IRVINE, Calif. – Concordia University Irvine athletic director and head softball coach Crystal Rosenthal was recognized by the Greater Irvine Chamber on Thursday as one of its special honorees during the 2022 Women of Influence Forum.

Rosenthal received the prestigious 2022 Women of Influence: Game Changer Award and was one of eight women honored in the annual event that recognizes and empowers women to lead and succeed in their lives, businesses and communities.

The Game Changer Award is specifically to recognize a woman in the local community who has developed a concept, idea, or procedure that affects a significant shift in the current manner of doing or thinking about something. Her ideas have had a positive impact on her industry or the community.

Rosenthal has proven to be a game-changer in so many ways for more than two decades – as a student-athlete, as a coach, as a proud alum and as the leader of the entire CUI athletic department.

Rosenthal earned her bachelor's in history and political science from Concordia, graduating in 2000, and earned her master's in coaching and athletic administration in 2006. A four-year player and team captain, she later became the head coach of CUI softball in 2009.

In 2013, she led the Eagles to the program's first NAIA National Championship as the Green and Gold posted a 52-3 overall record.  Rosenthal was voted NAIA and Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Coach of the Year, becoming the first Concordia softball coach to earn that national award.

With associate coach Rose Imbriano by her side, the Eagles have racked up more than 580 victories on the diamond under Rosenthal and become a consistent Top 10 nationally-ranked team since the school moved up to the NCAA DII level.

In 2020, Rosenthal took the reins as the athletic director at her alma mater and has led CUI Athletics through the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple fundraising initiatives since that time while continuing to lead the CUI softball program with her coaching staff.

This season, the CUI softball team has been ranked No. 2 in the entire nation for four straight weeks. The Eagles enter the final weekend in March with a remarkable 28-0 record after sweeping Chaminade.

For more information on the Women of Influence program and other honorees in our local community, please CLICK HERE