OFFICIAL HOME OF MOORPARK COLLEGE ATHLETICS

The Governing Board of the Ventura County Community College District legally established Moorpark College in 1963. Soon after a 134 acre site on Moorpark's eastern city boundry was secured with a combination of donation and purchase from the Strathhearns, a local ranching family.

In 1965, taxpayers passed an 8 million bond to build the first phase of Moorpark College. Construction of the Adminstration, Library, Science, Technology, Campus Center, Gymnasium, and Matainance ane Operations began in 1966.

In 1966, Jim Moore was named Moorpark College's 1st Athletic Director /Dean of Athletics, coming from Ventura College. His first order of business was to notify then Commission on Athletics(COA), now the CCCAA that MC will be opening their doors and offering sports in Fall of 1967. MC was then placed into the Western State Conference. Building from scratch, Moore led Athletics until his retirement in June 1973. In 1973 Paul Dunham, former Baseball, Tennis, and Football coach, took over as Athletic Director/Dean until his retirement in June of 1992. In July of 1992, John Keever became the 3rd Athletic Director in school history. Upon Keever's retirement in 2008, Howard Davis became Moorpark College's fourth Athletic Director. In January of 2015, Davis moved on to become Dean of Sciences and Student Engagement and Vance Manakas was named interim Athletic Director in January 2016. Manakas who served as the Athletic Trainer for 35 years, was officially named Athletic Director in 2017 before retiring in December of 2020. In January 2021, Matt Crater was named Moorpark College's 6th and current Athletic Director. Moorpark competes in 16 sports, down from a one-time high of 18. Presently, Moorpark offers eight men's sports and eight women's sports.

In the Spring of 1967, prior to Fall opening, Jim Moore hired 4 coaches to get Moorpark College's sports program rolling in their initial 1967-68 academic year. Gary Brinkman was hired as a counselor/coach. He was picked to coach the Men's Cross Country and Men's Track and Field programs. Paul Dunham was hired to initially coach Baseball and Football but later coached Tennis and Golf. Ron Cote was hired to coach Wrestling. Al Nordquist was named to head Men's Basketball and Men's Tennis teams. Moore named himself Men's Golf coach.

On September 11, 1967, with paint barely dry and construction still continuing, Dr. John Collins welcomed 1,400 students with 50 new faculty members to what we know as Moorpark College. Moorpark College has a proud 55 year history of highly successful athletic programs and equilavent successful student athlete academic success. Moorpark has had two Pepsi Scholar Athletes of the Year (Cherisse Meichtry, 2000 and Mary Hanley, 2007). Since 1985, ten Raiders have been named to the Pepsi Scholar Athlete Honor Roll. Since 1995, Moorpark College boasts 28 Scholar Teams. Twelve California State Championships (Wrestling 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, Men's Track and Field 2003, Men's Cross Country 1996. 1997, Women's Soccer 1991, Men's Golf 1981 and Men's Volleyball 2005, 2010) and 20 Postseason Bowl Appearances in the last 28 years that point to the athletic success we have had.

The First Years

In the initial academic 1967-68 year, Moorpark offered Men's Basketball and Men's Cross Country in the Fall while Baseball, Men's Track and Field, Men's Tennis, and Wrestling were offered for spring semester sports. 

As expected with limited recruiting time, the rookie Raider teams struggled through their initial seasons. Cross Country finished with a 5-5 record and a 5th place finish in the Western State Conference. Freshmen Don Kamp and John Clarke consistanly led the Raiders throughout their season. Men's Basketball overall record ended up being 8-21 and 3-15 in the tough Western State Conference. Freshman Larry DeLaittre led the Raiders in most statistical categories earning All-WSC Honorable Mention. Wrestling finished their season 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the WSC for a 4th place finish. Baseball ended their season with a 9-16 overall record and 4-12 in WSC action. There are no records for Track, Tennis and Golf at this time.

In the 1968-69, helmets and shoulder pads were seen on campus for the first time and the first ever Western State Conference Championship was on by the undefeated Men's Cross Country team. With returning Sophomores John Clarke and Don Kamp the harriers ran to a perfect 9-0 season. Football finished with a respectable 4-5 record with Larry DeMartini being voted Most Valuable Player. All-WSC Sophomore Larry DeLaittre led the Basketball team to a 13-13 overall record and a 4th place finish in conference. Wrestling finished with a 6-4 dual meet record and 4-4 in WSC for 3rd place. Baseball, Track & Field, and Tennis records are unkown. (still researching)

In the Fall of 1969, more coaches were hired as athletics started to gain traction. Familiar names like John Keever, Manny Trevino, Del Parker, Gil Mendoza, Goerge Ragsdale, and Jack Gruell were added to the coaching roster. By the time the year had ended Men's Cross Country won their 2nd straight WSC title on their way to a 2nd place finish at the state meet.

Closing out the '69-70 school year, Baseball won their first ever WSC title. Men's Tennis went a perfect 14-0 in WSC action to claim their first title. Singles player Jurgen Everet was named WSC Player of the Year

Keever	Parker	Trevino	Ragsdale

The Seventies

The new decade started off on a high note. Football earned their initial WSC Championship while the Cross Country team won their 3rd straight WSC crown on their way to win 5 more WSC crowns for the decade. Wrestling dominated the decade winning 8 WSC Championships, with 10 Raider Wrestlers earning All-American status. Basketball weaved their way through the decade with their 1976-'78 teams went 48-18 with 3rd place finish in '76-'77. Football struggled throughout the decade while finishing in the middle of pack during WSC action. Baseball won thier second WSC Title in '76, making it to State title game losing to Long Beach City. Men's Tennis had a succesful decade winning 4 WSC championships. In 1978, singles player Ross Hessler is the only Raider to become WSC and SoCal Individual Champion and was CA State runner-up, finishing the year with a 29-2 record.

The '70 also ushered in a new era. In 1972, US Congress introduced SB 659 also known as Title IX, which simply states "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance" It was signed into law June 23, 1972.

In the 1972-73 school year, Moorpark College offered Women's Volleyball, Women's Cross Country and Women's Track & Field. They were placed in the WSC and competed under the Southern California Community College Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCCCIAC). Prior to and at the time of Title IX passage, CA junior college women's sports were not sanctioned by the COA(CCCAA) and there was no oversight meaning there were no participation records, and season records were not official. The SCCCIAC did have regional play-offs and there was not any state championships. It wasn't until 1973 that the idea of women sports to become COA sanctioned were put into motion. The COA added two women to their board and legislation was introduced. In 1975, the COA approved legislation for women sports to become santioned in the 1977-78 school year. 

Along with Volleyball, Cross Country, and Track, Moorpark offered Tennis, Softball, Basketball. Volleyball won their initial WSC title in 1979. Softball finished their initial 1978 season with 21 wins. Basketball initially played a limited schedule due gym time coordination with Men's Basketball and PE classes was still in it's infant stages.