Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners | |
---|---|
University | CSU Bakersfield |
Conference |
Western Athletic Conference MPSF (water polo) Pac-12 (wrestling) Big West Conference (beach volleyball) |
NCAA | NCAA Division I |
Athletic director | Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried |
Location | Bakersfield, California |
Varsity teams | 18(7 men's, 11 women's) |
Basketball arena | Icardo Center (3,800) |
Baseball stadium | Hardt Field (2,000) |
Soccer stadium | Main Soccer Field (2,000) |
Mascot | Rowdy the Roadrunner |
Nickname | Roadrunners |
Colors | Blue and Gold |
Website | www |
The Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (also known as CSUB Roadrunners, and sometimes as the Bakersfield Roadrunners) are the intercollegiate athletic teams of California State University, Bakersfield, located in Bakersfield, California. The university is currently a NCAA Division I school, after previously competing at the Division II level. The Roadrunners began the transition process in 2006 and became a full Division I member in July 2010. Following a period as one of a tiny number of Division I independents, CSU Bakersfield joined the Western Athletic Conference in July 2013 for most sports.
CSU Bakersfield sponsors teams in seven men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Men's teams
Women's teams
On May 17, 2007, CSUB announced that Bill Kernen would be the school's first baseball coach, with the school's first official season beginning in Spring of 2009. The Roadrunners played their first baseball game on February 20, 2009 against Saint Louis University in an 8-7 loss, and recorded the first win in program history on February 21 with a 4-2 win against the Billikens. On September 20, 2011, the Roadrunners were invited to join the Western Athletic Conference as an affiliate member in baseball. On October 5, 2012 the Western Athletic Conference extended an invitation to the Roadrunners to join on July 1, 2013 as full members.
The Roadrunners won the 2015 WAC Baseball Tournament Championship in Mesa, Arizona and earned their first bid to the NCAA Regionals. The Roadrunners were placed in the Los Angeles Regional hosted by UCLA. CSUB lost twice to the host Bruins but managed to win the program's first postseason game when they defeated 2014 College World Series participant Ole Miss 2-1.
Bill Kernen retired following the 2015 season. Assistant coach Bob Macaluso was promoted to head coach in August 2015.
CSUB Wrestling has competed in the Pac-12 conference since the beginning of the 1987-88 season. CSUB wrestling is the institution's original Division I sport and has placed as high as 3rd (1996) and 8th (1997 & 1999) in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Roadrunner Wrestling team has produced 9 individual NCAA DI Champions beginning in 1980. Stephen Neal (156, 1996-99) is the all-time winningest wrestler at CSU Bakersfield with a record of 156-10 (the most wins of any CSUB wrestler), the most pins with 71 total, only 1 of 5 Roadrunner Wrestlers to be a 4-time All-American, as well as being a 2-time Division-I Champion in 1998 & 1999. CSUB alum Mike Mendoza served as the Head Coach until 2016. Current Head Coach Manny Rivera will begin his first year in the 2016-17 season. He is a former All-American at the Univ of Minnesota and was a member of their National Championship team. The wrestling team practices on campus in the John B. Antonino Sports Center (specifically for wrestling) and competes at the Icardo Center also on campus. Former Roadrunner wrestler and former UFC Champion Tito Ortiz set multiple UFC Light Heavyweight records.