SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Dominican University of California athletics moved to new heights again in 2014-15 as women's softball joined Dominican's other teams on campus with the debut season of Penguin Field and men's golf became the first Dominican team to advance to the NCAA Division II West Regionals.

Seniors Sarah Nelson and Dominique Taplin were named Dominican's Student-Athletes of the Year.

Nelson led the nation in blocks (4.96 bpg), recording at least three blocks in 20 of her 25 games. She was also third in the PacWest in rebounding (11.0 rpg), third in defensive rebounds (7.4 rpg), fifth in field goal percentage (.473), and 13th in scoring (14.0 ppg). She was the only player in the nation to register two triple-doubles on the season, with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks against Holy Names and 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks against Fresno Pacific. Nelson, who was named the PacWest Women's Basketball Defender of the Year and to the All-PacWest Second Team, finishes her career as the all-times blocks leader with 320 and 3.1 per game and holds the single-game record with two 10-block games. She is also the all-time leader in the Division II era with 861 points, 752 rebounds, and 388 field goals made. Nelson also set several single-season records this season — field goals made (159), rebounds (274), and blocked shots (124).

Named PacWest Men's Basketball Defender of the Year and All-PacWest Second Team, Taplin became Dominican's all-time leading scorer in the Division II era with 1,086 points and the first player to score 1,000 career points in the Division II era. He was named PacWest Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 19-25 and to the Penguin Preseason Conference Challenge All-Tournament Team Nov. 14-15. His 18 rebounds vs. Chaminade on Jan. 22 set a single-game program record in the Division II era. Taplin also holds the records for rebounds (458), free throws made (258), games started (67), and minutes (2,517) in the Division II era. His 472 points, 161 field goals made, 113 free throws made, and 202 rebounds in 989 minutes this season alone set program single-season records in the DII era.

Taplin was joined on the All-Conference Team with junior Matt Hayes. Hayes was a Capital One Academic All-District 8 Basketball First Team selection and an All-PacWest Third Team selection. He was named PacWest Co-Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, to the 55th Annual Mac Martin Invitational All-Tournament Team, and was nominated to the 2015 Allstate NABC Good Works Team®. Hayes set a program record in the DII era with 75 three-pointers made this season and is already the program leader in the DII era with 174. This season, he set single-game marks in the Division II era in field goals attempted (343) and three-pointers made (75) and attempted (199).

In the fall, the women's cross country team finished ninth of 13 teams — the team's best-ever finish — while the men finished 11th out of 11 teams. Sophomore Julianna Mendez traveled to Billings, Montana for the NCAA Division II West Region Championship hosted by MSU Billings, where she placed 111th out of 167 runners.

On the pitch, men's soccer player Kolby Mitnick became a four-time All-PacWest honoree with an Honorable Mention. The Newcastle, California native made 16 starts, second-most by a single player on the Penguins in 2014, and led Dominican with four goals on 11 shots on goal. He finishes his college career with 24 goals and 13 assists. However, the Penguins were rarely at full health in 2014 and often was without several players. The team's seniors only played in seven matches together and collectively made just 81 of a possible 126 appearances.

Women's soccer finished in eighth place in 2014, a spot higher than the previous year, and was the strongest team among the PacWest's Bay Area members. Senior co-captains Mckenna Kimball, Kendra Corsberg, and Megan Hanson all garnered All-Conference honors. Kimball goes down as having earned All-Conference honors in all three of her years at Dominican. The senior, who transferred in as a sophomore from the United State Air Force Academy, earned Second Team honors this season. Before sustaining a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 18, Kimball had started all 13 matches for the Penguins and netted five goals. Despite her time missed, the Salt Lake City, Utah native was sixth in the PacWest in shots and shots per game, and tenth in goals per game (.385). Corsberg and Hanson started all 18 matches en route to Honorable Mention accolades.

During the spring, men's golf made a run at the PacWest Championship but was edged by a single stroke to finish in second place. Dominican placed three players in the Championship Top 10. Junior Pomi Milton placed second, freshman Ty Macias finished in sixth place, and Drew Nelson tied for seventh place. The Penguins were pegged as the No. 8 team in the NCAA Division II West Region and finished in eighth place at the West/South Central Regional. Gary Nelson was named PacWest Men's Golf Coach of the Year. Forbes Collins II and Drew Nelson were named All-PacWest First Team. Macias and Milton were named All-PacWest Second Team.

Women's golf also had its best-ever finish at the PacWest Championship with a fifth-place finish. Freshman Madeleine Bong finished in fifth place in the field of 39 with a nine-over 225 (75-74-76) to lead the Penguins. She posted the Penguins' three best scores — and her best three scores of the year — thanks to her six birdies, including four in round two. Bong was named All-PacWest Third Team. She was joined on the Third Team by junior Isabelle Salcedo, who made the team for the second time.

Dominican softball rang in its inagural season on Penguin Field with a winning 11-10 record at home in the John F. Allen Athletics Complex. The Penguins had one PacWest Player of the Week (Leslie Mesa), PacWest Pitcher of the Week (Katelyn Harden), and one Freshman of the Week (Kelsey Goodner). Sophomore Catlyn Cavender was named All-PacWest Second Team at second base and Harden was named All-PacWest Third Team at utility.

Cavender set the single-season triple slash mark (.375/.448/.711). Her 10 home runs this season were also the most by a Dominican player in a single season in the Division II era and put her in a three-way tie for second most in the PacWest. She led the Penguins in nearly every offensive category, also tallying 48 hits and 91 total bases. Senior Kayla Rodriguez set a single-season mark in the Division II era with 28 stolen bases and is Dominican's all-time leader in the Division II era in runs scored (104) and stolen bases (72).

Women's Tennis was highlighted by No. 1 singles player, freshman Rickimae Torres. Torres earned the program's first national ranking at No. 36 in the fall. She remained regionally ranked throughout the spring and is No. 16 in the West Region. Torres matched a program record with her 10 singles win and posted a .667 winning percentage. She was named to the All-PacWest Third Team.

Men's lacrosse finished the regular season ranked No. 19 in the country and went 8-3 in its first year in the MCLA, good for second place in the WCLL. Kevin Powers' 5.091 points per game was 10th in the nation and he was named WCLL Offensive Player of the Year. Powers, Jake Fritz, and Sean Mullin were named First Team All-WCLL. Brian Raaka Was named Second Team All-WCLL and Dylan Acevedo was named Honorable Mention. First-year Head Coach Matt Blamey was named WCLL Coach of the Year. Powers was named MCLA Division I All-America Second Team Attack and Mullin was named MCLA Division I All-America Third Team Attack.

Here is a list of the individual award winners as newcomer of the year, coaches award winner, and most outstanding player in each of Dominican's 12 intercollegiate sports for the 2014-14 season as announced by Dominican coaches at a season-ending barbecue on May 5:

2014-15 Male Student-Athlete of the Year: Dominique Taplin, Men's Basketball
2014-15 Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Sarah Nelson, Women's Basketball
2014-15 Senior Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Dylan Acevedo, Men's Lacrosse
2014-15 Senior Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Alexis Bailey, Women's Cross Country
2014-15 Junior Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Cody Bernstein, Men's Lacrosse
2014-15 Junior Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kelly Zwicker, Women's Tennis
2014-15 Dominican Coach of the Year: Gary Nelson, Men's and Women's Golf

Men's Soccer
Newcomer: Martin Gonzalez
Coaches: Dale Howard
Most Outstanding Player: Kolby Mitnick

Women's Soccer
Newcomer: Mariah Meza
Coaches: Megan Hanson
Most Outstanding Player: Mckenna Kimball

Women's Volleyball
Newcomer: Shannon RiggioKerley
Coaches: Madison Marshall
Most Outstanding Player: Madeline Powelson

Men's Cross Country
Newcomer: Michael Temple
Coaches: Chris Suen
Most Outstanding Player: Anthony Sassano

Women's Cross Country
Newcomer: Sierra Najolia
Coaches: Alexis Bailey
Most Outstanding Player: Julianna Mendez

Men's Basketball
Coaches: Josh Ramirez
Most Outstanding Player: Dominique Taplin

Women's Basketball
Newcomer: Allyssa Weatherd
Coaches: Donielle Hair
Most Outstanding Player: Sarah Nelson

Cheer
Newcomer: Samantha Hunt
Coaches: Aiyana Ross-Beck
Most Outstanding Player: Lizzy Rice

Men's Golf
Newcomer: Ty Macias
Coaches: Drew Nelson
Most Outstanding Player: Forbes Collins II

Women's Golf
Newcomer: Madeleine Bong
Coaches: Allison Hunt
Most Outstanding Player: Isabelle Salcedo

Softball
Newcomer: Kelsey Goodner
Coaches: Kayla Rodriguez
Most Outstanding Player: Katelyn Harden

Women's Tennis
Newcomer: Rickimae Torres
Coaches: Solveig Karlsen
Most Outstanding Player: Kelly Zwicker

Men's Lacrosse
Newcomer: Sean Mullin
Coaches: Dylan Acevedo
Most Outstanding Player: Kevin Powers