CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MEDIA NOTES

 

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

 

Broncos Ready To Get 2004-05 Season Underway: After re-establishing itself as a national contender last season, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team looks to add to its unprecedented postseason success in 2004-05. The Broncos, ranked 25th in the nation in the WBCA/USA Today Top 25 preseason poll, will open their season with a road game at NAIA neighbor Azusa Pacific on Friday before making their home debut on Saturday against St. Thomas University. Azusa Pacific is ranked 19th in the nation in the NAIA, while St. Thomas is a traditional Division III power from Minnesota. Cal Poly Pomona is coming off another outstanding season. The Broncos reached the NCAA Division II West Region championship game at Seattle Pacific and became the only Division II program to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in the past five years. Cal Poly Pomona also posted playoff wins over Chico State and Cal State Bakersfield, giving the Broncos 48 postseason wins, which is the most among all Division II programs. Cal Poly Pomona remains tied with North Dakota State for most national championships won (5). The Broncos won back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002. The Broncos have three starters returning, including Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the CCAA Player of the Year and the leading scorer in the NCAA Division II. Other starters back are Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS), a second-team All-CCAA forward in 2003 and Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS).

 

Head To Head: Cal Poly Pomona is 8-1 all-time against Azusa Pacific, including a hard-fought 73-66 win over the Cougars last season in Kellogg Gym. Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Azusa Pacific, the No. 19 ranked team in the NAIA, is already 2-0 this season with wins over Holy Names (83-75) and William Jessup (101-52). Cal Poly Pomona is 2-0 all-time against St. Thomas University. The Broncos posted a 77-76 victory in 1995 and a 79-68 victory in 1999. St. Thomas will be making its 2004-05 debut on Saturday.


Let Us Introduce Ourselves: Cal Poly Pomona has several new players on its roster, including six freshmen. Sahfiya Brown (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS), Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS), Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS), Sasha Goldkorn (Fr., Moreno Valley, Canyon Springs HS), Porsche’ Kirksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) give the Broncos one of their best and deepest freshman classes in several years. Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State) joins the active roster after being a redshirt last season and Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) returns after one year away from competition as a redshirt.

 

Look Who’s Back: Leading the list of talented players returning this year for the Broncos is the California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year, Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona). Allen led the NCAA Division II in scoring with a 24.5 points per game average. She was also second on the team in rebounding with 6.1 per game and second in assists with 2.9 per game. Allen also led the team in steals with 77 or 2.6 per game. Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS), who was third on the team in scoring last year with 10.2 points per game, is back and so is starting guard Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS), who averaged 6.7 points per game. Britt Sumida (Sr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS), one of the leaders of the team, is another key returner, Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Wayzata HS) is back for her third year and Khiara Ferguson (So., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS) and Ge’Yanni Polk (So., San Leandro, San Lorenzo HS) return for their second seasons with the Broncos.

 

Where We Left Off: The Broncos completed another successful season with a 23-7 overall record and a spot in the NCAA Division II West Region championship game. Cal Poly Pomona reached the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in the past five seasons, a total unmatched by any other Division II program. Included in that run, of course, are national championships in 2001 and 2002. Cal Poly Pomona was 17-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and finished second. The Broncos, the No. 3 seed in the West Region, won its first-round game against No. 6 Chico State, 74-70. Cal Poly Pomona got 30 points and six assists from Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) and 10 points and 17 rebounds from Keila Beachem (Sr., Chicago, Ill., University of Kansas). The Broncos then rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to beat Cal State Bakersfield, 87-84, in the second round. Beachem had a huge game with 28 points and 20 rebounds, while Allen contributed 26 points. After the Roadrunners took an 84-83 lead with five seconds left, Allen was inexplicably fouled while trying to catch an inbounds pass. She hit both free throws to give the Broncos an 85-84 lead and then, after a Cal State Bakersfield turnover, hit two more free throws with one second left to account for the final margin. Cal Poly Pomona then fell to undefeated tourney host Seattle Pacific, 80-63, in the championship game. The Broncos shot just 33 percent. Marisa Lattin (Sr., Oceanside, El Camino HS) capped her Cal Poly Pomona career with a team-high 20 points, while Allen had 16.

 

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 202-83 at Cal Poly Pomona and has guided the Broncos into the postseason in seven out of the past eight seasons. Cal Poly Pomona has a 14-5 record in the NCAA Division II playoffs under Thomas and has 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’ two postseason wins in 2004 and the 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).  The Broncos have also reached the regional championship game in four of the past five years, which is more than any other Division II team. Their 19 NCAA postseason appearances are second overall to Bentley and the .774 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), 36 All-American awards earned by 20 different players, 18 CCAA titles and 10 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).