The Liberty League is celebrating its 25th anniversary during the 2019-2020 academic year. Originally founded as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) in 1995, the conference was renamed the Liberty League during the summer of 2004. Each Thursday throughout the year, the Liberty League will be celebrating its silver anniversary by recognizing outstanding teams and individuals from its rich 25-year history.
Few athletes have had a more transformative impact on a program than Cydni Matsuoka had on Vassar women’s basketball. When Matsuoka, a 5-5 guard from Sacramento, committed to join the Brewers, she was joining a program that had averaged just six wins per year in the four seasons prior to her arrival and had not had a winning season since 2000-01. Vassar had never had a winning record in Liberty League play and had never qualified for a league tournament in the ten years as a league member.
That all changed when Matsuoka stepped on the floor for the Brewers in 2010-11. During her four seasons, Vassar averaged 19.5 wins per season and qualified for four Liberty League tournaments. The Brewers won three league titles – all on the road – and earned their first-ever NCAA tournament win. While Matsuoka had a solid supporting cast, she was the driving force that elevated the program to new heights.
Her final career totals were nothing short of remarkable. In 111 career games, Matsuoka scored 1,923 points (17.3 per game) with 546 assists. She scored in double figures in all but seven career games and recorded an assist in all but one game. Matsuoka broke nearly every offensive category in the Vassar record book, including points, field goals made, points per game, assists, assists per game, free throw percentage, games played and started, steals, minutes played and minutes per game.
It was apparent from her 22-point effort in her collegiate debut against Smith College on Nov. 20, 2010, that Matsuoka would have a significant impact on the program. She was a fixture on the court as a freshman, averaging more than 38 minutes per game, including 49 in a double-overtime victory over St. Lawrence. After helping Vassar to an 8-6 record in Liberty League play and the school’s first-ever league tournament berth, Matsuoka and the Brewers shocked top-seeded St. Lawrence in the semifinals before knocking off William Smith for the program’s first championship. While playing all 40 minutes in the two tournament games, Matsuoka averaged 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in the tournament. She was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year as well as the D3Hoops.com National Rookie of the Year.
Matsuoka followed up a strong first season with a solid sophomore campaign, leading the Brewers to back-to-back Liberty League titles. Vassar earned the third seed in the league tournament after compiling a 10-6 record. The Brewers were again up to the task as a tournament underdog, upended second-seeded Rensselaer on the road before knocking off top-seeded St. Lawrence, for the second straight year, in the Liberty League championship game. In two tournament games, Matsuoka averaged 39 minutes, 19.5 points, five rebounds and four assists, earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor. She was also selected as an All-Liberty League first-team selection for the first time.
In Matsuoka’s junior season, Vassar continued its upward climb in the Liberty League standings, recording a program-best 21-4 regular-season record along with a Liberty League title and a 13-3 record. Having had success as a lower seed the previous two seasons, the Brewers hosted fourth-seeded William Smith in the semifinals and saw their season come to an end following a 69-58 loss on their home court. Matsouka averaged a career-best 17.38 points per game while earning Liberty League Player of the Year and D3Hoops.com fourth team All-America honors.
Matsuoka saved her best for last as a senior in 2013-14. Following a 13-3 mark in Liberty League play for the second straight year, Vassar earned the second seed in the Liberty League tournament. For the second straight year, the Brewers hosted William Smith in the semifinals and earned an 81-70 victory, avenging the tournament loss from the previous season. For the third time in four seasons, Vassar traveled to St. Lawrence seeking a Liberty League title. Matsuoka and the Brewers did not disappoint, knocking off the top-seeded Saints 64-60 for the championship. Matsuoka, who averaged 20 points, 5.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in the tournament, was selected as the Liberty League Player of the Year for the second straight season. In two previous NCAA tournament appearances, Vassar lost hard fought opening games, but Matsuoka and her teammates were determined to change the result this time. The senior guard delivered a season-high 31 points – two shy of her career-high – as the Brewers erased an early 11-point deficit to record a 76-75 victory over Williams for the program’s first NCAA victory. Despite a 72-71 loss to host Scranton in the second round, Vassar concluded the season with a program-best 23 wins and a third Liberty League title in four years.
Matsuoka, who averaged a career best 18.8 points and 5.8 assists per game, was a repeat selection as Liberty League Player of the Year. She also led the nation in free throw shooting, making 93.6 percent of her attempts from the charity stripe, including 47 in a row over her final 10 games. A finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy, Matsuoka was also recognized as an All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, D3Hoops.com (second team; East Region Player of the Year) and D-III News (third team). She also excelled off the court, earning Liberty League All-Academic Team honors in each of the three seasons in which she was eligible.
25th Anniversary Spotlight Series:
10/24/2019 - 1999 St. Lawrence University Men's Soccer
10/31/2019 - Sara Artus, Clarkson University, Volleyball (2008-2011)
11/7/2019 - Ali Marpet, Hobart College, Football (2011-2015)
11/14/2019 - 1997 William Smith College Field Hockey
11/21/2019 - Grant O'Connor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Cross Country/Track & Field (2015-2019)
11/28/2019 - Andrew Franks, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Football (2011-2015)
12/5/2019 - 2013 William Smith College Women's Soccer
12/12/2019 - John Coleman, Clarkson University, Basketball and Baseball (2011-2015)
12/19/2019 - Nickie Griesemer, Ithaca College, Swimming & Diving (2013-2018)
1/2/2020 - Kelly Donnelly, Skidmore College, Women's Basketball (2014-2018)
1/9/2020 - Richie Bonney, Hobart College, Men's Basketball (2010-2014)
1/16/2020 - Taryn Cordani, Ithaca College, Cross Country/Track & Field (2014-2018)
1/30/2020 - Amr Khalifa, St. Lawrence University, Men's Squash (2012-2016)