By Cal Lutheran NewsKingsmen, Regals go dancing
For the first time in Cal Lutheran history, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
The Kingsmen advanced to postseason play as an at-large selection after a 21-4 season, claiming the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) regular-season title for the second consecutive year. Over the past two seasons under head coach Russell White, the team has compiled a remarkable 43-7 record, the best two-year stretch in program history.
The Regals (19-6), led by head coach Kelli DiMuro, punched their ticket by conquering the SCIAC Tournament for the first time since 2013, defeating rival Whitter 73-61. The team led the conference in scoring, and sophomore Alline Ballard tied a 38-year-old school record by grabbing 332 rebounds in a single season.
While both teams’ March Madness journeys were cut short with first-round losses, the memories and experiences forged this exciting season will undoubtedly last a lifetime.
Lacrosse coach pioneered sport in Israel
The upstart Regals lacrosse program has netted the right head coach to help it reach fresh heights.
MacEllen McDonough ― “Mac” for short ― spent four years (2019-2022) growing the game in Israel, where contact sports have traditionally been the realm of men only. She competed on the country’s national team and served as director of women’s lacrosse for the Israel Lacrosse Association.
“I went (to Israel) because the sport has given me so much that I wanted to give back by helping grow it in a new area,” McDonough said.
A native of the East Coast, the 28-year-old already feels right at home in Thousand Oaks.
“I like the mountain views, and the people have been very warm and friendly,” she said.
Coming full circle on the diamond
Fans of Regal softball may have noticed a familiar face pacing the dugout at Hutton Field this spring. Kecia Davis, who stepped down as head coach in 1998 to focus on serving the university as head athletic trainer — a role she held for 26 years — returned to the helm last fall.
Davis is currently in her 34th year at Cal Lutheran, having spent the last four as director of health, wellness and performance. When the Regals found themselves without a head coach last summer, this veteran athletics staff member stepped up to the challenge. During her previous coaching stint in the mid-’90s, Davis led the program to 159 victories and four conference championships in five seasons.
“I love coming to work every day,” she said. “I love working with student-athletes. It’s a privilege to be here.”
Flag football gets flying
Cal Lutheran’s first-ever women’s flag football team started practicing in February at William Rolland Stadium. Under the tutelage of coach Brandon Alexander, the 15 or so players ― most of whom are playing the sport for the first time ― hope to be ready for intramural competition this spring.
“I’m excited … but we’ve got some work to do, no doubt,” said Alexander, who also coaches flag football at nearby Westlake High School. “Right now, they’re more students than student-athletes.”
Hired this year, Alexander is deeply invested in the rapidly growing sport. In addition to his role at Westlake, he serves as commissioner of Glendale FNL Youth Flag Football and owns and operates the Ultimate Sports League, part of NFL Flag.
The university announced the creation of the program last fall, becoming one of the first colleges in California to do so. If all goes as planned, the Regals’ flag football team will face NCAA-sanctioned competition in the 2026-27 school year.
Basketball’s 1K Club grows by three
A banner year for Cal Lutheran basketball ― men’s and women’s ― included three additions to the 1,000-point club, players who have recorded the century mark in points scored during their time at the university.
Joining this exclusive company: Kingsmen Devon Lewis and Tommy Griffitts and Regal Sara Mills.
Lewis, the Southern California Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Year, eclipsed the mark on the road with a 17-point effort against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Griffitts, an All-SCIAC selection for the third time in his career, did so two weeks later at home versus Messiah University. Including Lewis and Griffitts, just 29 Kingsmen have reached the milestone in the 65-year history of the program.
Mills, a sharp-shooting guard from Joshua Tree, notched her 1,000th point in the Regals’ 83-69 win over Chapman in the SCIAC Tournament semifinals.
Freshman phenom dives into record books
Brooke Blaylock, a freshman from Moorpark, claimed 11th and 15th, respectively, in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive at NCAA Division III Regionals in March. Two of her dives, a forward 2 somersault pike and an inward 1.5 somersault pike, registered the highest scores in the entire 1M competition.
The results were unprecedented from a first-year diver, diving coach Jennifer Vreeke said. Even more incredible ― Blaylock, a former gymnast, only learned to dive in July.
“Words can’t describe how proud I am of her,” Vreeke said. “She has progressed immensely since she started diving less than a year ago, which is a true testament to her athleticism and determination. I can’t wait to see what she will accomplish in the next three seasons at CLU.”
