LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics honored its magnificent student-athletes on Monday night at its annual awards banquet with Emily Elliott, Jonon Young, and Corey Cofield II receiving the top honors in ceremonies at the Sheraton Los Angeles/San Gabriel Hotel.

Elliott earned the Billie Jean King Award as the top female athlete for a third straight year after concluding a historic career that saw her lead Cal State LA to unprecedented heights, most notably the 2023 NCAA Division II championship and back-to-back West Region titles in 2022 and 2023. She earned first-team All-America honors for a second straight year in 2024 and she also was the AVCA West Region Player of the Year for a second straight season after setting new conference and program marks for single-season kills (623) and career kills (2,011). She led the NCAA for a second straight season in points per set and was second in the nation in kills per set.

Young captured the Billie Jean King Award for a second straight year after earning All-America honors once again in indoor track and successfully defending her California Collegiate Athletic Association titles in the long jump and triple jump at the conference championships last week. She was named the CCAA Field Athlete of the Meet, also for a second straight season. Her season is not over as she will be among the leading contenders in both events at the NCAA Championships later this month. She earned her fifth All-America award earlier this year in indoor track and field.

Elliott and Young were also co-winners in 2023-24.

Cofield II earned the Frank J. Candida Award as the top male athlete. He earned All-West Region and All-CCAA honors after a second outstanding season with the men's basketball program. He willed the team to a spot in the CCAA Tournament with a legendary late-season performance, scoring 26 of his career-high 30 points in the second half of a come-from-behind win at Cal State East Bay that clinched the last tournament bid. He led the team and was second in the CCAA in scoring with 19.7 points per game.

The Golden Awards featured team and department awards and was made possible by the exceptional planning and execution by Alexis Crimes, Dr. Demetrus Caldwell, and members of Cal State LA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The night also included outstanding video and photography expertly crafted by Emilio Flores, Myles Bridgewater-Jackman, Jordan Renville and Xavier Zamora.

The Golden Eagles celebrated a 2024-25 campaign that saw them achieve some outstanding accomplishments. Cal State LA was the only program in the CCAA to earn qualification for every conference tournament.

So far this year, with some spring sports still finishing up, Cal State LA student-athletes have won 3 All-America awards, 10 All-Region awards, 2 CCAA MVP awards, 4 CCAA individual championships and 40 All-Conference awards.

Damian Bonds won the conference's Elite 13 Award for academic achievement in the sport of men's country.

In addition to the top male and female Athlete of the Year awards, several other awards were handed out by the division. Damian Bonds (cross country and track and field) and Hideka Takamura (tennis) won the Academic Achievement Awards and Morgan Sjoerdsma (women's golf) and Malik Clayton (baseball) won the Dr. Hal Charnofsky Awards that are given by the CCAA for athletic and academic achievements.

Ismael Quintero (baseball) and Emil Kischksa (men's soccer) were co-winners of the Male Freshman of the Year award, while Juliana Speiski (volleyball) won the Female Freshman of the Year award. Drew Hill (track and field) and Samarah DaCoud (volleyball) were named the Newcomers of the Year and Courtlyn Lam (women's tennis) received the Courage and Spirit Award.

Hans Kersting of women's golf was named the Coach of the Year and women's golf was named the Team of the Year.

The complete list of award winners follows:

2025 Cal State LA Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Division Awards

Frank J. Candida Award (Male Athlete of the Year)
Corey Cofield II, Basketball

Billie Jean King Award (Female Athlete of the Year)
Emily Elliott, Volleyball and Jonon Young, Track and Field

Academic Achievement Award (Male)
Damian Bonds, Cross Country/Track & Field

Academic Achievement Award (Female)
Hideka Takamura, Tennis

Dr. Hal Charnofsky Award
Morgan Sjoerdsma, Women's Golf
Malik Clayton, Basketball

Freshman of the Year (Female)
Juliana Speiski, Volleyball

Freshman of the Year (Male)
Ismael Quintero, Baseball and Emil Kischka, Soccer

Newcomer of the Year (Female)
Samarah DaCoud, Volleyball

Newcomer of the Year (Male)
Drew Hill, Track & Field

Courage and Spirit Award
Courtlyn Lam, Tennis

Coach of the Year
Hans Kersting, Golf

Team of the Year
Women's Golf