CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MEDIA NOTES

 

Final 2002-03 CPP Record: 13-14. CCAA Record: 11-11 (6th place)

 

Broncos Ready For A Bounce-Back Season: After coming up short in its bid for a third consecutive NCAA Division championship last season, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team will now try to make it three titles in four years. The Broncos will open their 2003-04 season with a pair of home games this week. Cal Poly Pomona’s season opener will be Friday night against Abilene Christian and the Broncos will also be home on Saturday night to host Azusa Pacific. Cal Poly Pomona is tied with North Dakota State for most national championships won in Division II (5) and still holds the record for most postseason wins (46) in Division II. The Broncos have three starters returning from last year’s team, including second-team All-CCAA forward Brandi Fletcher (So., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS), four-year standout Marisa Lattin (Sr., Oceanside, El Camino HS) and second-year guard Tami Swanson-Cades (Sr., Nevada City, Sierra College). Seven players in all return from last year’s squad.

 

Head To Head: Cal Poly Pomona is 2-0 all-time against Abilene Christian. The Broncos won, 82-70, on Nov. 22, 1988 behind 29 points by Cathy Gooden and won again on Jan. 2, 1992, 75-71. Mildred Conston led four players in double figures with 19 points. Both previous games were in Pomona. Abilene Christian will open its 2003-04 season on Friday in the first game of a two-game Southern California trip. The Wildcats will also play Cal State San Bernardino on Monday. Abilene Christian returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from a team that went 16-13 last season. Cal Poly Pomona is 7-1 all-time against Azusa Pacific, including a 73-53 win last season in Azusa. Alicia Hernandez had 13 points, while Marisa Lattin and Jaida Williams had nine rebounds each. Azusa Pacific’s only win over Cal Poly Pomona came in the 1997-98 season opener, 84-74. The Cougars are 3-0 so far this season with wins over Westminster (Utah), 56-43, Notre Dame de Namur, 70-53 and San Jose Christian, 96-44.

 

Let Us Introduce Ourselves: Cal Poly Pomona has several new players on its roster, including a pair of student-athletes from Division I programs. The Broncos welcome local high-school star Candice Allen (G, Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), who played at Ayala High School and Keila Beachem (F, Sr., Chicago, Ill., University of Kansas), who started nine games for the Jayhawks last season. Khiara Ferguson (Fr., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS) is a top freshman newcomer. Leanne Jenkins (G, Fr., Selma, Selma HS) is also expected to assume a significant role after missing last season with a leg injury.

 

It Was Only An Exhibition: Cal Poly Pomona lost to the Play Mode All-Stars, 92-74, in an exhibition game last Saturday in Kellogg Gym. The Broncos were hampered by 27 turnovers and 33.8 percent shooting. Play Mode was a team made up of mostly former Division I players. Keila Beachem (Sr., Chicago, Ill., University of Kansas) had a strong game for the Broncos, pouring in 20 points and grabbing four rebounds. Jaida Williams (Sr., Opalocka, Fla., Barry University) had 15 points and eight rebounds in 24 productive minutes, while Marisa Lattin (Sr., Oceanside, El Camino HS) had 12 points and four rebounds. Williams and Tami Swanson-Cades (Sr., Nevada City, Sierra College) led the team with eight rebounds each. Cal Poly Pomona missed all 12 of its 3-point attempts.

 

Where We Left Off: The Broncos lost its final two road games at Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State Bakersfield and finished the 2002-03 season with a 13-14 overall record. It was only the second time in the program’s history that Cal Poly Pomona had a non-winning record. The Broncos were unsuccessful in their bid for a first-ever third consecutive NCAA Division II championship. When Cal Poly Pomona won national titles in 2000-01 and 2001-02, it marked the second time in the program’s history that the Broncos had won back-to-back championships. Previously, Cal Poly Pomona had won consecutive titles in 1985 and 1986. The Broncos also saw their three-year reign atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association come to an end with a sixth-place finish. The Broncos, who have won 18 CCAA titles, had won five titles in the previous six years.

 

The Thomas Guide: Paul Thomas is in his 10th 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 181-77 at Cal Poly Pomona and has guided the Broncos into the postseason in six out of the past seven seasons. The Broncos have also won five CCAA titles during the Thomas years, including three in the past four seasons.

 

How About Those Rings: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more star-studded coaching staff in the NCAA Division II than the one at Cal Poly Pomona. 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 Heather Jacobsen has a pair of national championship rings she earned while part of the coaching staff in 2001 and 2002. Jacobsen also played for the Broncos and was a three-sport standout in high school, competing in basketball, volleyball and track and field. 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. And the newest assistant coach, Lauri McIntosh, has a pair of championship rings she won while playing for the Broncos. McIntosh finished her career after the 2002 title run and is completing her degree at Cal Poly Pomona. She was the NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 2002 and finished her career as the No. 2 scorer in Cal Poly Pomona history with 2,176 points.

 

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 (46) in NCAA Division II and are tied with North Dakota State for the most national championships (5).  Their 18 NCAA postseason appearances are second overall to Bentley and the .780 postseason winning percentage is second to North Dakota State’s .804. 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), 30 All-American awards earned by 19 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

 

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

2002-03: Averaged 0.7 points, 0.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists per game. Appeared in 22 games and started twice. Played a total of 152 minutes.

Season Highs: Points – 3 vs. San Francisco State (1-25-03), vs. Texas A&M Kingsville (12-17-02), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-14-02); Rebounds – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03); Assists – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), at UC San Diego (1-18-03).

Career Highs: Points – 3 vs. San Francisco State (1-25-03), vs. Texas A&M Kingsville (12-17-02), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-14-02); Rebounds – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), Assists – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), at UC San Diego (1-18-03).

 

21        JAIDA WILLIAMS (F, Sr. Opalocka, Fla., Barry University)

2002-03: Averaged 5.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists per game. Appeared in nine games and played a total of 120 minutes.

Season Highs: Points -- 10 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02); Rebounds – 9 at Azusa Pacific (11-23-02); Assists – 1 at Azusa Pacific (11-23-02), vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02), vs. Seattle Pacific (12-27-02).

Career Highs: Points – 10 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02); Rebounds – 9 at Azusa Pacific (11-23-02); Assists – 1 at Azusa Pacific (11-23-02), vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02), vs. Seattle Pacific (12-27-02).

 

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

2002-03: Averaged 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists per game. Was second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding. Scored 20 or more points seven times, including four consecutive games of 22 points. Had 25 points, including game-winning basket, against Sonoma State. Earned second-team All-CCAA honors.

Season Highs: Points – 25 at Sonoma State (3-1-03); Rebounds – 10 at Cal State L.A. (2-7-03); Assists – 3 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02).

Career Highs: Points – 25 at Sonoma State (3-1-03); Rebounds – 10 at Cal State L.A. (2-7-03); Assists – 3 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02).

 

32        TAMI SWANSON-CADES (G, Sr., Nevada City, Sierra College)

2002-03: Averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game. Led the team in assists and was fifth in scoring.

Season Highs: Points – 18 vs. Westminster College (12-21-02); Rebounds – 10 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (1-31-03); Assists – 8 vs. Chico State (2-15-03).

Career Highs: Points – 18 vs. Westminster College (12-21-02); Rebounds – 10 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (1-31-03); Assists – 8 vs. Chico State (2-15-03).

 

34        MARISA LATTIN (F, Sr., Oceanside, El Camino HS)

2002-03: Averaged 13.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game. Led the team in rebounding and was third in scoring.

Season Highs: Points – 38 vs. UC Davis (2-14-03); Rebounds – 13 vs. UC Davis (2-14-03); Assists – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-14-02), .

Career Highs: Points – 38 vs. UC Davis (2-14-03);  Rebounds – 13 vs. UC Davis (2-14-03); Assists – 3 vs. UC San Diego (2-21-03), at Cal State San Bernardino (2-14-02), at San Francisco State (3-02-02) vs. Cal State L.A. (1-28-00).

 

40        SHANIKA PERKINS (G, So., Oakland, Oakland HS)

2002-03: Averaged 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists per game. Played in all 27 games and started four times.

Season Highs: Points – 10 at Cal State Stanislaus (3-7-03), vs. Chico State (2-15-03), at Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-8-03); Rebounds – 7 vs. Westminster College (12-21-02); Assists – 3 at Cal State Bakersfield (3-8-03), at San Francisco State (2-28-03), vs. Western Washington (12-28-02).

Career Highs: Points – 10 at Cal State Stanislaus (3-7-03); Rebounds – 7 vs. Westminster College (12-21-02); Assists – 3 at Cal State Bakersfield (3-8-03), at San Francisco State (2-28-03), vs. Western Washington (12-28-03).

 

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

2002-03: Averaged 1.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.1 assists per game. Appeared in 21 games and played a total of 129 minutes.

Season Highs: Points – 5 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02); Rebounds – 4 at Western Washington (12-28-02); Assists -- 1 vs. Cal State L.A. (2-7-03), vs. Seattle Pacific (12-27-02).

Career Highs: Points – 5 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (12-7-02); Rebounds – 4 at Western Washington (12-28-02); Assists – 1 vs. Cal State L.A. (2-7-03).