The Cal State Northridge water polo team went into the Big West Tournament as the top seed, but finished the season fourth after losing 6-5 in overtime to UC Santa Barbara in the semifinals on Saturday and 10-6 to UC Davis a day after in the game for third place.

The loss to UC Santa Barbara was a close affair in which both teams played tough defense.

‘The game was defensive-minded for both teams,’ CSUN Assistant Coach Marcelo Leonardi said in a phone interview. ‘Both teams had four goals throughout regulation and they beat us on a lob over (goalkeeper) Jill (Stapf).’

The goal came quickly in sudden death overtime after Matadors and Gauchos finished regulation tied at 5-5. On UCSB’s first possession, Gillian Morgan got a shot over Stapf for her second goal of the day and the win.

‘It was a perfectly-placed ball and there wasn’t much Jill could do,’ Leonardi said.

The Matadors put as much effort into the game as they could, but they weren’t able to finish, junior Alison Pierce said.

‘We put everything into the game, but it just wasn’t good enough,’ she said.

The Matadors had a balanced attack. Jessica Coy, Whitney Delgado, Renee Gargiulo, Sydney Sonoda and Pierce each scored a goal.

The loss against the Gauchos eliminated the Matadors’ chance at winning the Big West championship and put them into the third-place game on Sunday against UC Davis.

Against the Aggies, the Matadors were forced to play a game of catch-up only to ultimately lose 10-6.

‘We were down early, 3-0, (but) we were able to tie it at 4-4 in the second period,’ Leonardi said. ‘We used a lot of energy to get back into it and they ended up jumping ahead by three more goals, and we couldn’t recover.’

Kristin McLaughlin scored one of her two goals for the momentary tie, but CSUN faded away from then on.

In the final period, the Aggies went on a scoring rampage, tossing in three goals in three minutes to go ahead 9-5. The Matadors scored another goal, but the margin of defeat remained the same in the end: four. It was the Matadors’ second disappointing loss in two days.

Despite the losses, the Matadors had great achievements this season, Leonardi said. It was just unfortunate for them they couldn’t attain their ultimate goal.

‘We accomplished a lot this season and had a lot of firsts,’ Leonardi said.

CSUN was ranked ninth in the nation at one point this season, putting the Matadors in the top-ten list for the first time in their history.

The season was a positive and allowed people to find out how tough Northridge is, Pierce said.

‘Overall, we went through a lot and made people look at us as a good water polo program,’ she said.

The recognition was something new, especially after the Matadors got themselves to a new league this season: the Big West.

‘This is the first season being in the conference,’ Leonardi said. ‘The conference adds parity and it makes it pretty exciting because everyone gets a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.’

A seed in the prestigious tournament will not happen this season, but Leonardi is looking forward to a bright future.

‘We are losing three of our seniors, one of them our captain Jessica Coy,’ Leonardi said. ‘But we are returning our core nucleus.

‘Our freshman, sophomore and junior class have had a good percentage of our scoring this season, so things look positive in the future.’

The goal for the Matadors this season was to win the tournament and become the Big West champs. Though they fell short, they should have just as good if not a better chance to accomplish that goal next year, Leonardi said.

UC Riverside shut the CSUN baseball team (17-25, 4-11 Big West) down offensively in two games and narrowly won another one to complete a weekend sweep of the Matadors at Matador Field.

On the mound for the Matadors for the first game of the series on Friday was Ryan Juarez (4-4), who had a tough time with the Highlanders (24-13, 5-7) as he gave up nine hits and six earned runs.

‘They took advantage of pitches. They did a good job of capitalizing on the mistakes,’ Juarez said. ‘I made a lot of good pitches and made a few bad ones, and they hit the bad ones.’

The first blemish on Juarez’s day came in the top of the third inning when Highlanders shortstop Trevor Hairgrove came to the plate and jacked a solo bomb to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Juarez cruised to the fifth inning, but with two outs and runners on the corners, he gave up a costly homerun to Highlanders outfielder Michael Hur, The long-distance hit was worth three runs and gave UC Riverside a comfortable 4-0 lead.

The Matadors couldn’t get their regular offensive production from the lineup and struggled against Highlanders pitcher Paul Bargas, who ended up pitching a complete game and a shutout.

The only Matador that had his bat going on Friday was third baseman Justin Demarco, who went 2-of-3 on the day.

‘We didn’t make adjustments early enough off (Bargas), who’s obviously a really outstanding pitcher,’ DeMarco said.’ ‘He was keeping the ball down in the zone really well. We needed to recognize that earlier and go out and attack him more than we did.’

The game was all but sealed in the ninth inning after Highlanders outfielder Tony Nix hit a three-run homer to give his team a 9-0 lead, which wound up as the final score.
In the second game, on Saturday, Justen Gorski (1-2) stepped on the mound for the Matadors and gave them six quality innings of work, giving up three earned runs on five hits.’

Gorski’s efforts on the mound were helped out by Matadors outfielder Richard Cates, who batted in fellow outfielder Jeff Pruitt in the first inning on a base hit to the pitcher. The hit couldn’t be fielded cleanly and allowed all runners to be safe.

Cates came through again for CSUN in the bottom of the third inning when he hit a solo bomb to give his team a 2-1 lead.’ The advantage was short-lived, however, as Hur blasted a two-run homer in the sixth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

In the seventh inning, Matadors relieving pitcher Ryan ‘China’ McCarney (1-4) entered the game and got two outs before giving up a single to Hairgrove. That was followed by a double from UCR outfielder Carl Uhl which scored two runs and gave the Highlanders a 5-3 lead.

The Matadors couldn’t come back and eventually fell to UC Riverside 5-4. Highlanders closing pitcher Joe Kelley earned his seventh save of the season.

In the final game, on Sunday, the Highlanders got to work quickly, scoring a run in the top of the first inning after third baseman Ryan Goetz hit a sacrifice ground ball to score Uhl.

On a day where both teams had success on the mound, UC Riverside was just a little better. On the mound for the Highlanders was Paul Applebee (6-2), who gave up no earned runs on four hits and struck out eight Matadors.

Pitching for the Matadors was Billy Ott (1-3), who had a complete game and struck out five batters while only giving up two earned runs on six hits.

Ultimately, the Matadors’ lack of offense did them in as they lost the game 2-0. It was more than a disappointing weekend for CSUN, which was swept by a UC Riverside team that came into Northridge having won only two Big West games ‘- half of CSUN’s total ‘- and left three games better and on top of the Matadors in the conference standings.

The Matadors’ next game is today at UNLV (22-21) at 6 p.m. Earlier this season, UNLV lost two visits to Matador Field.

The Disney Channel has been a source of good TV for children since 1983. It hasn’t only been revolutionary in its work with cartoons and feature films, but has also created worthwhile and educational programming for young adults. It’s been successful in accomplishing this, until now.

When the college students of today were growing up they had characters like Phil from ‘Phil of the Future’ and Ren from ‘Even Stevens’ and Lizzie from ‘Lizzie McGuire.’ They were characters who, while leading entertaining lives, provided the viewer with a half an hour of entertainment and always left the viewer with a piece of knowledge in the end. The shows taught viewers things such as how to respect your family, get along with friends and deal with bullies. Although viewers didn’t realize they were learning something, there was a valuable lesson in every episode.

Today, tweens and teenagers do not have those characters to look up to. With characters on TV shows such as Miley from ‘Hannah Montana,’ Zach and Cody from ‘Suite Life of Zach and Cody’ and Alex from ‘Wizards of Waverly Place,’ viewers see the characters trying to be glamorous, rebellious and famous.

The shows do not have the same lessons as their predecessors. If they do, then the lessons are disguised by the character’s attitude and their desire to disobey their parents. It is not the kind of thing that children should be looking up to, yet Hannah Montana is known as a phenomenon and more shows are being created for the Disney Channel in its likeness.’

The biggest problem with these shows is the educational value is clouded by a new image Disney is trying to create. No longer do we see the geeky and awkward girls and boys who are easily relatable for everyone; the ones who have the realistic life, the characters who seem more like us than the glamorous and unattainable.

While we were growing up we had people to look up to. Today’s TV sensations are far from being exemplary role models. Inside the shows, they are allowed to get away with a lot while exhibiting shallow and selfish behavior. Outside of the shows, the behavior of the actresses doesn’t change. They speak badly of each other, using mediums such as YouTube, and blatantly act out in public.’ They are terrible role models for children, yet tweens continue to look up to these actresses because there is no one else on TV for them to admire.

Although not all of the shows on the Disney Channel are like this. The shows with good intentions and morals are on too late for the general youth population to see them.

Because of the way the Disney Channel has set up their audience, none of these shows can hold a viewer’s interest long enough for the message to get across. The youth of today are no longer interested in having good morals or being good people. Instead they want to be famous and have the newest cell phones and latest trendy clothing, like the characters in the shows.

What this means for the rest of the population is that we have a greater responsibility to be good role models for the youth around us. Although everyone makes mistakes, it becomes our job to produce the image that the youth can look up to. It shouldn’t necessarily be every young girl’s dream to become Hannah Montana, or every young boy’s desire to live in a hotel like Zach and Cody.

Everyone remembers their favorite Disney show from when they were growing up and it is now up to us to teach the things we learned from those shows to today’s youth.

There is more to life than being famous and having nice things. While the youth stars of today don’t exhibit that like they should, the lessons can still be there. We still have our Disney TV memories to hold onto and the ability to pass on the lessons. At least we’re good for something.

The Cal State Northridge softball team (27-17, 7-8) ended its final homestand of the season on a good note this past weekend as it swept the UC Riverside Highlanders in three-game series.

The Matador pitching staff had a great series. Freshmen Hannah Fraijo, who was named Big West Pitcher of the Week, pitched eleven innings and didn’t allow a single run. Fraijo improved her record to 7-2 with a 2.39 ERA. Junior Debbie Duran pitched a complete game as well and got her record up to 17-11 with an ERA of 2.40.

The Matador bats also had a solid series at Matador Diamond and got 17 hits in the three games. Senior Micah Putman had a solid series with four hits and two RBIs. The Highlanders also had 17 hits, but left 23 runners stranded.

With the three consecutive wins, the Matadors climbed to fourth place in the Big West Conference standings and still feel they can win the league title.

‘I don’t think any of our series are must-wins,’ Putman said. ‘We play each series wanting to win because we want to go to the postseason.’

Putman and senior Sarah Kahn-Shamout were honored Sunday afternoon on Senior Day.

Game 1

Despite having a horrible game at the plate, the Matadors managed to get a 1-0 victory over UC Riverside in game one of a Saturday doubleheader.’ The Matador bats only recorded two hits, but Fraijo picked up the slack by pitching a stellar game.

The game was a pitching duel between Fraijo and the Highlanders’ Stephanie Marshall. Fraijo almost pitched a complete game, but was pulled out in the middle of the seventh inning. Fraijo only allowed five hits and punched out three UCR batters. Marshall pitched all six innings for the Highlanders and had two strike outs.

The Matadors got their game-winning run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Tracy Allen hit into a groundout to bring home Jaclyn Rymer from third base.

The Highlanders threatened to tie the score in the top of the seventh inning as they had two runners on base. However, Amanda Pitzenberger came in for the Matadors and ended UCR’s rally by getting a strikeout, ending the game.

Game 2′ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

In game two of the Saturday doubleheader, the Matadors and the Highlanders went down to the wire, but CSUN prevailed and got the 2-1 victory. Duran, a pitcher, looked like her old self and pitched a complete game. She allowed four hits and recorded three strikeouts.

The Highlanders got on the scoreboard first when pitcher Marissa Alvidrez hit a homerun to center right field. The Matadors tied the score in the bottom of the fifth after Lauren Olivas got an RBI single.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Krystal Raphael started the inning with an up-the-middle single. She was then replaced by Kahn-Shamout. Later in the inning, Alexandria Alvarado had the game-winning RBI after she singled to left field.

Game 3

The Matadors had to dig deep in the final game of the season at Matador Diamond on Sunday and ultimately won 5-3. On Senior Day, Putman hit a two-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning and got a led-off single in the bottom of the sixth to start a three- run rally.

Duran had a short day on the mound for the Matadors. She was knocked out in the third inning after she allowed two UC Riverside homeruns that put the Highlanders ahead 3-2. Fraijo came in for relief work and didn’t allow the Highlanders to score another run.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Matadors finally managed their comeback as Allen hit a triple to bring two runners home. Later in the inning, Olivas hit a single to right field to bring home Allen.
‘

The Soloist, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez and Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic homeless man residing on the rat-infested streets of Skid Row, captures a true story of human connection, second chances and the limitless power music has over changing lives.

Steve Lopez was sweating out another deadline for his weekly column at the Times when he came across Ayers, a musically gifted homeless man, who was producing beautiful music from a two-string violin in Hershey Square.

Lopez discovers that prior to Ayers becoming homeless, he attended a variety of notable universities including Ohio University, Ohio State University, Cleveland State University and Julliard, which is one of the world’s most prestigious performing arts conservatories. After the death of his mother, Ayers left Cleveland to search for his father in Los Angeles.

Lopez didn’t realize that his willingness to establish a relationship with Ayers would require him to take on the role of a social worker as well as a mental health professional.
Prior to Lopez meeting Ayers, the writer had never involved himself in a story as much as he did with Ayers.’ After the column came out, readers responded by donating instruments that benefited Ayers, yet at the same time made him vulnerable to getting mugged on the street.

‘The thought of him walking the streets of Skid Row pushing a shopping cart full of expensive instruments frightened me, and I feared for his safety,’ said Lopez.
The relationship between journalist and subject evolved into a friendship after Lopez spent a night with Ayers on Skid Row.’ That night Ayers recited the Hamlet Soliloquy with a perfect Shakespearian accent while warding off rats with two sticks he labeled Beethoven and Brawn.

A level of humility as well as grace is portrayed through Ayers’ ability to battle mental illness on the streets while still maintaining an observant and profound intellect.’ Although Lopez wasn’t directly involved with the casting process of the film, he suggested that Robert Downey Jr. take a more creative approach by capturing the spirit of Lopez instead of impersonating him.

‘I trusted his instincts and his depth as an actor that I wanted him to not feel obligated to play me.’ I wanted to have him use his great talent and skills to make something original,’ said Lopez.

‘Each time that I see the movie, I see new and different ways in which he captured some essence of me.’ He did do something original but he did get a lot off me in his portrayal as well.’

The publications of the column and book have helped improve permanent supportive housing for homeless on skid row. However, Lopez feels that there is still a long way to go.

According to Lopez, the most captivating part about Ayers is that most people would look at him and see a bum or just walk right by him.’ He claims that the greatest gift Ayers gave was the advice of recognizing and staying true to his passion of writing.’

Lopez had considered leaving the declining newspaper industry and instead get more involved with helping the mentally ill.’

Although the form of the information industry is changing and print columnists might not be around much longer, Lopez feels he’s the happiest telling stories’mdash;regardless of what media outlet is used to disseminate information in the future.

‘Knowing that about my career and my purpose was revealing. To learn that from a guy living out of a shopping cart remains to this day the most inspirational experience of my life,’ said Lopez.

The two remain close friends and attend baseball games, concerts at the Disney Music Hall, and daily chats on the phone.’ Ayers has acquired a slew of instruments which include a French horn, upright bass, cello, six violins, as well as a set of drums which are stored and played in the basement of The Los Angeles Times.

Three out of five stars.

All across the university lawn, amidst the rows of white tents and a lively crowd, CSUN hosted the Grand Reunion, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the campus.

The event allowed past students to reconnect with former professors and classmates and held a lot of surprises for those who attended. Just as the CSUN administration planned it to be, the Grand Reunion was a great homecoming for the proud Matadors who attended CSUN over the years.

In addition to all the planning and promotion leading up to the event, the day-long festivities were incredible. From the live band playing, to the delicious meals being served, there was something for everyone. Alumni were able to revisit their old stomping grounds and show their children where they used to study hard and party harder. But the real meat of the event was the ability for these former students to reconnect.

When I attended the celebration of CSUN’s 50th anniversary I met some interesting people, notably an alumnus from the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. Richard Bliss, or ‘Rich’ as his name tag read, was socializing with the younger members of his organization when I approached him. He introduced me to his spouse and his two children. Richard and his wife Dana Bliss, a former member of another CSUN organization, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, had recently paid a visit to the university for another event celebrating past organizations. It was at that event where they heard of the Grand Reunion.

The two spoke openly about how they became a couple after meeting at CSUN and then later married after college. The Blisses met each other in 1981, have been together for the past 28 years and have been married for 23. They decided to spend their Saturday afternoon at the Grand Reunion celebrating a chapter of their lives. It’s a real Cal State Northridge love story.’

The 2009 Annual Juried Art Student Exhibition has set itself apart from the previous years. Entering the gallery, what is most striking is, as a collective, the quality, skill and experimentation of the work created by the student body which is, for the most part, on the same level. That is to say the work goes beyond what is a mere exercise, a classroom assignment. It is an immense contrast to exhibitions of past years, which had admitted work of questionable quality. The level of work could be split into two camps: exceptional conceptual work and good classroom projects.

As always the exhibition brings together work from the various disciplines within the art department. Paintings, illustrations, sculptures and product design are scattered throughout the gallery. A few will always standout while others only deserve a passing glance. But that is not solely a characteristic of the work – it is of the audience bias as well.
The students honored with awards have provided a sense of expression and intrigue with their work. Exploring not just technique, but the use of materials as a means of visual communication other than just imagery. Excellent paintings ask the audience to stare, but resist giving everything they have to say all at one time.

Winner of Best in Show was a large stain painting on large birch panel titled ‘Lost,’ by Stan Benson. The image is of a hiking trail with a woman holding her cell phone. An intimate look at the image reveals rounded, linear, intermingled shapeslike puzzle peaces, working together to make the image. The sides are kept as raw and untamed as the forest. The panel and the frame are intentionally untreated. What the painting suggests is the intrusion of modern amenities on what should be a landscape void of comfort. The cell phone attempts to calm the rugged land, ironically pieced together by rounded linear shapes.

Nurit Avesar’s painting ‘Diaspora’ was acquired for the CSUN permanent art collection for 500 dollars. The painting is in oil on canvas. The work suggests unity within a group despite harsh conditions, an indication of human strength. Cool and neutral colors emphasize the warmth expressed by the three family members that embrace each other arm in arm as they stand. Their faces are worn yet offer much glee.

The others who were awarded are second place winner Sara Alavikia ‘You May See Her Now,’ third place winner Robert Sherwin ‘My Life,’ and Jodi Bonassi’s ‘Barbershop #8′ receiving an honorable mention.

The Exhibition will be on display from April 25 to May 19. The permanent collection selection will be displayed in the art department offices for the following two years.
‘

Family was the key word commonly used by many CSUN Alumni as they gathered to help celebrate CSUN’s 50th’ anniversary Grand Reunion this weekend.

The San Fernando Valley Banjo Band took center stage and played a few tunes as former CSUN students walked around the Oviatt Lawn visiting special reunion booths sponsored by 31 CSUN departments and clubs.

Many alumni took campus tours lead by student ambassadors, viewed the ‘Fifty and Fabulous’ exhibit, or played with their children in the Kid Zone playground sponsored by the Child and Adolescent Development Student Association and Alumni Chapter.

As the Alumni arrived they were provided with sticker nametags on which they were prompted to put their name and year of graduation.

At 7 p.m., President Jolene Koester greeted an audience of about 3,500 who were crowded on University Lawn cheered her welcome. Larry Twersky, President of the Cal State Alumni Association, expected the attendance to be about 2,500 people but over a thousand more showed up.

The president’s welcome to the Grand Reunion ceremony preceded the unveiling of the CSUN time capsule, which was unearthed last fall just to commemorate this occasion.

President Koester then displayed the many items to be buried in the capsule; DVD’s, sweatshirts, CD’s, and other items that are memorabilia of present-day CSUN which are to be frozen in time for future students to release 25 years from now.

What couldn’t be contained was the palpable energy and spirit the event inspired and the sense of community, pride, and kinship felt by those who attended the university. Koester said it best when addressing the capsule’s plaque: CSUN is ‘the intellectual, economic, and cultural heart of the Valley.’

‘I’m very excited to see how loyal the alumni are to this school and that this school has such distinguish alumni coming here,’ Twersky said.

Amid the food, fun, and festivities were a colorful history of the university told through the eyes of its senior members. Nostalgic former students recounted stories of forged friendships, college sweethearts, old clubs and fraternities, and their fond memories of Northridge that is known to older alumni as San Fernando Valley College.

Alumni swapped stories and shared memories, many of which included a particularly admired alum-Dorothea ‘Granny’ Hietz.

‘She was an incredible woman who taught us girls about school spirit and someone who really cared about this campus,’ Sue McElvogue said of ‘Granny’ Heitz.

Leanna Bakken-Berns, an alumnus who was one of the original ‘Granny Girls’ in 1967, an all-female dance team started by a spirited’ ‘Granny’ Heitz.

Heitz was the oldest student attending school at that time.

‘We danced at all of the football games,’ Bakken-Berns said. ‘Including the Junior Bowl at [the] Pasadena Rose Bowl. We would wear red and white outfits that looked like granny dresses.’

It was a comedy routine where the girls would rip away their Velcro dresses to reveal miniskirts underneath.

Heitz was the women who led the charge to improve school spirit on campus. She and her ‘Granny Girls’ were unofficial campus ambassadors who donated bright red outfits, volunteered at orphanages and who were there to liven up any campus activity.

Mary Jo Gilbert, a special education teacher and former granny girl, said Heitz made her feel nothing less than a part of the family.

‘Granny made me feel at home and told us we can do it if we just believe in ourselves,’ said Gilbert.

Today the university gives the Outstanding Volunteer Leadership award in her honor.

Others can relate, referring to the campus community as being a family base for them.

Margarite Drexelius, a graduate of the class of 1977, and former Alpha Phi sorority sister, said she felt a strong sense of community during her years on campus.

‘The connections made with people, that family connection, really gives you a place to call home,’ said Drexelius. ‘You feel more secure because you have that support, it was an amazing experience.’

This was a sentiment that was echoed by many of the alumni preset at the reunion.

Debbie Marks, a former major of speech communication with an emphasis in Radio,
Television, Video and Film department (RTVF) said her fondest memories include playing a few sports and singing a song that is familiar and important to many.

‘Playing Volleyball here at CSUN and singing the National Anthem at one of the games I have to say are a couple of my fondest memories here on campus,’ said Marks. ‘Just being on this campus really brings back a lot of positive memories.’

Marta Gonzalez, president of the Child and Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter (CADAC), said there was a great turn out despite the number of people who were reserved to attend.

‘We had close to 100 reservations through Alumni association of families who signed up to enjoy in the festivities put on for the children,’ she said. ‘We with parents and kids but the flow of it is running smoothly.’

Joanne ‘JoJo’ Jones, a graduate of the class of 1995, said her fondest memories are being named Homecoming Queen in 1997 and running into people she went to school with.

‘Just seeing those old but familiar faces again,’ said Jones. ‘I am enjoying myself. It has been a fun-filled reunion weekend.’

Chuck Blankenship, one of the first students to set foot in the new classrooms back in 1959 and who was part of the first graduating class, said he was around when there were still orchids and orange groves making up most of the campus grounds and when the school used to go by a different name.

‘There were only 12 buildings and this (CSUN) used to be called Los Angeles Valley College,’ said Blankenship. ‘I was part of the first Associated Students.’

When asked about the campus in comparison to when he first attended, Blankenship had only one word to describe what he felt, ‘overwhelming.’

Michael Weinper, class of 1969 and one of the first graduates of the department of Physical Therapy and Health Sciences, said what he found most appealing about this campus were the friendships that he formed.

‘There is that camaraderie and wonderful spirit and support from students,’ he said. ‘Everyone is so close.’

William Watkins, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said he is very happy with the way the event turned out.

‘It has been a huge success,’ said Watkins. ‘Those who haven’t visited the campus recently are very impressed with the growth and maturity of it.’

A trio of alums from a financials study group that called themselves ‘The Five Fins’ reunited after 12 years since their graduation from CSUN. Curious to the whereabouts of the other two ‘Fins,’ Shephard Girion and Michael Cohen who graduated with the 97′ class, their friend Budd Rude who graduated a year later, still managed to keep in touch with one other. They were happy to be back at their alma mater.

‘We have CSUN to thank for the professional direction of our lives,’ Cohen said as the three mingled near the Alumni Association tent.

Many alumni found love on campus, like Mark and Diana Cooley. Mark, then a basketball player for the university, met his wife more than 30 years ago at the ‘Bull Ring,’ a snack bar that used to sit near where the Matador Gym now stands. When the two met, they remember the campus having mostly bungalows.

Zeta Beta Tau fraternity member Richard Bliss met his wife Dana, an Alpha Omega Pi pledge, and fell in love in 81′ while they were attending CSUN.

‘We met in the tapestry room’hellip;which doesn’t exist anymore,’ Bliss said.

Richard and Dana found out about the reunion through Facebook,
which was how a lot of the university’s Greeks from the 80’s and 90’s found out about the Grand Reunion.

As the celebration continued, Moxi played for the crowd. The rock band featured CSUN art majors Eric Wilkinson as the lead singer and Myke Stuart as guitarist. The two are from the fraternity Sigma Chi, and one of their former members asked them to perform for the occasion.

‘ ‘I think it’s a great opportunity that we got to play for this event,’ Stuart said.

‘When I have hard days, I actually go back and reflect on my days at CSUN,’ said alumnus Chrystal Lee. ‘[They] were the most fulfilled, most happy, carefree days ever. I’ve learned a lot here’

‘

CSUN’s leading basketball scorer Deon Tresvant, basketball coach Bobby Braswell’s son, Jeffrey Braswell, and actor Phannuel Gbewonyo pleaded not guilty Thursday at San Fernando Superior Court to felony charges of theft. A jury trial for the three was scheduled for June 18.

Jeffrey Braswell has been charged with second-degree commercial burglary, three counts of grand theft of personal property and identity theft. On New Year’s Day Braswell, who at the time worked at a Porter Ranch Best Buy, allegedly logged in to a cash register and allowed Tresvant, Gbewonyo, and freshman guard Dallas Rutherford to check out items without paying for them.

Tresvant and Gbewonyo have each been charged with one count of second-degree burglary and one count of grand theft of personal property.

In March Braswell, Tresvant and Gbewonyo’s lawyers argued for the felony charges to be reduced to misdemeanors.

San Fernando Superior Court Judge Sunjay Kumar denied the motion.

‘It was a practice of stealing rather than an isolated event,’ said Kumar.

Rutherford pleaded not guilty in January and was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of Caltrans service. Rutherford’s felony count of second-degree commercial burglary was dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Stodel said Braswell, Tresvant and Gbewonyo had stolen more than Rutherford and therefore their charges should not be reduced as Rutherford’s had.’

‘Tresvant already owned an Xbox but stole one from Best Buy with the intent to sell it,’ said Stodel.

A pretrial hearing has been set for May 28.