SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Isabelle Bakken of volleyball and Sankalp Shastri of men's cross country have been named the Cal State San Marcos Student-Athletes of the Month for November 2024.
 
Bakken led the Cougars with a team-best 15 total blocks, 13 block assists and a .379 hitting percentage in November. The senior helped CSUSM sweep then-No. 24 Cal State LA on Senior Day with eight kills, a .412 hitting percentage and five blocks. Bakken then helped CSUSM make program history with the Cougars' first-ever win at Cal State San Bernardino while registering eight kills, a .316 hitting percentage and three blocks. Bakken went on to be named an All-CCAA honorable mention.
 
In the Cougars' lone event for the month, Shastri earned All-West Region honors with a 24th-place finish at the NCAA Division II West Regional in Billings, Montana. The junior completed the 10K race with a personal-best time of 31.21.4. Shastri finished the season with All-CCAA honors and was the CCAA Runner of the Week in September.
 
This is Bakken's first CSUSM Student-Athlete of the Month honor and is the second consecutive honor for Shastri after earning it for the first time in October.