
Photo by: Owen Main
Forty-Five Mustangs Earn Big West Fall All-Academic Team Selection
2/7/2023 10:15:00 AM | Cross Country, General, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball
COMPLETE BIG WEST FALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM SELECTIONS
SAN LUIS OBISPO – A total of 45 Cal Poly student-athletes – one more than a year ago and an increase of 12 selections from 2019 – earned Big West Conference Fall All-Academic Team praise on Tuesday morning.
In order to qualify for selection, student-athletes (excluding true freshmen and first-year transfers) had to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA through the most recent academic term while also competing in at least 50 percent of their program's competitions.
Cal Poly's 45-player total trailed only UC Santa Barbara (54), UC San Diego (51) and UC Irvine (50) among the Big West's 11 members.
The complete listing of Cal Poly's 45 Big West Fall All-Academic Team honorees is below.
Including Jake Ritter – the 2022 Big West men's cross country individual champion and the only runner in conference history with three titles – the Big West title-winning Mustang men's cross country program led all squads with 10 total selections.
The Cal Poly women's cross country team – also Big West champions last fall – earned six further selections.
Earning a second successive Big West regular season title in 2022, Cal Poly's women's soccer program enjoyed a conference leading 13 selections – a list that included Big West Midfielder of the Year honoree Camille Lafaix and Goalkeeper of the Year selection Mackenzie Samuel.
The Mustang men's soccer program contributed a program record nine selections.
With 2022 AVCA All-Region honoree Maia Dvoracek and fellow All-Big West first team selection Tommi Stockham included, Cal Poly's volleyball program produced seven selections – 70 percent of its eligible roster.
Men's Cross Country (10)
Anthony Benitez, Sr. — Psychology (San Diego, CA)
John Bennett, Sr. — Mechanical Engineering (Livermore, CA)
Michael Chambers, So. — Business Administration (Carmichael, CA)
Will Fallini-Haas, Sr. — Architecture (Spring Creek, NV)
Anthony Guerra, Jr. — Aerospace Engineering (Livermore, CA)
Euan Houston, So. — Aerospace Engineering (Pleasanton, CA)
Erik Luu, Jr. — Computer Science (Shoreline, WA)
Jake Ritter, Gr. — Civil and Environmental Engineering (Citrus Heights, CA)
Rory Smail, So. — Kinesiology (Longniddry, Scotland)
Spencer Thurman, Sr. — Biological Sciences (Lake Forest Park, WA)
Women's Cross Country (6)
Carissa Buchholz, So. — Biological Sciences (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
Misty Diaz, Sr. — Psychology (Norwalk, CA)
Julia Heckey, So. — Comparative Ethnic Studies (Sacramento, CA)
Emma McCain, So. — Business Administration (Soquel, CA)
Amanda Olla, Sr. — Mechanical Engineering (Danville, CA)
Sydnie Rivas, Gr. — Business Administration (Santa Rosa, CA)
Women's Soccer (13)
Peja Balanon, So. — Biological Sciences (Vacaville, CA)
Emma Brown, So. — Kinesiology (Clovis, CA)
McKenna Carbon, So. — Kinesiology (Corona, CA)
Madison Demijohn, Sr. — Kinesiology (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Annette Greenley, Sr. — Business Administration (Los Gatos, CA)
Megan Hansen, Sr. — Kinesiology (Sacramento, CA)
Camille Lafaix, Sr. — Psychology (Los Gatos, CA)
Annie Larson, So. — Mechanical Engineering (San Clemente, CA)
Emily Nedom, So. — Communication Studies (Los Gatos, CA)
Olivia Ortiz, Sr. — Biological Sciences (San Luis Obispo, CA)
Kate Reedy, Jr. — Graphic Communication (Pleasanton, CA)
Kylie Rojas, Sr. — Business Administration (Hayward, CA)
Mackenzie Samuel, So. — Aerospace Engineering (San Diego, CA)
Men's Soccer (9)
Ori Bitton, So. — Business Administration (Agoura Hills, CA)
Noah Boettiger, Jr. — Business Administration (Boulder, CA)
Nate Colley, So. — Biomedical Engineering (Danville, CA)
Jackson Kestler, So. — Kinesiology (Acton, CA)
Max Kleinhammes, Sr. — Business Administration (Aliso Viejo, CA)
Conner Leber, So. — Biomedical Engineering (Phoenix, AZ)
Andrew McGee, Jr. — Business Administration (Fullerton, CA)
Gabe Penner, Jr. — Business Administration (Nipomo, CA)
Logan Thralls, Jr. — Philosophy (Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA)
Volleyball (7)
Emme Bullis, So. — Child Development (Whitewater, WI)
Maia Dvoracek, Sr. — Journalism (Truckee, CA)
Amy Hiatt, Jr. — Psychology (Auburn, CA)
Lizzy Markovska, So. — Communication Studies (Menifee, CA)
Meredith Phillips, Sr. — Kinesiology (Houston, TX)
Kate Slack, Jr. — Business Administration (Roseville, CA)
Tommi Stockham, Jr. — Rec., Parks and Tourism Administration (Las Vegas, NV)
SAN LUIS OBISPO – A total of 45 Cal Poly student-athletes – one more than a year ago and an increase of 12 selections from 2019 – earned Big West Conference Fall All-Academic Team praise on Tuesday morning.
In order to qualify for selection, student-athletes (excluding true freshmen and first-year transfers) had to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA through the most recent academic term while also competing in at least 50 percent of their program's competitions.
Cal Poly's 45-player total trailed only UC Santa Barbara (54), UC San Diego (51) and UC Irvine (50) among the Big West's 11 members.
The complete listing of Cal Poly's 45 Big West Fall All-Academic Team honorees is below.
Including Jake Ritter – the 2022 Big West men's cross country individual champion and the only runner in conference history with three titles – the Big West title-winning Mustang men's cross country program led all squads with 10 total selections.
The Cal Poly women's cross country team – also Big West champions last fall – earned six further selections.
Earning a second successive Big West regular season title in 2022, Cal Poly's women's soccer program enjoyed a conference leading 13 selections – a list that included Big West Midfielder of the Year honoree Camille Lafaix and Goalkeeper of the Year selection Mackenzie Samuel.
The Mustang men's soccer program contributed a program record nine selections.
With 2022 AVCA All-Region honoree Maia Dvoracek and fellow All-Big West first team selection Tommi Stockham included, Cal Poly's volleyball program produced seven selections – 70 percent of its eligible roster.
Men's Cross Country (10)
Anthony Benitez, Sr. — Psychology (San Diego, CA)
John Bennett, Sr. — Mechanical Engineering (Livermore, CA)
Michael Chambers, So. — Business Administration (Carmichael, CA)
Will Fallini-Haas, Sr. — Architecture (Spring Creek, NV)
Anthony Guerra, Jr. — Aerospace Engineering (Livermore, CA)
Euan Houston, So. — Aerospace Engineering (Pleasanton, CA)
Erik Luu, Jr. — Computer Science (Shoreline, WA)
Jake Ritter, Gr. — Civil and Environmental Engineering (Citrus Heights, CA)
Rory Smail, So. — Kinesiology (Longniddry, Scotland)
Spencer Thurman, Sr. — Biological Sciences (Lake Forest Park, WA)
Women's Cross Country (6)
Carissa Buchholz, So. — Biological Sciences (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
Misty Diaz, Sr. — Psychology (Norwalk, CA)
Julia Heckey, So. — Comparative Ethnic Studies (Sacramento, CA)
Emma McCain, So. — Business Administration (Soquel, CA)
Amanda Olla, Sr. — Mechanical Engineering (Danville, CA)
Sydnie Rivas, Gr. — Business Administration (Santa Rosa, CA)
Women's Soccer (13)
Peja Balanon, So. — Biological Sciences (Vacaville, CA)
Emma Brown, So. — Kinesiology (Clovis, CA)
McKenna Carbon, So. — Kinesiology (Corona, CA)
Madison Demijohn, Sr. — Kinesiology (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Annette Greenley, Sr. — Business Administration (Los Gatos, CA)
Megan Hansen, Sr. — Kinesiology (Sacramento, CA)
Camille Lafaix, Sr. — Psychology (Los Gatos, CA)
Annie Larson, So. — Mechanical Engineering (San Clemente, CA)
Emily Nedom, So. — Communication Studies (Los Gatos, CA)
Olivia Ortiz, Sr. — Biological Sciences (San Luis Obispo, CA)
Kate Reedy, Jr. — Graphic Communication (Pleasanton, CA)
Kylie Rojas, Sr. — Business Administration (Hayward, CA)
Mackenzie Samuel, So. — Aerospace Engineering (San Diego, CA)
Men's Soccer (9)
Ori Bitton, So. — Business Administration (Agoura Hills, CA)
Noah Boettiger, Jr. — Business Administration (Boulder, CA)
Nate Colley, So. — Biomedical Engineering (Danville, CA)
Jackson Kestler, So. — Kinesiology (Acton, CA)
Max Kleinhammes, Sr. — Business Administration (Aliso Viejo, CA)
Conner Leber, So. — Biomedical Engineering (Phoenix, AZ)
Andrew McGee, Jr. — Business Administration (Fullerton, CA)
Gabe Penner, Jr. — Business Administration (Nipomo, CA)
Logan Thralls, Jr. — Philosophy (Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA)
Volleyball (7)
Emme Bullis, So. — Child Development (Whitewater, WI)
Maia Dvoracek, Sr. — Journalism (Truckee, CA)
Amy Hiatt, Jr. — Psychology (Auburn, CA)
Lizzy Markovska, So. — Communication Studies (Menifee, CA)
Meredith Phillips, Sr. — Kinesiology (Houston, TX)
Kate Slack, Jr. — Business Administration (Roseville, CA)
Tommi Stockham, Jr. — Rec., Parks and Tourism Administration (Las Vegas, NV)
Players Mentioned
Mustang Insider Show with Chris Sylvester -- Sept 1, 2025: Ty Dieffenbach, QB for Cal Poly Football.
Tuesday, September 02
The Mustang Report: Farewell Interview with AD Don Oberhelman
Wednesday, August 27
Day in the Life With Men's Basketball Guard Cayden Ward
Monday, August 25
Cal Poly Men's Basketball 2025 Summer Practice
Thursday, August 07