This week in Hornet sports history: Week of 9/21

Sac State alumnus gets Olympic bronze medal, big wins for both the football and soccer team

Rahul Lal

Flash back to the week of !0/4 in Hornets sports history.

Emmely Ramirez
September 21, 2020

With live sports currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, sports writers for The State Hornet will be going through the archives each week to highlight some of the best performances in Sac State Athletics history.

Former Sac State softball player wins bronze in Rio Olympics

Sac State alumna Andrea Becker smiles in front of her signed national team jersey. Becker won a bronze medal as the United States men’s volleyball team psychologist in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo by Luis Platero.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sacramento State alumna Andrea Becker won a bronze medal with the United States men’s volleyball team as its team psychologist.

Becker played four seasons at Sac State on the women’s softball team from 1997-2001 and began to pursue her career as a sports psychologist. She later earned a doctorate degree in sports psychology at the University of Tennessee.

While working as a professor in sports psychology at California State University, Fullerton, John Speraw, a former professor’s son and coach for the University of California, Irvine men’s volleyball team at the time, offered her a job to be the team’s sports psychologist.

Speraw was eventually offered a job as the head coach for the U.S. men’s volleyball team, and Becker followed to become the sports psychologist for the team.

On Aug. 21, 2016 the U.S. men’s volleyball team obtained the bronze medal after playing with Russia in the Rio Janeiro Olympic games. 

Hornets subdue Southern Utah 54-27 in Big Sky football opener

Sac State junior quarterback Kevin Thomson celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against Southern Utah on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 at Hornet Stadium. Photo by Liam Braddy.

Sacramento State had a 54-27 victory over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Sept. 24, 2017 at the Hornet Stadium.

Sac State junior quarterback Kevin Thomson carried the team to victory by scoring enough touchdowns in a single game to tie the school record, which was seven.

By the end of the game Thomson had 14 carries for 149 yards and four touchdowns, and the Hornets offense finished the game with 586 yards of total offense, 253 passing yards and 333 rushing yards.

In the final quarter, Southern Utah tried to catch up and scored two touchdowns, making the score 40-27. However, with only 10 minutes remaining Thomson made two more touchdowns, giving Sac State the victory with a score of 54-27.

Hornets stun nationally ranked Utah Valley

Sac State senior midfielder Ivan Ramirez dribbles the ball up the pitch against Utah Valley at Hornet Field on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. Ramirez had two goals for the Hornets in a 3-2 victory. Photo by Matthew Dyer.

On Sept. 23, 2016 the Sacramento State men’s soccer team upset the 15th ranked Utah Valley Wolverines with a score of 3-2.

Two of the 3 goals were made by Sac State senior midfielder Ivan Ramirez, one in the beginning of the game and one right before halftime. 

Another goal was made by Sac State senior Nate Nugen, who received two yellow cards throughout the game and had to be ejected from the game.

“When Nugen got red carded I thought our guys dug deep and hung in there and we found a way to kill the game off,” Sac State head coach Michael Linenberger said. Sac State was able to keep their lead at 3-2 until the game was over and defeated the Utah Valley Wolverines.