Former Cal State Northridge coach Gary Torgeson passed away on Saturday in Ventura, California at the age of 78.
Torgeson led the Matadors for thirteen seasons after taking over the program in 1982. During a time that the program competed at the Division II level, Torgeson led CSUN to four national championships. His team won a conference title in each of his thirteen seasons at the helm.
From 1982-90, the Matadors reached the Division II championship finals on seven occasions, winning the national title in 1983, ’84, ’85, and ’87, and finishing as national runners-up in 1982, ’86, and ’90.
After CSUN moved to Division I in 1990, Torgeson led the Matadors to the Women’s College World Series in 1993, finishing in a tie for fifth nationally. After a 1994 earthquake devastated Northridge, Torgeson led the program to a Western Athletic Conference championship and a regional title en route to returning to the WCWS, where the Matadors reached the championship final.
Torgeson was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2008.
