SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Matthew Ibarra of men's soccer and Karli Sikes of women's soccer have been named the Cal State San Marcos Student-Athletes of the Month for October 2026.
 
The CSUSM Student-Athlete of the Month awards are determined through a vote of all Department of Athletics coaches, administrators and staff. Each in-season program nominates a student-athlete to be considered for the award each month.
 
Ibarra led the Cougars with seven goals and 14 points in October. He scored in all but one of CSUSM's eight games. Of Ibarra's seven goals, four were game winners, and he went on to tie the program's single-season record for game-winning goals with his fifth of the year against Cal Poly Pomona.
 
Sikes led CSUSM with three goals and eight points while also tallying two assists. Her goals came in three consecutive matches against Menlo, San Francisco State and Cal Poly Humboldt, and of those three goals, two were game winners. Both of Sike's assists came in the Cougars' 4-0 win at Cal State East Bay.
 
This is the first CSUSM Student-Athlete of the Month honor for both Ibarra and Sikes.