SAN MARCOS – The 2023 California Pacific Conference season turned out to be historically remarkable for the University of Saint Katherine (USK), San Marcos. The USK women’s volleyball team made a record undefeated streak in the conference, grabbing numerous awards at the end of the year. Three of the stars of the squad hail from our local region, etching their names in the annals of the institution’s sports legacy.
Makenzie Nutting from Temecula, Cassandra Orozco, and Makenna Clugston, both from Murrieta, have proven their exceptional skills on the court and in classrooms.
The USK women’s volleyball team secured 12 end-of-year Cal Pac awards following their unprecedented 20-0 conference record. Among its honorees, Alexcis Morris was named the Player of the Year. Other team members who received top-level honors include Newcomer of the Year, Naomie Cremoux; Attacker of the Year, Addison Metts, and Coach of the Year was awarded to head coach Eryn Leja-Martin.
Our local stalwarts were not far behind. Nutting, a senior and an opposite hitter, managed to snag an impressive 142 kills with a .315 hitting percentage, along with 60 total blocks in 2023. This feat marked her third All-Conference selection spotting her on the Honorable Mention Team of the California Pacific Conference.
Meanwhile, Orozco trounced the season with 60 kills in just 62 sets, apart from her 55 total blocks. Orozco, a junior, and a business management major, minor in human resources, also held a notable 3.82 cumulative GPA, reflecting her balancing act between sports and academics.
Clugston was also seen in 32 matches throughout the season. The senior defensive specialist doubles up as the president of the university’s Student Senate and the Athletic Department’s Student Advisory Council. She also managed an impressive 3.75 GPA while graduating with a major in psychology.
Beyond their impressive records on the court, Orozco and Clugston were also included in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) list of 2023 Daktronics Scholar-Athletes for the fall season. This honor acknowledges student-athletes who maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher while having been with their respective schools for a minimum of one year. The accolade is a further testament to their dedication to sport and academics.
This highly successful season ended with the team sporting a 30-5 record and marking their debut in the national tournament for the first time in the university’s history. Both Orozco and Clugston were honored on the All-Conference Honorable Mention Team and conference’s All-Academic selection.
Whether it’s the courts or the classrooms, our local athletes continue to shine bright, setting higher standards of excellence and redefining the legacy of their alma maters. We look forward to seeing more of these talented individuals excelling in the years to come.
