By Marielle Winuk

Over the hills and through the fairways of the Beau Prey golf course, the Lumberjacks raced in their home opener cross country meet on Sept. 12. Fueled by pure adrenaline and grit to finish the race — both Humboldt teams placed first in a competitive lineup of Oregon Tech, Southwestern Oregon Community College and Willamette.

Humboldt had 12 of the top 20 finishers, one being Jacob Christopher.  It was Christopher’s second time racing at Beau Prey, and while he was looking to improve his time from last year, that was unfortunately not the case. 

“I did want to improve my time,” Christopher said. “Unfortunately, that was not the case today, but with the team — how big it is and how new it is — seeing where everyone’s placing right now is a lot more important than getting those times.”

This is Michael Schroer’s first year as the Head Cross Country Coach. To increase community engagement, Schroer added a men’s and women’s high school race before the 6k and 8k. In addition, amateurs and Humboldt alumni competed for the University of the North Coast team — also known as the ‘Unc squad’. Nick Brichta won the men’s 8k and was a part of the ‘Unc squad’.

“It’s just a group of very dedicated amateurs who love the sport and want to show that older folks are able to compete as well,” Brichta said. 

Brichta has won four out of the last five years they have had the Jim Hunt Invite. Brichta listed lots of positives to being a distance runner in Humboldt county.

“You got hills here which are different,” Brichta said. “It’s not 102 degrees all summer long which is really nice. You have endless trails. I’d say it’s the best place in the world to train for distance running.”

On the women’s side the top two Lumberjack finishers were freshmen, Amaya Uvalle and Sally Woodruff. Uvalle got first in the 6k with a time of 22 minutes and 45 seconds. 

Woodruff, despite feeling nervous for her first college race, came in third with a time of 23 minutes and 30 seconds. Woodruff immediately felt welcomed and created friendships within the team just from how much time they spent training together. 

“I like the fact that it’s kind of automatic friends when you first join, just because you spend a lot of time with the team running.” Woodruff said. “But I do like the culture here. They’re all so kind.”

The cross country team will compete at the Mike Johnson Classic in Monmouth, Oregon on Sept. 26.

Marielle is the managing and layout editor with an interest in sports and elections. Contact her at mmw146@humboldt.edu.

By Marielle Winuk

Cal Poly Humboldt Recreation Department offers a variety of drop-in sports for students. This month they’re featuring volleyball, basketball, badminton, softball, trivia nights and flag football. Karen Recino is the program assistant and overlooks intramurals, drop-in sports and skate nights. Drop-in sports are an easy way to relieve stress, get some exercise and make new friends.

“I believe coming out and playing sports is just such a great stress reliever for any of your school — like, your assignments, presentations, or especially when finals time comes around,” Recino said, “It’s just a way to come out and enjoy and have fun with friends.”

At drop-in volleyball, Elle Morris played in a game of five-on-five. It was her first time there and she enjoyed having the opportunity to play volleyball. 

“I haven’t really been able to do volleyball since high school. So I thought it’d be a good way to get back into it,” Morris said. 

In Morris’s opinion drop-in volleyball represented the highs of the sport without all the toxicity.

“It’s the best part of volleyball or sports, in my opinion, which is, the game and the companionship without so much competition that it’s, like, too much.”

They will transition into intramural sports in October where students and community members will create teams and compete once a week. There will be a final tournament for all the teams to compete in as well. 

Marielle is the layout editor with an interest in sports and elections. Contact her at mmw146@humboldt.edu.

Compiled by Marielle Winuk

Sept. 18

Men’s Soccer

Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Menlo

Location: College Creek Field 

Time: 12 p.m.

Date: Sept. 18

Women’s Soccer

Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Menlo

Location: College Creek Field 

Time: 3 p.m.

Date: Sept. 18

Sept. 20 

Men’s Soccer 

Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Cal State East Bay 

Location: College Creek Field 

Time: 11 a.m.

Date: Sept. 20

Women’s Soccer

Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Cal State East Bay

Location: College Creek Field 

Time: 2 p.m.

Date: Sept. 20

By Marielle Winuk 

After a historic season, Cal Poly Humboldt women’s soccer is looking to continue its success this season,which will also mark the final year with head coach Grant Landy. 

Landy took over the program in 2019 and has spent the last 30 years coaching soccer. After all those years, Landy has decided to move back home to Oregon with his family. 

The Lumberjacks hosted the Humboldt Kickoff Classic tournament from Aug. 27-29. The Jacks won their first game of the tournament against Central Washington on Aug. 27 and lost their second game against Concordia University Irvine on Aug. 29.

The tournament gave the Lumberjacks an early opportunity to test themselves against different opponents before beginning their California Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA) play. The CCAA conference is made of 14 teams in division two. The team has four more preseason games before they start CCAA play.

“We talked about the non-conference [games] just being a time to learn about ourselves,” Landy said. 

Preseason games will be less about the results and more about figuring out what the team needs to improve. 

“You just gotta manage the end of the game,” Landy said. “We went up twice against a really good team on our home field, and we got to see those games out.” 

Against Concordia Irvine, the Lumberjacks took the lead twice but were unable to close out the game. The Lumberjacks were ranked second in the CCAA coaches’ preseason poll, putting high expectations on the team as it looks to build on last season’s success. 

Marielle is the layout editor and can be reached at mmw146@humboldt.edu. 

By Alba Galvan

After months of speculation, College Athletes were granted 5 year eligibility, eliminating all redshirt waivers. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), that governs college athletics divisions 1 and 2 have changed their eligibility rules. Student-athletes are now automatically on a five-year clock once they start college or turn 19 as of Aug. 5, 2026. 

Before, schools were able to apply for NCAA redshirt waivers that helped student-athletes recover a lost season of competition after sitting out due to either medical hardships, a season of competition, or delayed enrollment extensions. With the new changes in the NCAA, redshirt waivers will be permanently eliminated after Aug. 31 for fall sports, and Sept. 30 for spring sports. An athlete’s five-years now runs uninterrupted regardless of injury or non-participation. 

Amanda Nelson, deputy athletics director and senior women’s sports administrator, shares how Cal Poly Humboldt has limited scholarships, and teams have a set budget where they distribute that for student-athletes to build the best teams. With students now having access to a fifth year to play sports, this could make less space for incoming students to get a scholarship. 

“Similar to COVID, we saw the same thing where students stayed an extra year, and so there’s this lag; there are just less spots in college athletics,” Nelson said. “I mean, that’s really how this is going to boil down. There’s going to be less positions in the country in college athletics. It’s more competitive.”

Under the new NCAA five-year eligibility rule, student-athletes have the opportunity to extend their college careers by pacing their undergraduate bachelor’s degree or enrolling in a one-year graduation program. Academic advisors for student-athletes Daniel Gallardo and Brian Bianucci recommend that student-athletes initially plan for four years, to allow them the flexibility for potential extensions. 

“Plan for four years, and then it’s easier to stretch it out than it is to try to recondense. If you start off with a five-year plan, because some of them want to do it,” Gallardo said. “Then something happens physically and it changes, or they realize like four years is all I want to do, things like that.” 

Mia Roberts, a senior business marketing major, has debated going back to school for a fifth year after hearing about the new NCAA rules change. Roberts missed some of her season because of an injury and did not file for a redshirt waiver.   

“I should have graduated in three years, but I extended it out to four because I want to be here for the four years of eligibility,” Roberts said. “So now that my degree is pretty stretched, I can go into the MBA program. It’s like a one-calendar-year program, so I’ll have classes in the summer, fall and spring. I’d get it done in my fifth year, so I’d be able to use my fifth year and get a master’s in that time frame, so it’s kind of convenient for me.”

With deadlines closing in, the Cal Poly Humboldt athletic department is helping coaches and athletes adjust to the new NCAA changes while trying to get waivers in by the cutoff dates. 

“The NCAA is shifting a lot right now, so we’re seeing a lot of confusion out there. Our student-athletes are amazing, and they’re listening, and they’re learning, and they’re trying to navigate through this, which is no small thing,” Nelson said. “I’m incredibly impressed at what they’re doing and advocating for themselves. It’s definitely going to change how a lot of things function, we’re all here for it as we learn about it.” 

Alba Galvan is a junior journalism major and opinion editor for the Lumberjack. She enjoys listening to people’s opinions with an open mind. You can reach her at agg83@humboldt.edu.

By Marielle Winuk

Cal Poly Humboldt welcomes Anthony Mancini as the new head wrestling coach. Mancini formerly coached the Gators at San Francisco State University after working as the assistant coach of the Puerto Rico national team at the U23 World Wrestling Championship. He also coached Team Philippines at both the U20 and U23 World Championships. From his international coaching experiences, he learned the importance of staying organized. 

“There’s a lot of moving parts within a program, whether it’s managing your roster, managing your athletes, or looking at traveling, moving as a team, and being ready to be successful,” Mancini said. 

If you haven’t been to a Humboldt wrestling match, Mancini describes his athletes as “guys who want to go out and get after it and put on a good show for the fans. And if you’re not familiar with what that would look like, it just means wrestling hard.” 

Mancini knows there are very few options for wrestlers to go pro. Therefore, his coaching philosophy is centered on personal growth and integrating the skills developed for wrestling into the athletes daily lives. 

“If we can continue to challenge ourselves to make a hard choice in every aspect of our lives, by the time you get done with your four or five years here, you’re going to be ready to succeed in whatever field you see fit,” Mancini said. 

Mancini also recognizes the challenges of adapting the athletes to a new program. “Wiith change, there’s always friction,” Mancini said. He is going to rely on previous members of the program like Nathan Aguilar to help integrate the athletes and make the transition smoother. Aguilar wrestled for Humboldt last year and ranked #16 in NCAA DII 141 weight class. Mancini also looks forward to connecting with his athletes on a personal level to help reach their individual goals in the program. 

To make sure you’re prepared, here are two chants you can pull out at the wrestling match. If the ref puts his fist up, it signals stalling, something you can yell at the match. This means a wrestler is avoiding combat, running away or failing to make an aggressive attempt to score. Secondly, a takedown is worth three points and it’s a wrestling audience favorite to yell three the moment an offensive wrestler brings their opponent down to the mat and gains control. 

Marielle is the layout editor and a senior with an interest in politics and sports. She can be contacted at mmw146@humboldt.edu

By Alexis Blue

At the conclusion of Cal Poly Humboldt’s indoor track and field season, three Lumberjacks received U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-West Region honors. The three honorees include women’s track and field athlete Isabel Perez-Zoghbi in the 800-meter and mile, as well as two men’s track and field athletes, Joseph Gonzalez for shot put and Michael Payan for pole vault.

In addition to receiving All-West Region honors, Payan and Gonzalez have carved their names into Humboldt’s record books by breaking school records in their distinguished events.

Sophomore Payan broke his own school record in pole vault with a winning clearance of 5.35 meters at the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by California State University, Chico, on March 14.

“I broke [the school record] at Chico Invitational, and it was a very exciting moment,’” Payan said. “Going into that meet, I knew that I was going to be on bigger sticks. I ended up getting on this fat pole… [thinking], ‘okay, my form is going to be rancid, because I do not trust this pole — it’s way too big for me.’ The first time I planted on it, I just kept clearing bars, and it felt insane.”

Payan said that while breaking the school record again felt surreal, he remains focused on pushing himself and is excited to see what else he can do.

“My biggest accomplishment this season has not been [setting personal records]… I think my biggest accomplishment is getting on bigger poles,” Payan said. “I’m pushing my biggest pole from last year, and I’m pushing it really easy.” 

Coming off a record-breaking freshman season and a strong start to his sophomore year, Payan hopes to continue getting on bigger poles and challenging himself in new ways.

“I think my mindset has been focused on just improving the little things in my form and technique,” Payan said. “I really want to be better at channeling pressure and adrenaline.” 

Junior Gonzalez smashed a 33-year-old standing school record with a winning shot put event of 16.35 meters at the Humboldt Invitational on March 28. Gonzalez elaborated on the accomplishment and explained that recording his personal record (PR) while breaking the school record has been his favorite moment of the season so far.  

“[My] biggest accomplishment from this season thus far is [breaking] the school record. I also hit the National Provisional Mark for shot put,” Gonzalez said. “I threw 17.01 [meters], which was a big PR for me. It was almost a two-foot PR, and it was my last throw. It was insane.”

Gonzalez delivered a winning shot put mark of 17.01 meters and also placed second in the discus at 47.18 meters, nearly the eighth-best throw in program history. His shot put mark was not only the new program record, but a Division II qualifying provisional mark. 

Gonzalez added that though their track and field season is long, his eyes are set on nationals. 

“We have a long season — as soon as we get back from summer, we’re already going. We’re training because we have an indoor season and an outdoor season. So, just managing those little injuries has been difficult,” Gonzalez said. “I’d say nationals is my biggest goal… but besides that, PR-ing is a very nice feeling. I can’t really compare it to anything else.”

Men’s track and field will compete at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships April 30-May 2 at California State University, San Marcos. Those who qualify for nationals will compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Outdoor Championships on May 21- 23.  

Alexis Blue is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in journalism – public relations and minoring in writing. In her free time, you’ll probably find her drinking coffee, watching sunsets, collecting shells on the beach and playing soccer.

By Sadie Shields

After two weeks of playing on the Cal Poly Humboldt home field, Cal Poly Humboldt Softball heads down to Cal State San Marcos this week and then will be back at home against Chico State on April 24th for Strikeout Cancer day. 

While at home on April 3, softball put up a 3-1 game win against Cal State Monterey Bay from -4 and then a one win and one loss record against Cal State San Bernardino last Thursday, April 9. Two of the games that were meant to be last Friday April 10 were canceled due to weather.

Across the four games against Cal State Monterey Bay, Humboldt averaged five runs, nine hits and five strikeouts. 

The Lumberjacks averaged five hits, five runs and four strikeouts against San Bernardino.

In their two week home stint, the Jacks walked away with four wins and two losses at home leaving the team with a 10-8 conference standing. 

Sadie is a reporter who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and science. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

By Marielle Winuk

In 2024, the National Collegiate Athletic Association removed marijuana from its banned drug list because it was considered a downer that does not improve one’s performance. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) classifies it differently.

The WADA develops policies regarding drug use internationally for athletes. They follow three standards to determine whether a substance is legal or not. For a drug to be legal by their definitions, the drug cannot improve an athlete’s performance, potentially harm the athlete or violate the spirit of sport. Whitney Ogle is the co-director of the Humboldt Institute of Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research and an associate professor at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

“Cannabis, or THC, specifically meets all three criteria, which is interesting, because it’s saying that it can improve performance and also be harmful,” Ogle said.

Cannabis can improve an athlete’s performance by potentially decreasing stress while improving sleep and recovery. Cannabis can also harm the athlete through smoking, which damages the lungs. However, some athletes choose to partake when they exercise to simulate a runner’s high through their endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system helps your body maintain homeostasis by regulating sleep, mood, appetite, memory, reproduction and fertility, immune function and pain control. The system produces molecules called endocannabinoids that bind to receptors in your brain. Specifically, the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1) which is found in the brain and nervous system, and the Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2)  which is found within the immune system receptors. Once they have performed their function of regulating the body, they are broken down by enzymes. 

“That runner’s high feeling? That’s actually stimulation of your endocannabinoid system,” Ogle said. “We have receptors inside of our body that pick up cannabis molecules or receive cannabis molecules. And then, we also have a system that releases [naturally occurring] cannabinoid molecules with exercise.”

Runner’s high is commonly falsely attributed to dopamine or endorphins being thought of as the cause of the high-like feeling. While dopamine is released as part of the reward system during exercise, it’s actually the naturally occurring endocannabinoids promoting a feeling of euphoria, peace and reduced pain. Exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids going into the bloodstream and, unlike endorphins, endocannabinoids can move easily through the cellular barrier from the blood to the brain.

If you consume cannabis when you exercise, you get the runner’s high feeling earlier on. However, it actually decreases your natural endocannabinoid response. 

“If you are consuming cannabis, then it makes your own internal system of releasing cannabinoids lower and not as effective,” Ogle said. Through a survey, Ogle found out people are using cannabis before, during and after workouts. 

“Name a type of exercise people are doing, and someone’s getting high and doing it,” Ogle said. 

Even though science shows your natural endocannabinoid release is lowered, people who use cannabis then exercise see benefits ranging from improving recovery and overall enjoyment of the workout. 

“The research typically shows that people enjoy the exercise experience a lot more when they’re under the influence and exercising,” Ogle said.

Many athletes prefer to not be under the influence while they’re training and will use it later on to help with recovery. As stated previously, endocannabinoids — both natural and from cannabis consumption — can help regulate inflammation and pain by bonding to the CB2 receptors. 

Cannabis can be ingested in many forms and can have a variety of different effects on people. In Ogle’s survey, she learned that smoking was the most common way people would consume cannabis when they exercised. 

“One of the benefits of smoking as a method of administration is you can self titrate, which means that you can just take one hit or two, and you can just stop when you feel like a certain level,” Ogle said. “Versus an edible, you take it, and then you kind of have to wait for a little while and see. And so, once you’re [starting to feel] stoned, you have no idea how stoned you’re gonna get.”

Different cannabis products can also make you more associative or dissociative while you’re exercising. 

“There can be some products that make you more aware of your body, and some people see that as a positive thing,” Ogle said. ”If you’ve been on a run and you’re thinking about, like, ‘Oh, do I have even weight in both of my feet? What’s going on with my arms right now?’ You’re kind of in your body, more thinking about your body. But then, some other products can make you dissociate.” Dissociative products make you focus less on what your body feels. 

“You’re just paying attention to the music, and you’re just running and you’re not paying attention to your body at all,” Ogle said. To safely consume cannabis and also have it benefit your workouts, it’s important to track your own data. 

“There’s an app called tetragram, and that’s a place where you can put in all the information about the cannabis product that you’re consuming,” Ogle said. 

The app will check in with you 15 minutes after your consumption, and will collect information like how high you got and how fast your run felt. This data is crucial to studies such as the one Ogle is continuing to research. 

Researchers are continuing to learn more about your endocannabinoid system and how it regulates your body. The natural production of cannabis has shown that it can benefit athlete’s recovery and make their workout more enjoyable. 

Marielle is a junior journalism major with an interest in politics and sports. She can be contacted at mmw146@humboldt.edu

By Barley Lewis-McCabe

“We had won a national championship my freshman year and it felt like nobody really knew about it I guess, everyone was like, ‘oh, rowing’s a thing?” senior rower Ellie Walters said. 

Members of Humboldt’s highly decorated women’s rowing team have felt frustrated with how the Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics department advertises the rowing team, compared to some of the other sports. 

Senior coxswain Giania Bogacki felt the rowing team received an unexpected drop in attention after the initial hype of their National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 2023 slowed down compared to other teams.

“I see a lot more promotion for some of the other teams who maybe haven’t won titles like we have,” Bogacki said. “They’re all doing great work — I think a lot of our teams have improved over the past years in how far they’re getting in their conferences. [Women’s rowing isn’t] seeing that same sort of promotion as we’re making those same accomplishments, if not going even further.”

A few team members got access to women’s rowing Instagram and began posting about their games themselves since the account hadn’t been actively advertising games or promoting the team as much as they’d like.

“I think maybe some of it has to do that we’re like a women’s team, and so we don’t get as much attention as some of the other teams. But I think the major component is the lack of understanding and familiarity with rowing from this region,” said Bogacki.

 Rowers on the team also had to create some of the promotional materials themselves, “[Members of the team would] create a race day boat line up or a roster and they’ll have the accurate names posted,” former coxswain and 2025 CPH graduate Emily Daniels said. “The students have to do a lot more stuff and even when they are trying to do things to get the word out for the time, it just doesn’t get used.”

“We’re constantly working to improve what we do to support our athletes as best we can given the resources that we have,” said Deputy Athletics Director and 2012 rowing team captain Amanda Nelson. “Athletics is an ever changing environment, obviously, which has different pressures and we have an extremely limited staff… we’re always looking for feedback from our student athletes and ways that we can improve.”

In the past, the athletics department has shuttled people from campus to the Eureka waterfront for the open boathouse event. Daniels suggested the university could start shuttling people to the waterfront for home races, as well. 

“[The Athletics department does] do so much so it’s the little things and the nitty-gritty that we see and take away from it. It feels to us and the team like we’re not asking for that much more, we’re just asking for the same thing,” Daniels said. “If the track team gets posts consistently about their races, with their names spelled correctly, then we should get the same.” 

Barley is the opinionated opinion editor and an untraditional reporter who focuses on social change and stories with a real human impact. If you’d like to reach him for whatever reason email bl258@humboldt.edu.

by Aiden Shelton

By Alexis Blue

Men’s Basketball

Men’s basketball played California State University, East Bay in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Men’s Basketball Championship in Hayward, Calif. on March 13. Despite falling 83-64 to the No.2 ranked, undefeated top-seed, the Jacks competed on a national level for the first time in a decade, marking their historic season.

Men’s Track & Field

At the Wildcat Invitational at California State University, Chico on March 14, Michael Payan won first and broke the school record again in the pole vault with a 5.35m mark, which earned him FloCollege/California Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. The 4×400 relay team ran a No.2 in program history time of 3:15.99. 

Women’s Rowing 

Women’s rowing raced at the Falcon Regatta on March 21 on the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle, Wash. The Jacks received several first-place finishes in Varsity 4+ and Varsity 8+ races. Humboldt’s Varsity 4+ received the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Crew of the Week award for their performance. 

Women’s Softball 

Softball played against California State University, Dominguez Hills Friday March 20 and Saturday March 21 at Humboldt Softball field. The Jacks went 3-1 against the Toros. In the final match of the weekend, the Jacks trailed 4-1 at the bottom of the sixth, until Katlyn Gifford helped bring it home with a three-run home run and a 5-4 victory. 

Women’s Track & Field

Women’s track and field athlete Isabel Perez-Zoghbi was Humboldt’s only indoor national qualifier and competed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Virginia on March 13. Perez-Zoghbi earned First Team All-America honors with a program record-breaking, third-place finish in the 800 meter.

by Alexis Blue 

Men’s Basketball

Senior Shakir Odunewu helped men’s basketball secure a win against California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) by leading the Jacks with 20 points, 10 rebounds and his fifth double-double of the season on Feb. 28. In their last home-game of the season, the Jacks clinched the No. 3 seed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and will advance to postseason quarterfinals.

Women’s Basketball

Sophomore Riley Sanz dominated the court on Feb. 28 against California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), helping women’s basketball clinch its eighth-straight win with her 23 points, 10 rebounds and a double-double. This win allowed the Jacks to secure the No. 2 seed in the CCAA standings, meaning a first-round bye and automatic advance to postseason semifinals.

Softball

Softball racked up three consecutive wins after two losses at the NorCal Crossover Tournament in Tracy, California, from Feb. 27 until March 1. Shelby Shanks was named CCAA and FloCollege Player of the Week after she led all players in nearly every offensive category at the tournament, including on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits and runs batted in (RBIs). 

Wrestling

Wrestling concluded their season at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Super Region VI Championships in Golden, Colorado, on Feb. 28. The Jacks finished 13th overall in the tournament with Isaiah Miller, Darrell Nanpuya, Jayson Victoria, Eric Ruiz-Cornelio and Carson Hatch securing a win for the Jacks.

 and helped bring coaches Lennie and Jim Zalesky’s careers to a golden conclusion with a bright future ahead for the program.      

 

Men’s & Women’s Track & Field

Men’s and women’s track and field kicked off their 2026 outdoor season with the annual Green & Gold Open hosted at Redwood Bowl on Feb. 28. Humboldt athletes split into Green & Gold teams and competed against each other, ending the meet with the iconic Lumberjack log relay. 

Men’s Highlight:

After the Jacks split into two teams, which competed against each other as the Green and Gold teams, the Gold team took home the victory for the fourth year in a row. Gold team athlete Bennett Feldenkirchen made his debut in the hurdles, running a blazing 38.80 in the 300m hurdles and setting an exciting tone for the 400m hurdle races later this season.

Alexis Blue is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in journalism – public relations and minoring in writing. In her free time, you’ll probably find her drinking coffee, watching sunsets, collecting shells on the beach and playing soccer.

by Alexis Blue

Lumberjack Arena was packed with over 800 people in attendance and rumbling with excitement as men’s and women’s basketball took to the court for their last home games of the season against California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) on Feb. 28. Senior Day, Fan Appreciation Day and their last games on their home court, this was a day packed with emotion — and most importantly: victory. 

Women’s basketball first took to the court and celebrated their lone senior, Kyra Stewart, and honored her in a Senior Day ceremony before the start of the game. 

Junior guard Shade Satica expanded on what Senior Day meant for their team as their last home-game with Stewart. 

“We love Kyra,” Satica said. “She has sacrificed a lot for us to help us be better as a team, and so having her out there on the court with us really meant a lot.” 

After recognition with a commemorative sign, balloons, teammates and coaches rallied behind her, the Lumberjacks came out hungry for a win. At halftime, the Jacks were up 43-22 due to their relentless offense, where they connected countless passes and patiently waited to execute the perfect basket, including four three-pointers in the opening quarter. 

The Jacks never let their lead slip; they ended each period with San Marcos trailing, which allowed them to clutch yet another victory with a 78-68 win. This dominant performance carved their season into the Humboldt history books and extended their winning streak to eight games, the longest since 2019, while they also earned the program’s first 20-win season since 2014-15. This also clinched the No. 2 seed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s (CCAA) standings.  

Junior guard Sienna Cherwinski noted that Stewart brings a different energy and spark on and off the court that the team will really miss. Cherwinski also commented on what it meant to secure a win in their last regular-season match-up at home. 

“We build off that energy all the time, and I feel like [the crowd] is really our other teammate, helping us on the court,” Cherwinski said. “It’s really fun, and we’re going to miss the environment.”

Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson reflected on the importance of the game and having played their last game of the season in Lumberjack Arena. Bento-Jackson noted how the team rallied around the last chance to play in front of their home crowd and the collective sentiment to get the win for their senior, Stewart. 

Bento-Jackson expanded on their mindset as they advanced into the playoffs. 

“As a team, we have continued to learn. We have continued to progress. We’ve been in so many different situations, highs and lows throughout the season,” Bento-Jackson said. “One thing I really commend this team on is they’ve stayed pretty level-headed throughout the season. They just come back every single day in practice with the same amount of focus.” 

The Jacks will carry this focus with them all the way to Pomona, Calif., where the Men’s and Women’s 2026 CCAA Basketball tournament will be held. As the No. 2 seed, the women’s team received a first-round bye and will face No. 3 California State University, Los Angeles or No. 6 California State University, Monterey Bay in the semifinal on March 6. 

To close out the day, men’s basketball took to the floor to honor their four seniors in a pregame Senior Day ceremony. Seniors Rob Jenkins, Drew Ardouin, Dennis Cash and Shakir Odunewu were celebrated for their collegiate careers with a keepsake framed portrait and walked out alongside family, friends, teammates and coaches. 

Following tipoff, the Jacks dominated the first half and left San Marcos in a deficit at halftime with their 37-21 lead. With 28 points in the paint, the Jacks battled hard on offense and defense, when San Marcos offense closed the gap in the final few minutes of the game. Tied 61-61 with a minute left on the clock, the intensity radiated off the court and into the crowd’s chanting.

Wayne Hampton III laced a three with 31 seconds on the clock to give the Jacks the edge, and a late free throw sealed the 65-61 win over San Marcos. With this victory, the Jacks secured their spot as the No. 3 seed in the CCAA standings. 

Senior guard Drew Ardouin reflected on his collegiate career and what it has meant to play his final season as a Lumberjack. Ardouin noted his excitement in ending his season at the CCAA Tournament. 

“Looking back on my career, I’ve been to a lot of schools, so a lot of different experiences,” Ardouin said. “This one has been totally different… I’m just always thankful to get on the court one more time.” 

Junior guard and forward Dorrell Thomas commented on the excitement of having won their last regular-season game at home and how it feels to know their season isn’t over. 

“We have been working hard. It’s a whole new team. It’s a whole new coaching staff,” Thomas said. “It felt great to finish in the third seed.”

When asked about their team’s mindset going into the playoffs, Thomas had one answer.

“Win,” Thomas said. 

With playoffs beginning in only a few days, Assistant Coach Kevin Johnson Jr. shared more on the team’s momentum building at just the right time.   

“I think we are starting to hit a stride right now,” Johnson Jr. said. ”We won the last couple of games, and I think we need that type of momentum going into the playoffs.” 

Johnson Jr. also spoke to the team’s development over the course of the season and how this has left them better prepared for the postseason. 

“Now that we have 28 games under our belt, [the team] knows what to expect,” Johnson Jr. said. “We are playing the same teams we’ve already played twice. Knowing the personnel, knowing what the other teams are going to do, I think we’ll be prepared.” 

As the third seed, the Jacks will face the sixth seed San Marcos in the quarterfinal on March 5 in Pomona, Calif. By Saturday, March 7, a conference champion will be declared.

Alexis Blue is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in journalism – public relations and minoring in writing. In her free time, you’ll probably find her drinking coffee, watching sunsets, collecting shells on the beach and playing soccer. 

by Alexis Blue

Men’s basketball was defeated in the CCAA Game of the Week against California State University, San Bernardino on Feb. 19 by a buzzer-beating basket from San Bernardino in the last seconds, resulting in an 80-77 loss. Zaveion Bineyard led the team with 21 points, seven rebounds and a steal in 35 minutes on the pitch.

Despite falling on the road to San Bernardino and 60-74 to California Polytechnic State University, Pomona as well on Feb. 21, men’s basketball remains tied for third place in CCAA standings alongside California State University, Monterey Bay and San Bernardino — all holding an 11-9 record. The Jacks have a chance to compete in post-season play with successful results this weekend in the two games left of regular season match-ups, including a chance for them to defeat Monterey Bay.

On Feb. 19, women’s basketball extended their winning streak to five, clutching a 74-69 win on the road against San Bernardino in an overtime-ending match. Shade Satica achieved her 100th steal of the season, beating a 31-year-old Humboldt record in single-season steals previously held by Trina Dukes. 

The Jacks were victors once again over No. 7 in DII, Cal Poly Pomona, on Feb. 21 and extended their winning streak to six with a 64-61 win. The Jacks remain in third place in CCAA standings with a 16-4 record, two games left in regular season and playoffs on the horizon. 

Alexis Blue is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in journalism – public relations and minoring in writing. In her free time, you’ll probably find her drinking coffee, watching sunsets, collecting shells on the beach and playing soccer. 

By Sadie Shields

Unlike the gray Humboldt skies on Saturday afternoon, the Humboldt men’s rugby team saw sunshine with their dominant win over the San Francisco State University (SFSU) Gators.

The physicality and speed of the match tested the team’s trust, resilience and their ability to adjust, but the Lumberjacks scored more and more in the second half, securing a 60-34 victory.

Freshman Keelan Tagoaigot had a hat trick, running an arc in the first and second half towards the corners.

“He did really well, and ran well with the ball,” team captain and senior Miquel Cornejo said.  “We had a bunch of new players come in, so they did really well stepping up and filling in those shoes when people got hurt.” 

Injuries throughout the match caused a few changeups as San Francisco began teaming up on the Jacks’ bigger players.

“When we get those injuries on the field, it’s just the next man up,” Cornejo said. “It’s a brotherhood, we hold each other accountable, so the minute someone gets hurt, we expect you to fill those shoes and do your job to the best of your ability.”

The physical nature of the game created more tension between the teams as the match continued, especially as the Jacks began to take the lead. The Gators got more aggressive as the match drew closer to a close.

“The tensions were definitely rising all game,” freshman Jonah Triatayllou said. “It was a chippy game and we were both getting after it… in the end when time finished, I was trying to end the game, just finish it, and I kicked it out. One of their guys decided to give me a late shot.”

Triatayllou was grateful for the support when his team protected him when a rival player got a late hit, after the ball was kicked out of play to end the game.

“I’m lucky and blessed to have teammates who have my back and were able to get in his face and not let me just take that hit,” Triatayllou said. “We have some enforcers to go show them that they can’t just do whatever they want.” 

Despite the intensity of the game throughout, Triatayllou said that the turning point came at halftime, after the team regrouped and focused on correcting mistakes. 

“I think at half, just by holding each other accountable and realizing our mistakes and what we were doing wrong, we were able to build off those mistakes,” Triatayllou said. “I think we really capitalized on their mistakes after we fixed ours. It just made us able to play good, clean rugby.”

Even with the win, Cornejo acknowledged there’s still a lot the team could improve on. Some things they’d like to focus on is getting better at protecting the ball and how to react when getting tackled by multiple players.

“I feel like everyone on the team knows that we could have performed better, but after our first half we found ourselves. We found our systems and started working on it,” Cornejo said. “I’m glad to have these boys as my brothers, they have my back and I got theirs.”

Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and wildlife journalism, and a slight interest in breaking news. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.