Weekly Mustang Roundup: September 22-28
9/22/2025 5:00:00 PM | General
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Sep 26, 2025 at All Day
Men's Tennis vs
Sherwood Collegiate Cup
Oct 2, 2025 at All Day
Men's Tennis vs
Big West Masters Qualifier
THIS WEEK IN MUSTANG ATHLETICS
- Fresh off dominating the SLO Classic, Volleyball will look to keep its perfect record at home this season (6-0) intact when they host CSUN at 6 p.m. on Friday and Cal State Bakersfield at 5 p.m. Saturday to open Big West play.
- Riding a four-match unbeaten streak, Men's Soccer renews its historic Blue-Green rivalry with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday when the Mustangs travel to the Gauchos for a 4 p.m. showdown.
- Football kicks off Big Sky Conference play this weekend when they head to No. 21 Sacramento State at 6 p.m. Saturday.
- After having its nine-match unbeaten streak to start the season snapped, Women's Soccer returns to Spanos at 7 p.m. Thursday to host its Big West home opener against UC San Diego before traveling to UC Davis on Sunday.
- Men's Tennis opens the fall portion of its season this Friday through Sunday at the Sherwood Collegiate Cup.
- Women's Golf is currently in the midst of play in its third of four tournaments this fall with the final round set to tee off at 8 a.m. Tuesday from Ptarmigan Country Club in Fort Collins, Colorado.
#RIDEHIGH MOMENTS
WEEKLY SNEAK PEEK
Red-Hot Volleyball Hosts a Pair at Mott Athletics Center to Open Big West Play
- Cal Poly volleyball stormed into conference play with a statement-making finish to its non-conference schedule, capping an electrifying homestand with a trio of commanding victories. The Mustangs' thrilling run featured a dramatic reverse-sweep comeback against Saint Mary's, a stunning straight-set upset over the 20th-ranked Utah Utes, and a decisive sweep over future Big West opponent Cal Baptist. The showing led to them receiving votes in this week's AVCA National Poll.
- Junior outside hitter Emma Fredrick, the Big West's Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 15, was a near-unstoppable force throughout the unbeaten weekend. The breakout star extended her double-digit kills streak to seven matches, hammering 37 total kills (3.36 per set) while adding significant defensive value with 21 digs and four blocks. She led the Mustangs in kills during every match over the weekend and has now powered her way into ninth in the Big West for kills per set.
- Former All-Freshman Team honoree Elif Hurriyet made her first home start of the season and immediately re-cemented her defensive presence. She anchored the backcourt with a team-high 34 digs (3.78 per set) across the three matches, adding six assists. In the dominant sweeps over No. 20 Utah and Cal Baptist, Hurriyet's relentless defense was key, helping hold both opponents to a sub-.100 hitting percentage.
- The momentum continues at home as the Mustangs open their Big West conference slate this week, hosting CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield, two opponents they swept twice last season. The conference opener against CSUN on Friday is not just High School Night; it's the Mustangs' Fight Childhood Cancer night. Fans are encouraged to wear GOLD to show their support and help raise awareness! Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Men's Soccer Travels to UCSB to Renew Blue-Green Rivalry
- During Cal Poly’s current four-match unbeaten run, the Mustangs have scored 12 times while conceding just twice. Included in the streak is a home draw against No. 20 San Francisco (Sept. 11) and an 8-0 home victory against Utah Tech (Sept. 18) in which the Mustangs set new program records for goals scored, margin of victory and individual assists.
- Junior forward Jack Civitts was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after becoming the first Mustang in 17 years to record a three-assist game during Cal Poly’s 8-0 home win against Utah Tech (Sept. 18). Civitts, an offseason transfer from Santa Clara, also scored his first goal as a Mustang versus Utah Tech.
- Cal Poly renews the Blue-Green rivalry Saturday when the team travels to UC Santa Barbara. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on ESPN+. With a capacity crowd expected once more inside Harder Stadium, the game is scheduled as a non-conference meeting with the Big West matchup between the two sides – for points in the table – occurring at Cal Poly on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Women's Soccer Hosts UC San Diego in Big West Home Opener on Thursday
- The Mustangs will looking to get back on track after suffering their first loss of the season last Thursday, falling 3-1 at UC Santa Barbara in their Big West opener.
- The defeat snapped Cal Poly's historic nine-match unbeaten streak, tied for the longest unbeaten streak to open a season in program history and the team’s longest overall since starting the 2005 season 6-0-3.
- The Mustangs are still unbeaten at home this season (0-0-4), their longest home unbeaten streak since posting a 4-0-2 record during a six-game stretch in the 2022 season, when they claimed the Big West regular season title outright.
- In last Thursday's loss at UC Santa Barbara, graduate student midfielder Madelyn Dougherty headed home her third goal of the season in the 73rd minute. Freshman defender Sam Walker recorded her first collegiate point on the goal, earning the primary assist, while senior forward Emily Lieber registered her 11th career assist on the tally, tied for the 13th-most in Cal Poly history.
- Senior forward Jessie Halladay currently leads the Big West in points (12), shots (36) and goals per match, recording five goals and two assists this season. Dougherty ranks second in the conference in assists with five and is tied for second in the Big West in total points (11).
- Cal Poly hosts UC San Diego in its Big West home opener at 7 p.m. Thursday live on ESPN+. You can purchase tickets to the match at GoPoly.com/Tickets and the match will serve as the second of three AYSO Appreciation Days this season. The Mustangs travel to UC Davis at 1 p.m. Sunday to wrap up the week.
Football Starts Conference Play Saturday at No. 21 Sacramento State
- The Mustangs fell this past weekend on the road to Stephen F. Austin, 35-17. Senior wide receiver Michael Briscoe led the Mustang offense with 140 receiving yards, his third game with over 100 yards this year. He also hauled in his FCS-leading seventh receiving touchown of the season.
- Cal Poly ranks as the No. 9 passing offense in all of FCS at 289 passing yards per game. In additon to leading the FCS in receiving touchdowns, Briscoe is seventh in yards per game at 107.
- The Mustangs will now turn their attention to Big Sky Conference play. Cal Poly travels to No. 21 Sacramento State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
Men's Tennis Opens Fall Season Friday
- After navigating an 8-15 dual-meet season and a Big West Championship Quarterfinals appearance in 2024, the Cal Poly men's tennis team is poised to launch an exciting new era. The program ushers in this fresh chapter following significant roster turnover, having retained just five of the eleven players from last spring.
- The program’s core is anchored by the undisputed team leader Sean Kamyshev, supported by key 2024 performers Raz Haviv, Sean Ferguson, John Cross, and Aaron Eliscu. This returning experience is bolstered by the addition of Tulane transfer Luc Hoeijmans.
- The Mustangs' 2025 recruiting class was ranked No. 4 among all mid-majors by the Tennis Recruiting Network, making them the highest-ranked mid-major in the Big West and the second-best in all of California behind only San Diego. This promising group features true freshmen Jovan Lubbe, Denzel Seetso, and Derek Hafiz.
- The new-look roster gets an early-season showcase at the Sherwood Collegiate Cup in Westlake Village from Sept. 26-28. Representing the Mustangs will be Lubbe, Haviv, Hoeijmans, Kamyshev, Seetso, and Cross. The tournament presents a formidable challenge, featuring Big West rival UC Santa Barbara and a quartet of top-25 powerhouses: Cal, USC, UCLA, and Pepperdine.
Women's Golf Looks to Continue Strong Start to Season
- Last week at the Leadership & Golf Invitational in Washington, the Mustangs achieved a significant overall improvement to their first tournament, finishing fourth out of 16 teams. This marked a major jump from the same event at Chambers Bay the previous year, climbing seven spots in the standings and shaving seven strokes off their total score.
- Three Mustangs led the charge with top-20 individual finishes. Nicole Koong was the top scorer, tying for 7th at even par in one of the best 54-hole performances of her career. She was supported by true freshman Taylor Baker (T14th) and fellow freshman Maddy Saysanasongkham (T20th).
- The Mustangs are currently competing in the Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, Colorado, a tournament where the team has a strong track record and has consistently posted some of its best scores in the past. Final round play starts at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Cal Poly vs. Cal Baptist, Volleyball Highlights -- Sep 20th, 2025
Sunday, September 21
Cal Poly vs. Utah, Volleyball Highlights -- Sep 19th, 2025
Saturday, September 20
Cal Poly vs. Saint Mary's, Volleyball Highlights -- Sep 18th, 2025
Friday, September 19
Mustang Insider Show with Chris Sylvester -- Sep 18, 2025
Thursday, September 18
