Sonoma State University Athletics

Women's Water Polo (2020): The Sonoma State women's water polo program had a 17-year existence at the university as they belonged to the Western Water Polo Association. The program saw 12 All-Americans and three total head coaches during it's time. Alicia Hansel (2004-2007), Coralie Simmons (2008-2016), and most recently Chelsea Hennan (2017-2020). Hennan was also named as the program's first All-American for SSU during the 2005 season when she was a student-athlete. Coralie Simmons would go down as the program's all-time winningest head coach as she finished her 9 year career with 98 total wins. Simmons also helped produce 8 of the program's 12 All-Americans during her career. The Sonoma State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics thanks all of the amazing student-athletes and coaches who make up the history of the women's water polo program. We recognize and honor all of your hard work and dedication to the program and university and you will always be apart of the SSU family and #NomaNation.   

 

               

Women's Tennis (2020): The women's tennis program had a 30-year existence at Sonoma State University where they competed in the PacWest Conference. The program had four different head coaches during it's time. Steve Cunninghame (1988-1992), Tracey Prince (1997-2010), Joaquin Lopez (2011-2019) and most recently Rafael Martinez (2020). Prince would go down as the programs most winningest coach as he finished his 14-year career with a record of 147-140 and all 11 of the program's NCAA Championship Tournament appearances. During its 30 seasons, the SSU women's tennis team had three All-Americans in Megan Lowery (1990), Sara Clema (2014), and Jensyn Warren (2017,18,19). Lowery and Clema would record the program's lowest singles national rankings as Lowery was ranked 9th in the nation in singles play during the 1990 season and Clema would receive the same national ranking during the 2014 season. The Sonoma State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics thanks all of the amazing student-athletes and coaches who make up the history of the water polo program. Your hard work and dedication to the program and university will not be forgotten and you will always be apart of the SSU family and #NomaNation.

 


Men's Tennis (2020): The men's tennis program had a 33-year existence at Sonoma State University where they competed in the PacWest conference along with the women's tennis program. The program would have three head coaches during its existence. Jay Potter (1983-1987), Steve Cunninghame (1988-2017), and most recently with head coach Jose Hilla (2017-2020). Potter would lead the program to winning seasons in each of his last three seasons as well as the program's first ever NCAA Championship Tournament appearance during the 1987 season. Cunninghame would go down as the program's winningest coach recording 179 total wins for Sonoma State. He would lead the men's program to 6 NCAA Championship Tournament appearances, good for most in program history. The program's most recent head coach, Jose Hilla, was named the 2019 PacWest Coach of the Year as he would lead SSU to the NCAA West Regional for the first time since 2010. 

Nestor Bernabe would be the program's lone All-American as he earned the award during the 2003 season. Bernabe had the program's lowest singles national ranking as he was ranked 16th in the country during his 2003 All-American campaign. The Sonoma State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics thanks all of the amazing student-athletes and coaches who make up the history of the water polo program. Your hard work and dedication to the program and university will not be forgotten and you will always be apart of the SSU family and #NomaNation.  

 


Football (1996): The Sonoma State football program started in 1969 and ran for three seasons before being discontinued in 1972. Llyod Helgeson and (1969) and Carl Peterson (1970-71) were the programs first two coaches as they both combined for an 11-15-1 record. With the discontinuation in 1972, the 1969 Sonoma State College football team was inducted into the Sonoma State Athletics Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2014. The football program would be reinstated in 1980 with head coach Milt Cerf running the first two seasons for SSC football. The program would see seven head coaches over it's 20-year existence. Tim Walsh would go down as the program's winningest head coach as he obtained a record of 27-14 through his four years at the helm. Walsh's 1991 team was also crowned NCAC League Champions for the only time in the program's history.

The Sonoma State football program also saw several players continue their careers after their time at Sonoma State. Larry Allen was one of the most well known Sonoma State football players as he was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft to the Dallas Cowboys in 1994. Allen was also named to the Division II College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 for his success during his two seasons at Sonoma State (1992-93). Additionally, Allen would be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2013 for his historic 14-year career in the NFL and his 11 Pro Bowl appearances. Click HERE for the complete release on Larry Allen's NFL Hall of Fame Induction. Click HERE for the complete list of Sonoma State football players in the pros.

The Sonoma State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics thanks all of the amazing student-athletes and coaches who make up the history of the Sonoma State football program. Your hard work and dedication to the program and university will not be forgotten and you will always be apart of the SSU family and #NomaNation.  

 


Men's Track & Field (1992): The men's track & field program had a 28-year existence at Sonoma State where they competed in the Far West Conference (FWC). Eric Pearson helped found the program as it's first head coach during the 1964-65 athletic season. The program recorded it's first dual meet victory against USF, 48-15. The program's first ever All-American was javelin thrower Bruce McKee. McKee also represented the track & field program as the first ever competitor in the NCAA West Regionals and NCAA Championships. McKee earned third place in the FWC meet with a javelin mark of 185' which sent him to the West Regionals in Reno, Nevada. There, McKee had the top throw of 219'7'' to earn himself a spot in the NCAA Championships in Chicago. Coaches and teammates helped fund the trip for McKee to allow him to compete in the championships. In Chicago, McKee recorded a throw of 197'7'' good for 5th place and 2 points for Sonoma State College in the 1966 NCAA Championships (Don Vaccini). The program's other coaches included Joel Grose (1965-66), Bob Sorani (1965-69), and Robert Lynde (1969-74). 

The Sonoma State men's track & field program had only competed in away meets since the beginning of the program in 1965 as they did not have a home track. However, all of that changed in 1968 with the completion of a state of the art all-weather grass-tex facility (Don Vaccini). On April 13th, 1968, Sonoma State College hosted it's first ever track meet with SF State and USF. SSC would outpoint USF for their first home track meet victory! The Sonoma State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics thanks all of the amazing student-athletes and coaches who make up the history of the Sonoma State men's track & field program. Your hard work and dedication to the program and university will not be forgotten and you will always be apart of the SSU family and #NomaNation. Click the Men's Track & Field header to view individual marks over the course of the program.