From record book rewrites to national championships, the 2023-2024 athletic year has been historic for Point Loma Nazarene University. Throughout every season, the Sea Lions’ efforts produced PLNU’s most successful year since joining the NCAA Division II a decade ago.
Fall
The autumn saw women’s volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer all clinch PacWest Conference titles on the same day. For volleyball and men’s soccer, the titles marked their first times finishing atop the conference in their programs’ histories.
For women’s soccer, the title was their fourth in the past five years, but it was only a stepping stone to the team’s first West Regional title and their first NCAA national championship — PLNU’s first NCAA national title ever.
Winter
When sub-70-degree temperatures settle over The Point, PLNU basketball has its time in the spotlight. This year, the men’s team secured its third-straight PacWest conference title and placed second in the PacWest tournament.
The women placed third in the conference and advanced to the semifinals of the PacWest tournament for the third season in a row. The ladies also made their first appearance in the NCAA West Regional tournament since the 2016-2017 season.
Spring
To close out the athletic year, the record books of baseball, women’s tennis and women’s track and field shifted.
In February, PLNU baseball unveiled its biomechanics pitching lab in partnership with the San Diego Padres after nearly eight years of planning. Also in February, head baseball coach Justin James reached the 150-win career milestone. In March, fifth-year shortstop Scott Anderson set the program career hits record with 257, breaking the previous record that stood for over a decade.
Women’s track and field also saw an individual record-breaking performance. Fourth-year sprinter Madelynn Worley took down PLNU’s 32-year-old 100-meter dash record, becoming the first Sea Lion to break 12 seconds with a time of 11.94 seconds.
Women’s tennis broke the 1996 record for the longest winning streak with 13. One of the wins during this streak was against Hawaii Pacific University, marking PLNU’s first victory over the Sharks in program history. Finishing third in the PacWest, the Sea Lions matched their highest finish ever, which was set last season.
Many spring sports will continue competition beyond the academic year. For more details about the year’s accomplishments and any upcoming competitions, visit plnusealions.com.
