, where teammate Chance Lamer finished one match away from earning All-American honors. The team was ranked as high as No. 23 nationally and boasted six nationally ranked wrestlers for most of the season.

Baseball

JOE YORKE BREAKS PROGRAM’S CAREER RBI RECORD

Yorke reached 176 career RBIs, tallying his third consecutive 40+ RBI campaign. Ryan Stafford also broke the program’s career doubles record while Griff in Naess and Alejandro Garza swept the conference’s freshman of the year honors. The Mustangs battled to a third-place position in the conference with notable series victories over ranked opponents and 35 wins on the season.

Women’s Basketball

TEAM GOES TO FIRST WNIT IN 10 YEARS

Under second-year head coach Shanele Stires, they won 17 games, their best since the 2017-18 season, and finished top-three in the Big West standings. The team capped off the season by qualifying for the Women’s National Invitational Postseason Tournament for the first time in a decade.

A women's soccer player runs toward a soccer ball in mid air next to a defender

Women’s Soccer

ANNIKA SMITH SCORES A HAT TRICK

The eighth hat trick in program history was recorded during a 3-1 victory over UC Riverside en route to the program’s ninth Big West Championship match. A record 21 players scored a point during the season, and the team had its most All-Big West honorees in nine years, including Big West Defensive Player of the Year Emma Brown.

A women's golf player swings a club on a golf course

Women’s Golf

JENSEN JALUFKA SETS A PROGRAM RECORD

In nine tournaments, Jalufka averaged 72.6 points, had four top-10 finishes, and helped lead the Mustangs to a second-place finish as a team at the Big West Championship.