Last year Cal was 18-15 overall and just 7-11 in Pac 10 play for 6th place. With the stable of good players one would guess that the coaching change was dictated by the University but no. Former Head Coach Joanne Boyle took the Head Coaching job at Virginia opening the way for her former Assistant Lindsay Gottlieb. Gottlieb coached with Boyle as her Assistant 3 years at Richmond then moved West for 2 years at Cal. Gottlieb became the Head Coach at UCSB and had a 3 year record of 56-39 and two 1st place finishes.
Former Stanford player and Assistant Charmin Smith returns for her 5th season. Charmin is the lone holdover for the Coaching Staff.
Kai Felton moves from Oregon where she spent 2 years and this following 5 years as an Assistant at USC.
Daron Park comes from Louisiana Tech where he spent 2 years. Before that he was 2 years at Maryland and 3 years at Utah.
Losses:
DeNesha Stallworth suddenly left just before Boyle did. Strange timing and her choice of schools is also strange. But that’s life. Stallworth will be missed, she was the leading scorer, 13 and 2nd in rebounding, 6 per game.
Rachelle Frederico and Rama N’diaye both graduated. They each averaged 3 points in 13 minutes per game.
Returning Players:
Only six players return, but none are Srs and their growth as frosh or sophs should really help. The Bears also get back two players who sat out last season with injuries.
Layshia Clarendon is a 5-9 Jr Guard who played a lot at the Point last season but figures to play more at the 2 this season, her nature position. Last year she averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds per game. Layshia hit 30 threes at 34%. Layshia was a High School Parade All American.
Eliza Pierre is a 5-7 Jr and played Point also and may be the starting Point Guard. Not a good shooter, she averaged 6 points per game, but she also had 5 rebounds per game, barely 2nd in assists and first in steal, which was almost double the next highest. Eliza was a McDonald’s All American.
Gennifer Brandon returns after and year off with an injury. As of now I have read nothing that causes one to think so won’t be back at full strength, although she may ease back into full time play. Gennifer is a 6-2 Redshirt Soph. As a Frosh 2 years ago she averaged 7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She was a big loss last season. Gennifer was a McDonald’s All American.
Lindsay Sherbert is a 6-0 Soph wing who averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. Sherbert led the team in threes with 49 hitting at 35%. She was a very impressive three point shooter at Kezar this summer. Lindsay was a McDonald’s All American
Talia Caldwell is a 6-3 Jr center who averaged 9 points and 9 rebounds per game this past season. She was 2nd in the Pac 10 in rebounding.
Afure Jemerigbe is a 6-0 Soph guard who averaged 5 points in 15 minutes per game. She could play either the 1, Point Guard or 2, Off Guard. She was a McDonald’s All American.
Mikayla Lyles is a 5-8 guard who averaged 3 points in 12 minutes per game. She is a fine three point shooter, hitting 32% last year in limited playing time.
Avigiel Cohen is a 6-0 redshirt Frosh Point Guard, who sat out last year with a knee injury. Avigiel grew up in Israel, although born in Los Angeles. She was an outstanding High School and National 16U and 18/19U player in Israel.
New Players:
Brittany Boyd is a 5-9 Frosh Point Guard who may well start this year. In High School she was ranked # 38. Very, very quick, Brittany averaged 18 points and NINE steals in High School.
Reshanda Gray is a 6-3 Frosh Forward, a McDonald’s All American in High School and ranked # 22. Gray averaged 19 points and 14 rebounds per game in High School.
Justine Hartman is a 6-3 Frosh Center, also a McDonald’s All American. Justine was ranked as the # 7 player out of High School. Her team, the same High School as Jeanette Pohlen, was ranked # 1 in the nation at one time last season. She has had knee problems, so that’s something to watch for, but Cal with Caldwell doesn’t have to play her full time right away.
Erika Johnson is a 6-1 Frosh Wing, ranked # 21 out of High School. She will be making a transition from a post type player to a wing. Erika was a Parade All American.
The Schedule:
Rutgers on the road to open the season, Illinois and Virginia (with the former Coach Boyle) in Hawaii, and Ohio State at home, highlight the schedule. The other 7 games are pretty weak. Cal does not travel to Washington and the Arizona schools do not come to Cal.
The Season:
With a non conference schedule that should produce 8 or so wins Cal may enter the League play confident despite their youth. Talent wise they are certainly a top 3 team in the Conference. With a new Coach and 2/3s of new coaching staff to go with a young team she should gather momentum during the course of the season. With six McDonald’s All Americans Cal has talent.
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