This year marks the 50th anniversary for Pioneer Athletics at CSU East Bay.

Since 1961, when the university first unveiled the athletic program, the Pioneers have enjoyed seven national championships and more than 80 conference titles, all while producing more than 420 All-Americans and Academic All-Americans.

The Pioneers seek to add to those numbers this season.

The anniversary couldn’t have come at a better time since. As of September 1, CSUEB was officially re-admitted into the CCAA Division II after a two-year probation period in the conference.

The Pioneers will now be eligible for championships, to vote on Division II legislation and to share in the revenues of Division II.

After her start as Director of Athletics on July 1, 2001, Debby DeAngelis has seen this program grow into what it is today and is excited to see what is to come.

“After ten years as Director of Athletics, it is my honor to lead the program that has such a celebrated history,” said DeAngelis.

“There are many great student-athletes, coaches and administrators that have represented this university and we hope to honor as many of them as we can in the next year,” continued DeAngelis.

To begin the 2011 campaign, volleyball, cross country and men and women’s soccer have kicked off the fall sports season.

Coming into the first week of school, the volleyball team stands at a 6-2 overall record with a 2-2 record in the CCAA conference.

With only a handful of returning players, this new team will carry on the success of last season where the Pioneers finished with an impressive 20-7 overall record where head coach Jim Spagle took home CCAA Coach of the Year honors.

In two meets so far, both the men’s and women’s cross country team have had success and have improved from a year ago, with the women placing in first at the Mills College Invitational over the weekend for the first time ever since entering Division II.

This year, the team welcomes in new head coach Ralph Jones and new assistant coach Ron Davis, who already have renovated the spirit of the team and look to set sail on a long and promising future with the Pioneers.

Men’s soccer enters the school year with a 1-5 overall record and women’s soccer sits in with 2-3-1 overall record.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Pioneer Athletics will hold a celebration from September 23 to 28 to honor the many accomplishments of the program and are inviting all alumni and current student and fans to attend.

The schedule is complete with alumni games in baseball, water polo, soccer, swimming, basketball, and tennis and will close out with the 15th Annual East Bay Golf Classic.

“This is the kickoff of the new school year and our 50th anniversary,” said DeAngelis. “We have tried to include all of the athletes, coaches and administrators that contributed to the success and I am sure we will miss some, but they should all know they made a difference and an important contribution.”

DeAngelis along with the rest of the Pioneer athletes, coaches and staff encourage fan support not only this weekend but in this very special year for CSUEB athletics.

“Friday we honor our current student-athletes and our past coaches and Hall of Fame members.  Saturday we honor all our sports in alumni games and Sunday at soccer we honor both the soccer teams that went to nationals and all of the student-athletes that ever competed at our university,” said DeAngelis “Whether they called it Alameda, Hayward or East Bay, they are all incredible athletes of whom we can be proud.”