CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

PRESEASON MEDIA NOTES

 

Final 2003-04 CPP Record: 23-7. CCAA Record: 17-5 (2nd place)

 

Broncos Preparing For Another Sweet Experience: After making its fourth appearance in the Sweet Sixteen in the past five years, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team will begin practice on Friday while shooting for another postseason appearance this season. The Broncos won a pair of NCAA Division II playoff games last year while reaching the West Region finals and now hold the record for most postseason wins (48) in Division II. The Broncos are also tied with North Dakota State for most national championships won in Division II (5). Their most recent national titles came in 2001 and 2002. The Broncos will begin practice on Friday as they look to add to their unprecedented postseason success. Cal Poly Pomona will have two starters returning, including Kodak All-American Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), who led the NCAA Division II in scoring last season. The Broncos will also have 2003 second-team All-CCAA forward Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) and talented guard Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) back as well. Seven players in all return from last season’s squad.

 

Let Us Introduce Ourselves: Cal Poly Pomona has several new players on its roster, including seven freshmen. Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS), Sahfiya Brown (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS), Sasha Goldkorn (Fr., Moreno Valley, Canyon Springs HS), Lauren Kitaguchi (Fr., Diamond Bar, Diamond Bar HS), Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS), Porsche’ Kirksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) are the seven highly-touted freshman. The Broncos also welcome back Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State), who sat out last season and Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State), who redshirted last season after transferring to Cal Poly Pomona from San Francisco State. Zuleeka Mohammed (Jr., San Jose, De Anza College) is another newcomer for the Broncos this season.

 

 

Where We Left Off: The Broncos, after a one-year hiatus from the postseason, returned to the NCAA playoffs last year and added to the most successful postseason record in the NCAA Division II. The Broncos opened the playoffs with a 74-70 victory over Chico State behind 30 points from Candice Allen and 10 points and 17 rebounds from Keila Beachem. The Broncos then rallied 13-point second-half deficit in the final 10 minutes to defeat Cal State Bakersfield, 87-84, behind 28 points and 20 rebounds from Beachem and 26 points from Allen. Cal Poly Pomona advanced to its fourth regional championship game in the past five years, where the Broncos lost to regional host Seattle Pacific, 80-63. Marisa Lattin concluded her fine Bronco career with 20 points, while Allen added 16 points. The Broncos shot just 33 percent from the field.

 

The Thomas Guide: Paul Thomas is in his 11th season as Cal Poly Pomona’s head coach. Thomas was named the 2001-02 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year by the WBCA and by the Division II Bulletin. He was also the WBCA District 8 Coach of the Year and the CCAA Co-Coach of the Year. He has won four conference Coach of the Year awards. Thomas has a record of 204-84 at Cal Poly Pomona and has guided the Broncos into the postseason in seven out of the past eight seasons. The Broncos have a 14-5 record in the NCAA Division II playoffs under Thomas and have won 12 of its last 13 postseason games. The Broncos have also won five CCAA titles during the Thomas years, including three in the past five seasons.

 

How About Those Rings: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more star-studded coaching staff in the NCAA Division II. Head Coach Paul Thomas has a pair of championship rings he earned while guiding the Broncos to back-to-back national titles in 2001 and 2002. He was named the 2001-02 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association and the Division II Bulletin. Assistant coach Tasha Burnett has a championship ring she earned as a Bronco player in 2001. She tied an NCAA record by hitting all 11 of her field-goal attempts in a national quarterfinal victory over Pace University. She made the All-Elite Eight Tournament team.

 

Program History: The Broncos’ back-to-back national championships in 2001 and 2002 have just added to the program’s rich women’s basketball history. The Broncos have the most postseason victories (48) in NCAA Division II and are tied with North Dakota State for the most national championships (5).  Their 19 NCAA postseason appearances are second overall to Bentley and the .774 (48-14) postseason winning percentage leads all Division II programs. Cal Poly Pomona has also reached the national title game eight times, has five national Player of the Year winners (Jackie White, 1983; Vickie Mitchell, 1986; Debra Larsen, 1987; Cathy Gooden, 1989 and Lauri McIntosh, 2002; five Most Outstanding Players in the NCAA Tournament (Jackie White, 1982; Vickie Mitchell, 1985; Debra Larsen, 1986; Aprile Powell, 2001; Lauri McIntosh, 2002), 31 All-American awards earned by 20 different players, 18 CCAA titles and 9 CCAA Player of the Year awards. Counting the five SCCA titles the Broncos won before joining the CCAA, Cal Poly Pomona has captured 23 conference titles.

 

RETURNING PLAYER NOTES

 

4          CANDICE ALLEN (G, Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona)

2003-04: Averaged 24.5 points per game, which led the NCAA Division II. Was the CCAA Player of the Year and earned first-team All-West Region and Kodak All-America honors. Led the team in scoring and steals. Tied CCAA record and set new Cal Poly Pomona standard by hitting all 16 free-throw attempts against Chico State.

Season Highs: Points – 40 vs. UC Davis (1-3-04); Rebounds – 11 vs. Azusa Pacific (11-22-03); Assists – 7 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-30-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04).

Career Highs: Points – 40 vs. UC Davis (1-3-04); Rebounds – 11 vs. Azusa Pacific (11-22-03); Assists – 7 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-30-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04).

 

5          BRITT SUMIDA (G, Sr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS)

2003-04: Averaged 1.8 points, 0.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists per game. Appeared in 21 games and played a total of 173 minutes. Hit go-ahead 3-pointer in win over Azusa Pacific and had a career-high three 3-pointers in win over Pt. Loma Nazarene.

Season Highs: Points – 11 vs. Pt. Loma Nazarene (11-29-03); Rebounds – 2 vs. Western Washington (12-19-03), vs. Pt. Loma Nazarene (11-29-03); Assists – 3 vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04).

Career Highs: Points – 11 vs. Pt. Loma Nazarene (11-29-03); Rebounds – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03); Assists – 3 vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04), vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), at UC San Diego (1-18-03).

 

20        SHANIKA PERKINS (G, Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS)

2003-04: Averaged 6.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Was fifth on the team in scoring, third in assists and second in steals.

Season Highs: Points – 17 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-13-03); Rebounds – 10 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-13-04); Assists – 5 vs. Chico State (1-2-04).

Career Highs: Points – 17 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-13-03); Rebounds – 10 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-13-04); Assists – 5 vs. Chico State (1-2-04).

 

22        KHIARA FERGUSON (C, So., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS)

2003-04: Averaged 1.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game. Appeared in 24 of 30 games.

Season Highs: Points – 6 vs. Chico State (1-2-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Seattle Pacific (12-20-03); Assists – 1 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

Career Highs: Points – 6 vs. Chico State (1-2-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Seattle Pacific (12-20-03); Assists – 1 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

 

24        BRANDI FLETCHER (F, Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS)

2003-04: Averaged 10.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists per game. Was third on the team in scoring and rebounding. Led the team in free-throw shooting percentage (.816).

Season Highs: Points – 24 vs. UC Davis (1-3-04); Rebounds – 10 at Chico State (2-28-04), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04), vs. UC Davis (1-3-04), at Chico State (2-28-04), at Cal State L.A. (2-7-03); Assists – 4 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04).

Career Highs: Points – 25 at Sonoma State (3-1-03); Rebounds – 10 at Chico State (2-28-04), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04), vs. UC Davis (1-3-04), at Cal State L.A. (2-7-03); Assists – 4 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04).

 

42        GE’YANNI POLK (G, So., San Leandro, San Leandro HS)

2003-04: Averaged 0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.0 assists per game. Appeared in 17 games.

Season Highs: Points – 3 vs. Cal State L.A. (1-23-04); Rebounds – 2 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04)

Career Highs: Points – 3 vs. Cal State L.A. (1-23-04); Rebounds – 2 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04).

 

54        ALEXIS WILSON (F, Jr., Wayzata, MN, Wayzata HS)

2003-04: Averaged 2.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Appeared in all 30 games.

Season Highs: Points – 6 vs. Chico State (3-12-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04), vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Pt. Loma Nazarene (11-29-03), vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02); Rebounds – 4 vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04), at Sonoma State (1-16-04); Assists – 3 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

Career Highs: Points – 6 vs. Chico State (3-12-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04), vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Pt. Loma Nazarene (11-29-03); Rebounds – 4 vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04), at Sonoma State (1-16-04), at Western Washington (12-28-02); Assists – 3 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).