Several CSUN staff and community members hit the links for the annual Matador Golf Classic June 12 to help raise funds for the CSUN Athletic Department.

Participants included CSUN athletic coaches, alumni and other members of the community. The event was held at the Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley where the $200 cost of entry included course fees, lunch and dinner, and a photograph with CSUN mascot Matty the Matador.

“We have a lot of alumni out here and great community support,” said Ashley Kite, tournament director. “It’s a statement just for people to show up.”

The tournament showed great support from CSUN coaches in particular. All but three head coaches from the entire athletic department showed up for the event.

“We have wonderful coaches and staff,” said Janet Lucas, CSUN interim athletic director. “They have a huge work ethic and commitment to the program.”

Men’s head tennis coach Gary Victor and head swimming coach Barry Schreifels were two of the several coaches who competed in the event.

“I play every year,” Schreifels said. “It’s an opportunity to meet some really cool people.”

Men’s head basketball coach Bobby Braswell also played in the tournament.

“We’re having a great time,” he said. “This is a great event. We’re very excited about it.”

The tournament was a competition consisting of teams of four, all of which take a swing at the ball and then play the best shot until they sink it. The team with the lowest shot-output wins a glass trophy and free round of golf for each member plus a guest.

“In the beginning the tournament was a way to say thank you to our boosters,” said Bonnie Murphy, women’s head golf coach. “Then we turned it into a fundraiser.”

Murphy said that the funds raised will help with team travel accommodations for all sports as well as scholarship money for athletes.

“Every program needs to fundraise,” she said. “We’re no different.”

The prospect of raising money for the improvement of the athletic programs was a concern to the players involved in the tournament. The focus, however, was set on improving CSUN’s image as a whole.

“Matador athletics is not just about athletics, but also about the school,” Lucas said. “We know the value of competitive athletics to a university.”

Lucas believes that quality athletic programs can improve the community’s loyalty and commitment to CSUN. Increasing resources would likely improve commitment, she said.

Despite the business-nature of the event, the atmosphere of the tournament was loose and light-hearted. One competitor chose to putt barefoot on the 11th green, while another found the 14th hole water hazard a good place to do some fishing.

The tournament champions were not the only ones who took home prizes. Several on-course games included great prizes. The player’s closest shot to the pin on #17 won one-dozen Calloway golf balls. Whichever player could most accurately guess the distance of their drive on #14 won a Taylor Made putter. If a competitor made a hole-in-one on #13. they won a 2006 Ford Fusion courtesy of Galpin Motors.

The tournament was followed by a banquet and silent auction. Up for grabs were four tickets to Sea World, a six-month gym membership and 1-hour Cessna flight.

“We want people to see Northridge as a first-class organization with first-class athletics,” Braswell said.