Pac 12 Preview: Colorado

 

PAC 12 Preview:  Colorado

Last Season:  Colorado went 16-14 overall, and 5-13 in the conference.  That’s just 7 wins in two years in league play. 

Coach Payne

The Coaches:  Head Coach JR Payne will be in her 5th year at Colorado after two seasons at Santa Clara.   Two years Payne led Santa Clara to its first winning season in 8 seasons and finished 23-9.   JR, no periods, and real name Ali-Marie, is a graduate of St Mary’s where she played for now Oregon coach Kelly Graves.   Her first coaching job was at age 23 for Graves when he started at Gonzaga.  

Shandrika Lee is in her 5th season as an assistant at Colorado after coaching for Payne at Santa Clara.  Lee is a graduate of Pepperdine and has coached at Oregon.

Toriano Towns is also in his 5th and also coached with Payne at Santa Clara.  Towns coached at Gonzaga with Payne and later at Arizona where he was the Post coach for the great, late Polk.

Alex Earl is in her 5th year on the staff.    Alex was an assistant with Payne three seasons ago at Santa Clara and played for years at ASU graduating in 2013.   Alex was a HS teammate of JJ Hones on a team where all five starters player Division 1 basketball.  

 

Losses:

Emma Clarke, a would be Jr who transferred to Texas Tech, averaged 10 points with 49 threes.  

Quinessa Caylao-Do who averaged 6 points.   

 

Additions:          

Allysa LaFontaine 6-0 Guard TX, not ranked

Kylee Blacksten, 6-3 F from Colorado not ranked 

Frida Forman, 5-11 Guard from Denmark

Sophie Gerber, 5-10 Guard from Arizona not ranked, a walk on.  

Madison Buford, 5-9 Guard a JC transfer who averaged 21 points and 7 rebounds last season as a Frosh.  

Tayanna Jones, a 6-2 Forward who transferred from Georgetown.   She will be a JR and sit out this season.  At Georgetown she averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds this past season.  

 

The Schedule:   Unknown

The Team:  The Colorado Roster

Mya Hollingshed is a 6-4 Sr Forward who averaged 13 points and 7.

Senor Mya Hollinshed

Annika Jank is a 6-3 Sr  Post who averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds. 

Sirena (Peanut) Tuitele is 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds. 

Charlotte Whittaker is a 6-4 Redshirt Soph Post from Australia who averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds.   

Zuzanna Kulinska is a 5-11 Soph Guard from Poland.  Last season she averaged 5 minutes in 16 games. 

Jaylyn Sherrod, 5-8 Soph Point Guard who averaged 10 points and 5 assists.  

Maura Singer 6-4 Redshirt Frosh Post who missed her frosh year with injuries.   I have read she will miss this year but she was mentioned in a story on the Colorado Web Site so maybe she will play.     

Raanee Smith is a 6-2 Soph Wing who played little.  

Lesila Finau is 5-10 Jr Guard who averaged 3 points.  

Aubrey Knight is a 5-8 Redshirt Jr Guard who averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds. 

 

Predictions: 

Another tough year ahead.  Hollingshed and Sherrod are very solid but need star like help.   

 

2021 Recruiting:    

Kindyll Wetter, 5-9 PG from Colorado

 

 

Pac 12 Preview: Oregon State

Pac 12 Preview:  Oregon State

ASU UPDATE:  Keeli Burton-Oliver a 6-3 Post Frosh is out for the year with an injury. 

Last Season:  23-9, 10-8.  The Beavers would have hosted the first two NCAA rounds.  

The Coaches:

Scott Rueck is in his 11^th year and has been an outstanding coach,

Scott Rueck

turning the then lowly Beavers into a Final 4/Elite 8 team.

James Chatterton is in his 7th year.  

Katie Faulkner, nee Baker is in her 5th year, and she works with the post players, and what a job she has done.   Faulkner is a 2013 Graduate of the University of Montana   

Brian Holsinger is in his 5th season after 8 seasons at Washington State.  Brian coaches guards.  

Losses:

Mikayla Pivec averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds per game.   

Destiny Slocum will grad transfer, she averaged 15 points and 5 assists making 63 threes at 37%

Kat Tudor averaged 8 points making 54 threes at 35%.  

Madison Washington averaged 3 points and 4 rebounds.  

Patricia Morris, 6-7 Soph Post who averaged 2 points and 1.5 rebounds transferred out.  

Janessa Thropay averaged one point per game.  

43 points per game lost.  

Additions:

Sasha Goforth, 6-0 Guard, AR ranked # 21

Savannah Samuel, 6-1 Wing, GA once ranked # 84

Ellie Mack is a 6-3 Forward Grad transfer from Bucknell.  Last season she was the League Player of the Year averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds and making 48 threes at 43%. 

Jovana Subasic, 6-4 Forward, Grad transfer from Washington State.  Jovana averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds and made 28 threes at 40%.  

Andrea Aquino, 6-8 Redshirt Jr Post from SoCal by way of SoCal and Paraguay ranked # 33out of HS.  Aquino missed her Frosh season and Soph with injuries.  However Aquino is not expected to play again.

Jelena Mitrovic, 6-9 Redshirt JR Post from Serbia ranked # 3 international recruit. However she has yet to play a game due to injuries. 

Ana Faustino, 5-9 Frosh Guard from Portugal         

The Schedule:  Unknown 

The Team:  the OSU Roster

Aleah Goodman is a 5-9 Sr Guard who averaged 9 points and 3.4 assists last season.  She made 70 threes at 44%.  

Tara Corosdale is a 6-3 Redshirt Jr Forward with 2 years left.   Tara missed all but 2 games this past season however two years ago averaged 7 points and 8 rebounds.

Taylor Jones

Kennedy Brown, 6-6 Soph Forward was a McD All American and ranked # 19.  Last season was cut short with a knee injury and she will be redshirting this season.  Last season in 23 games she averaged 6 points and almost 8 rebounds.  

Taylor Jones, 6-4 Soph Post who was ranked # 15.   As a frosh last season Jones averaged 12 points 7 rebounds and shot 58%.  

Noelle Mannen, 5-6 Soph Guard walk on who was all league in three sports multiple years.  

Jasmine Simmons, 5-11 Jr Guard from Australia, who averaged 3 points per game. 

Predictions:  

First all of the foreign players on the team are practicing so that’s a big plus.   The foundation of the team are Jones at the Post, Corosdale at the 4 and Goodman at the point.     The other two starters should be Goforth, a Frosh and Mack a transfer.      At the latest report Aquino and Brown won’t be playing … a shame.    Samuel and Subasic will provide the depth plus Mitrovic if healthy.    

A thin team and not real experienced but an excellent coaching staff.   Better than about 5^thor 6^th? That’s to be seen.  

 

2021 Recruiting:  

Great Kampschroeder, 6-0 Wing from IL, ranked # 12

Talia von Oelhoffen, 6-0 Guard from WA ranked # 10

2022 Recruiting:  

Adlee Blacklock, 6-0 Guard from Texas

Reagan Beers 6-3 Post from Colorado ranked # 10.

 

Pac 12 Preview: Cal

 Pac 12 Preview:  Cal

First day of official practice is Oct 14

Arizona news transfer Bendu Yeaney is eligible immediately, as expected in this pandemic year.

 Last Season:  12-19 overall and 3-15 in conference play.   

Cal has 3 foreign players.  

 The Coaches:

 Charmin Smith with 2 degrees from Stanford returns for her 14th season

Charmin Smith

at Cal and is now the Head Coach for her 2^nd year.  Charmin was named the Head Coach when Lindsay Gottlieb left Cal for the WNBA.  

Kai Felton is back for her 9th year at Cal.  Kai has been an Assistant at Oregon, 2 years, and at USC, 5 years.  

Wendale Farrow is in his 5th season.  

April Phillips is in her 2nd year after one year at Arizona.   April graduated from Xavier playing in the NCAA against Stanford in the famous 4.4 seconds game.  

Losses:  

Alaysia Styles is a 6-3 Sr Forward who averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds.  Styles transferred to Maryland. 

Mi’Cole Clayton who will Grad Transfer to Nebraska after missing several seasons with injuries.  

CJ West averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds.

Jaeyln Brown averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds.  

Sara Anastasieska averaged 8 points. 

Chen Yue averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds

 Additions:

Dalayah Daniels 6-4 F from Washington ranked # 13. 

Dalayah Daniels

Fatou Samb, 6-4 Post from Tx ranked # 51

Alma Elsnitz 5-11 G from Sweden.   Alma scored 16 points per game for her league and played on both the U18 and U19 teams for Sweden.

Sela Heide, 6-7 Post from Washington ( hometown is the Twin Peaks TV show location) ranked # 89  

Ornela Muca, 5-10 Guard from Greece.  

Michelle Onyiah, 6-3 Post from SoCal ranked # 35

The Schedule:   Unknown 

 

The Team:  Cal Bears Roster

Leilani McIntosh, 5-5 Soph Guard who averaged 5 points and 4 assists.  

Cailyn Crocker 5-9 Soph Guard who averaged 7 points.    A note from the Cal Board is that Crocker is out for the season with a foot injury.  To be confirmed when practice starts.  

Jazlen Green 5-11 Soph Guard averaged 9 points and made 48 threes at 37%.

Evelien Lutje Schipholt, 6-2 Soph Forward from the Netherlands.    Last year she averaged  6 points and 6 rebounds.  

Predictions:  

If Crocker is out only 20 points per game return and 40 per game lost.  The team will have 4 sophs with Crocker and 6 Frosh.  No Jrs no Srs.

Although they has a very fine recruiting class, Cal will have a very young team and be building for the future, much like ASU. 

 

 2021 Recruiting:

Mia Mastrov, 5-11 Guard from the East Bay, unranked.

Jayda Curry, 5-6 Point Guard from SoCal, unranked

Pac 12 Preview: Arizona

Preview: Arizona A note Arizona has 7 foreign players. First official practice is Oct 14 for WBB so hope all are able to join the Wildcats and other Pac 12 teams. Last Season: Arizona was 24-7 overall and 12-6 in Pac 12 play, under Head Coach Adia Barnes. Arizona was probably going to host the first 2 rounds of the NCAAs. 

The Coaches: Adia Barnes is the all time leading scorer at Arizona and is in her 5th year the Head Coach. Barnes had been at Washington as an assistant the for four years as the Huskies came from the 2nd division of the Pac 12 to the NCAA Final Four. Barnes played professionally for 12 years including for 4 WNBA Teams. Salvo Coppa, or Mr Barnes is a 5th year assistant. Coppa is from Italy and has extensive overseas coaching experience. Tamisha Augustin is now in her 2nd year. She was at Cincinnati and Minnesota before this season. Jackie Nared is in her 2nd an Assistant after a year at Washington State. She was in support roles at Washington and Oregon before Washington State. A grad of St Mary’s where as a Sr she averaged 21 points per game. 

Losses: Amari Carter who averaged 5 points and 2 rebounds. Carter stared every game. Lucia Alonso who averaged 2 points. Dominque McBryne who averaged 7 points and 3 rebounds. McBryne started most games. Bryce Nixon who didn’t play much and transferred to Santa Clara. Birna Benonysdottir transferred out after playing just 44 minutes. 

Additions: Derin Erdogan, 5-6 Frosh Guard from Turkey. For her team last season averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. She has played for Turkey JR teams the past two years. Lauren Ware 6-5 Post North Dakota, ranked # 13. Ware will also play Volleyball at Arizona where she was a highly ranked recruit. Bendu Yeaney, 5-10 Guard from Portland who transferred from Indiana. Bendu averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds starting almost every game in her two years at Indiana. Marta Garcia, 6-3 Frosh Forward from Spain. Has played on several Youth National teams for Spain. Trinity Baptiste, 6-0 Froward Grad Transfer from Virginia Tech. Last season she averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds. Last season she was the ACC 6th Player of the Year. She has one year to play. Two years ago she had 16 rebounds vs Notre Dame. Larkin Gardner, 5-11 Guard from Spokane may be a walk on? 

The Schedule: Unknown

Ari McDonald

The Team: Aari McDonald 5-7 Sr Guard averaged 21 points per game. Aari shot 46% from the floor and averaged 6 rebounds and 4 assists. The downside or watch out she shot just 28 % from three and that was a 1/3 of her total attempts. Fun fact” If McDonald scores as many points as her Soph season she will surpass Coach Barnes and become the Wildcats all time leading scorer, despite having played her Frosh season at Washington. 

Cate Reese 6-2 Jr Post averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds Sam Thomas is a 6-0 Sr Forward who averaged 9 points and 3 rebounds. Helena Pueyo is a 6-0 Soph Guard from Spain who averaged 7 points and made 41 threes at 38% . Pueyo is another player with international experience. Shaina Pellington is a 5-8 Redshirt Jr G who transferred from Oklahoma and sat out out this past season. At Oklahoma Pellington averaged 13 points in two seasons and was the Big 12 Frosh of the Year. Semaj Smith is a 6-6 Jr Post who averaged 3 points and 4 rebounds Tara Manumeleuga is a 5-10 Soph Guard from Australia however plays for New Zealand internationally. Tara averaged just 5 minutes per game. Mara Mote is a 6-0 Soph Guard from Latvia who averaged 2 points. Mote played in the 19U World Cup in 2019 averaging 11 points per game. Sevval Gul, 6-4 Soph Post from Turkey who averaged 2 points and 1 rebound. . Gul has 4 years of international experience and played for the Turkish Club Team Ferenhbace with teammate Kelsey Plum. 

 Predictions: In the first pre-season poll Arizona was predicted to be # 4 in the Country. The Wildcats return 56 points from last season with the great Aari McDonald accounting for 22 and Cate Reese 14 per game. They return another starter in Sam Thomas plus a top frosh in Ware and three very good transfers in Pellington, Baptiste and Yeaney. Yeaney may or may not be eligible although most undergrad transfer appear to be this year. 2021 Recruiting: Madison Conner, 5-11 Guard from Arizona ranked # 56. Anna Gret Asi, 5-10 PG from Estonia. Aaronette Vonleh, 6-3 Post from Oregon ranked # 38.