Introducing the Big West Teams: Cal State University, Northridge

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to introduce the current members of the Big West conference.  This introduction will focus on the school, the fans, the athletics and other random trivial facts.  Hopefully, this will be an educational and fun introduction.  Of course, if you the alumni/fan of that team would like to correct me, feel free to do so in the comment section below or shoot me an email.
With that, allow me to introduce (in alphabetical order) the next member of the current Big West Conference: Cal State Northridge Matadors.

---

California State University, Northridge
Location: Northridge, California
Established: 1958
Students: 36,207

Colors: Red, Black and White
Mascot: Matty the Matador
Famous Alumni (my choice): Adam Kennedy (2B for the Dodgers)

Cal State Northridge was established in 1958 as San Fernando Valley State College.  In 1972, they decided that saying SFVSC as an acronym was not very helpful, so they permanently change the name to California State University, Northridge, or CSU Northridge.   I personally like to call it a school for entertainers because of all the musicians/actors that have attended CSU Northridge at one point or another.  The University sustained immense damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake, in which the epicenter was 2 miles from campus.  Since then, not only has it rebuilt, but also expanded and grown into one of the largest campuses in the CSU system.

 CSU Northridge (B) forms a nice halfway point between Magic Mountain (A) and the Hollywood Walk of Fame (C).

Academically, the Department of Music at CSU Northridge is one of the top programs in the U.S.  It is to the point that in 2003 at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, the Northridge Singers took home the title “Choir of the World.”  It also hosts a teenage summer music program called TeenAge Drama Workshop that prepares teens for the Fine Arts.  CSU Northridge also has the National Center on Deafness where they host the International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities.

The most recognizable landmark on the CSU Northridge campus is the “CSUN sculpture” where it is abstract to the point that no matter which way you look at it, it spells out C-S-U-N.  In terms of the most recognizable building, the Oviatt Library is full of state of the art accomidations, and yet, still has history behind it (due to the earthquake).

Trippy huh?

While the Matadors have not won a National Title at the Division I level, they won 30 National Titles at the Division II level.  Their most competitive sports are Men’s Soccer and Men’s Volleyball (where they went to the Final Four two years ago).  They have made the NCAA basketball tourney twice: once as members of the Big Sky (2001) and recently (2009).

Here are some more fun facts about CSU Northridge:

·        The CSU Northridge campus has been a cameo in many TV shows and movies.

·        One of the only original orange groves remains in the quad since 1920.  I wouldn’t try to pick off an orange and eat it though…

·        Lots of high prestige for CSU Northridge faculty members: in their current and previous faculty, 8 have Guggenheim Scholarships and 59 are Fulbright Scholars.

·        Since the earthquake, the campus has been instrumental in assisting in designing earthquake safe buildings.

And now you know a little about the Matadors!

Next up: Long Beach State