Pac 12 Preview: UCLA

Pac 12 Preview:  UCLA 

 

Last Season:  UCLA was 26-5 last season and 14-4 in conference play.   The Bruins would have hosted the first two NCAA rounds.   

The Coaches:  

Cori Close

Cori Close is in her 10^th season as the Head  Coach.  Close is averaging 21 wins per year.    She went to HS in the San Jose area.

Shannon Perry-LaBeauf is in her 10^th year and she coached at Duke for 5 seasons.  

Tony Newnan like the others is in his 10th season.  

Tasha Brown is in her 3nd season at UCLA.   

 

Losses:

Japrecce Dean who averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds per game.  

Jaden Owens, 5-9 Guard ranked #15 but averaged just 2 points.    

Ally Rosenblum is a 6-4 Sr Post who sat out last season with injuries.

 

Additions:

Emily Bessoir, 6-4 Post from Germany

Gemma Potts, 6-0 Wing from Australia

Isobel Anstey, 6-3 Post from Australia          

NOTE:   Potts and Anstey are not on the team.  They are still in Australia.  

 

The Schedule:   Beat Cal State Fullerton, Pepperdine - cancelled, and UCSB

 

The Team:

Michaela Onyenwere

Michaela Onyenwere is a 5-11 Sr Forward 

who averaged 19 points and 8

rebounds.   She is from Colorado ranked as 

the # 10 recruit.  Her father ran in the 

Olympics for Nigeria.  Michela could also run 

track if desired with excellent marks for the 

100, 11.99 and 200, 24.55.  

Natalie Chou is a SR  6-1 Guard who 

averaged 7 points.  Chou transferred from 

Baylor and was the 8^th ranked recruit in her class.  

Charisma Osborne, 5-10 Soph Guard who averaged 12 points.  She was ranked # 10 out of HS.  

Camryn Brown, 5-10 Soph Guard who averaged 8 minutes. 

Brynn Masikewich, 6-3 Soph Forward from Canada who didn’t play much and is still rehabbing at home in Canada 

Lindsey Corsaro is a 6-1 Redshirt Jr Wing who averaged 5 points and 2 rebounds 

Chantel Horvat is a 6-1 Sr Wing from Australia who averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds per game.   

Lauren Miller is a 6-1 Sr Forward who averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds. She was ranked # 16.   

Guard Kayla Owens is a 6-1 Redshirt Soph Guard who averaged 2 point. 

Kiara Jefferson is a 5-9 Jr Guard who averaged 3 points. 

NOTE: Owens and Jefferson have opted out for this season.

 

Predictions:  

With 8 scholarship players right now and most likely for the season it will be hard despite the play of two of the league’s top players 

 

2021 Recruiting:  

Dominique Darius, 5-9 Guard from NJ  Cori Close is in her 10^th season as the Head Coach.  Close is averaging 21 wins per year.    She went to HS in the San Jose area.

Shannon Perry-LaBeauf is in her 10^th year and she coached at Duke for 5 seasons.  

Tony Newnan like the others is in his 10th season.  

Tasha Brown is in her 3nd season at UCLA.   

 

Pac 12 Preview: Oregon

 

Pac 12 Preview:  Oregon

 

Last Season:  

31-2 overall and 17-1 in Pac 12 play.  The Ducks were very likely going to be the NCAA Champs.  

The Coaches:

Kelley Graves starts season seven with the Ducks.  Graves coached in

Kelley Graves

the WCC first at St Mary’s then Gonzaga winning 67% of his games over 17 seasons.

Mark Campbell is in his 6th year at Oregon and is the Associate Head Coach.  Mark was a coach for 4 seasons as an assistant at Oregon State.  

Jodie Berry is in her 6th season at Oregon as an assistant after coaching with Graves at Gonzaga for 11 years.

Xavi Lopez is in his 4th year.  

 

Losses:

Sabrina Ionescu The National Player of the Year, 17 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists per game.

Ruthy Hebard averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds.

Satou Sabally averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Minyon Moore averaged 8 points and 4 assists.  

Holly Winterburn averaged 3 points per game but a high of 17 with 5 threes.  She will be transferring.   

Lucy Cochrane averaged one point and one rebound. 

Morgan Yeager retired.  She averaged 1 point per game. 

That’s a loss of 63 of their 86 points per game.  

 

Additions:

Nraya Sabally will be a Redshirt JR but has missed her first two season with injuries

Sedona Prince is a 6-7 Redshirt Jr who transferred from Texas and sat out last season.  Sedona was a McD. All American and ranked # 8 out of HS.   Like Sabally she hasn’t played for two seasons.  

Sydney Parrish, 6-1 W from IN ranked # 8

Kylee Watson, 6-3 F from NJ ranked # 17

Maddie Scherr, 5-11 G from KY ranked # 19

Angela Dugalic, 6-4 Post from IL ranked # 22

Te-Hina Paopao, 5-10 PG from SoCal ranked # 11, Injured as a Jr California Player of the Year as a Sr

Taylor Mikesell, is a Jr transfer from Maryland who is eligible for this season.   At Maryland last season she averaged 12 points and included two seasons at 42% from three and 95 made threes as a Frosh. 

Arielle Wilson, 6-6 Jr Forward, a JC transfer who averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds. 

The Schedule:  Seattle, U of Portland and Portland State are the non- conference games. 

 

The Team: Oregon Roster

Erin Boley is a 6-2 Redshirt Srr Wing who averaged 9 points making 79

Erin Boley

threes at 44%   Boley spent her Frosh year at Notre Dame

Lydia Giomi is a 6-6 Redshirt Sr Post who averaged 3 points and 2 rebounds.

Taylor Chavez is a 5-10 Jr Guard who averaged 6 points, and made 45 threes at 47%.

Jaz Shelley is a 5-9 Soph Guard from Australia.  Jaz averaged 6 points and made 47 threes at 42%. 

 

Predictions:  

Let’s start with the Ducks lost 3 WNBA first round draft choices and an excellent point guard.  That said oh what a roster the Ducks have.    So much young talent to go with Boley, Chavez and Shelly.   Plus two who have been at Oregon: Sabally back from two knee injuries and Prince now eligible after transferring from Texas a year ago.

This in my opinion is at least an Elite Eight team  

    

2021 Recruiting:

Taylor Bigby , 5-11 Guard from Nevada ranked # 15

Phillipina Kyei, 6-8 Post from Calgary Alberta

Pac 12 Preview: Washington State

Pac 12 Preview:  Washington State  

Last Year:

11-20 for the year and 4-14 in conference play.   

Coaches:

Kamie Ethridge is in her 3^nd year as Head Coach.   Ethridge was the Head

Kamie Ethridge

Coach at Northern Colorado for 4 seasons averaging 21 wins and making the NCAAs this past season.   She was an Assistant for 18 years at Kansas State.   Kamie won a Gold Medal for USA Basketball at the 1988 Olympics then won an NCAA Championship as a Player at Texas.

Jason Chainey is in his 2nd year after coaching in the Women’s pro league in his native Australia.  

Laurie Koehn is in her 3^nd year and came from Northern Colorado after three years with Ethridge.   She played professionally for 11 years.  

Camille Williams is in her 2nd year at Washington State.  She was the Head Coach at Academy of Art is San Francisco last season and before that nine years at Nevada.   He was a two sport star at Wisconsin, basketball and the High Jump. 

 

Losses:    

Borislava Hristova averaged 18 points and 5 rebounds.

Chanelle Molina averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.  

Joanna Muzet who 4 points and 3 rebounds.  

Jovana Subasic who averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds. 

The Cougars lost 44 of their 68 points from last season. 

 

 Additions:

Jessica Clarke, 6-3 Post from British Canada

Zeynep “Ekin” Çelikdemir, 5-10 G, Tilton School (NH), originally from Turkey 

Charlisse Leger-Walker, 5-10 Guard from New Zealand.  Charlisse joins her sister at Washington State after having played several years already on the National Team of New Zealand, The Tall Ferns.  

Johanna Teder, 5-8 JC transfer originally from Estonia.  Last season she averaged 8 points and 4 assists.  She is a Soph. 

 

Schedule:   Unknown for non conference

 

The Team: Roster

Ula Motuga is a 6-0 Jr Forward from Australia who averaged 7 points and 4

Ula Motuga

rebounds.   

Emma Nankervis is a 6-3 Soph Post from Australia.   Last season she averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds. 

Krystal Leger-Walker is a 5-9 Grad student Guard from New Zealand, who transferred from Northern Colorado.   Two seasons ago she averaged 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. She sat out last season. 

Grace Sarver is a 5-8 Soph Guard who averaged 2 points. 

Bella Murekatete is a 6-5 Soph Post from Rwanda and Played HS in Idaho who averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds.    

Shir Levy is a 5-11 Jr Guard from Israel who averaged 2 points.  

Celena Molina a 5-9 redshirt Jr Guard who didn’t play much last season.  

Cherilyn Molina is a 5-6 Jr Guard who averaged 4 points. 

Michaela Jones is a 5-10 Redshirt Soph Guard who was injured and didn’t play last season. 

 

Predictions:

Well considering the Cougars return just 22 points per game it will be a long season.  

 

Recruiting 2021:

Tara Wallack, 6-2 Wing from Canada.  

Leah Mafua, 5-10 juco freshman G, Otero Junior College (CO) / Wellington, New Zealand 

Pac 12 Preview: Washington

 

Pac 12 Preview:  Washington

 

Last Year:   13-17 overall and 5-13 in league play.    

 

Coaches:

Jody Wynn is now in her 4th year Head Coach after moving from Long Beach State

Jody Wynn

where she was Head Coach for 8 seasons and last year took Long Beach State to their first NCAA tournament in 25 years.  Jody was a starting Guard at USC and also for 5 years an assistant at USC.

 

Derek Wynn is the Associate Head Coach, and her husband.   Like Jody he was at Long Beach State and USC. 

 

Paul Reed is in his 4th year.  He moved  from the Long Beach State staff to Washington.  He coached for three years at Long Beach State.  Paul was a Small College All American Defensive back. 

 

Tamara Macdonald is in her first year having played for the Wynns when they coached at Pepperdine.   She was a JC head coach and the last 5 years on the Chief of Administration for the California Labor Commissioners Office.  

 

Losses:  

Amber Melgoza averaged 17 points and 5 rebounds.

 

Mai-Loni Henson averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds.  

 

Rita Pleskevich who averaged 3 points per game.  

 

Ali Bamberger transferred to St Mary’s.  She averaged 4 points and almost 3 rebounds as a frosh last season. 

 

 

Additions:  

 

Jayda Noble, 5-10 Guard WA She is the sister of former UConn star Gabby Williams.  Ranked # 122

 

Alexis Whitfield, 6-2 Forward SoCal, ranked # 149

 

Tameiya Sadler 5-8 PG, NorCal ranked # 98

 

Grace Beasley is a 5-7 Jr Guard and a JC transfer who is from Australia.   In her two years at a Texas JC she averaged 11 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.  

 

 

Schedule:  Tentative - 22 Game Pac 12 Conference Windows

 

 

The Team: Roster

 

Haley Van Dyke is a 6-1 Jr Forward.   Last season Haley averaged 8 points and 5

Haley Van Dyke

rebounds and 2^nd in the conference in steals.  

 

Missy Peterson is a 5-11 Sr Guard from Washington.   Last season Missy averaged 7 points and led the team with 37 threes at 35%.   Sadly Missy tore her ACL in late October.  

 

Darcy Rees is a 6-4 Jr Post from Australia.   Last season Rees averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds.

 

JaQuaya Miller is a 6-3 Soph Post from Washington ranked # 41 out of HS.  Last season Miller averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds.   

 

Nia Lowery is a 5-9 Redshirt Frosh Guard from Sacramento.  Both parents played College basketball.   Mom at Oregon State.   Nia missed last season with an injury.  

 

Khayla Rooks is a 6-1 Sr Forward from SoCal.    Last season Rooks averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds.  

 

Alexis Griggsby is a 5-9 Sr Guard from SoCal who averaged 2 points last season.  

 

Tyiona Watkins is a 6-0 Jr Guard who averaged 5 points. 

 

 

Predictions:  

Washington isn’t very experienced or deep and that isn’t good in a loaded Pac 12.    The good news is the recruiting for 2021 is certainly better than the past several years. 

 

2021 Recruiting:    

 

Avery Vansickle, 5-10 Guard from Colorado ranked # 85

 

AJ Marotte, 6-1 Wing from Texas, Ranked # 63

 

Jess Finley 5-10 Wing from Arizona, Ranked # 94

 

Marisa Davis-Jones, 6-1 Wing from Arizona, Ranked # 76

Pac 12 Preview: Utah

 

Pac 12 Preview:  Utah

Last Season:  

14-17 overall and 6-12 in Pac 12 play 

The Coaches:

Lynne Roberts is in her 6th year after moving from the University of

Lynne Roberts

Pacific, UOP.  Roberts was Head Coach at UOP for 9 seasons, being named Conference Coach of the Year twice in the last three years.  Before UOP Roberts was Head Coach at Chico State for 4 seasons.   

Gavin Peterson is in his 6th year after 2 seasons with Roberts at UOP.  Peterson has been an assistant in the West since 2002 and an Associate Head Coach for 6 of those seasons.

Danyelle Grant is in her 6th year after a season at TCU and 2 seasons at Fresno State.  She played at Utah State.

Joanna Reitz is in her 4th season as a coach at Utah.   Reitz has coached for 7 years mostly D2. 

 

Losses:

Kianna Moore averaged 5 points per game. 

Daneesha Provo averaged 7 points per game.  

Julie Brosseau, a guard who averaged 5 points per game transferred out.

 

Additions:

Kennady McQueen, 5-11 Frosh Guard from Utah ranked # 60

Payton McFarland, 6-3 Post from Idaho ranked # 80.

Kelsey Rees, 6-5 Post from Australia.  Sister of Washington’s Darcy Rees

Donna Ntambue, 5-9 Frosh Guard from Canada ranked # 13 in Canada

Isabel Palmer is a 5-9 Soph Guard who transferred from Texas where as a Frosh she averaged 3 points.   Palmer was born in the US but moved to Australia with her family at the age of 4 months.  

 

The Schedule:   Unknown

 

The Team: Utah Roster

Kemery Martin, 6-0 Soph Guard averaged 4 points. 

Brynna Maxwell

Brynna Maxwell, 6-0 Soph Guard averaged 13 points and made 83 threes at 47%. 

Zuzanna Puc, 6-2 5^th year Sr Forward from Texas El Paso who sat out last season after transferring   Averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds her last season.  The year before she averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds.  Puc is from Poland.   

Dru Gylten is a 5-11 Redshirt Jr Guard who averaged 7 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

Maurane Corbin 6-5 Redshirt Jr who averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds

Niyah Becker is a 6-2 Jr Wing from Canada.  She has played on Canadian Youth National teams.   She was ranked # 10 International Recruit.  Niyah averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds.  

Lola Pendande is a 6-4 Redshirt Soph Post from Spain.    Lola averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds last season. 

Andrea Torres is a 6-2 Jr Forward from Canada.  Torres has played on Canada’s youth national teams.  Andrea averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds. 

Ola Makurat is a 6-3 5^th year Sr Forward who Averaged 3 points and 4 rebounds.   

 

Predictions:  

Good recruiting and some very good players in Maxwell, Pendande and Gylten.  Lead to hope for Utah   Maybe to the first division?  Or close. 

 

2021 Recruiting:

Jenna Johnson, 6-2 Forward from MN, # 3 player in MN

Gianna Kneepkens, 5-10 Guard from MN ranked # 65.

Pac 12 Preview: USC

 

Pac 12 Preview:  Southern Cal

***A note on schedules:  We do know the Women will play each team twice or 22 Conference Games***

Last Season:  17-14 overall and just 8-10 in Pac 12 play.  

 

The Coaches:  Mark Trakh has returned to USC for his 4th season after

Mark Trakh

six seasons as the Head Coach at New Mexico State.  Mark coached for 5 seasons at USC before New Mexico.   New Mexico State lost just 2 league games in the past 3 seasons.  Mark started as a Head Coach at Pepperdine in 1994.

Jason Glover is in his 4th season as the Associate Head Coach.  Glover joined Mark at New Mexico State two seasons after several years coaching in both the NBA and the WNBA.

Aarika Hughes returns for her 4th season to USC where she played.   Hughes coached for 5 years at New Mexico State.  She was a HS teammate of JJ Hones and Colorado assistant Alex Earl.

Erin Grant is in her 2^nd year at USC.  Grant was an All American at Texas Tech and has coached at Memphis, New Mexico and Texas Tech

 

Losses:

Kayla Overbeck averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds as the starting Post.  

Aliyah Jeune averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds.   

Stephanie Watts is a 5-11 Guard Grad transfer from North Carolina.  She got hurt after just a couple of games and is back at North Carolina.  

 

Additions:

Jordyn Jenkins, 6-2 Forward from Washington, ranked # 41

Amaya Oliver, 6-2 Wing from NorCal

Zayla Tinner, 5-11 Wing from Texas

Jordan Sanders, 5-11 Wing a Grad transfer from UC Irvine.  She graduated in three years and scored 20 points per game as a Soph.  

 

The Schedule: Unknown

 

The Team: USC Roster

Endyia Rogers is a 5-7 Soph Guard who averaged 13 points.

Alissa Pili

Angel Jackson is a 6-5 Soph Post who averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds.

Kyra White is a 5-10 Soph Guard who averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Madison Campbell is a 5-11 Guard Redshirt Soph who sat out last season with an injury. 

Alyson Miura is a 5-9 Soph Guard who averaged 4 points and made 35 threes at 35%. 

India Otto is a 5-9 Soph Guard who played just 5 games. 

Alissa Pili is a 6-0 Soph Forward who averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds in an outstanding Frosh season.  

Desiree Caldwell is a 5-8 Jr Point Guard from Texas ranked # 14 out of HS who averaged 6 points.

Shalexxus Aaron is a 6-1 Redshirt JR Guard who averaged Her brother is on the USC Men’s Basketball team.  Last season Aaron averaged 7 points and made 42 threes at 42%.  

 

Predictions:    

A transfer, Shermara Williams 5-8 Soph Guard from Virginia.  She averaged 9 points per game as a Frosh   Announced Oct 31 so no idea yet when eligible.  Or if eligible this season.  Most transfer are getting a waiver to play right away.   

Pili and Rogers are very good and Jackson has great potential.    However USC lacks great rebounding despite Pili being an outstanding rebounder.  Height on defense also a problem.   It doesn’t look like an NCAA tournament team.  

 

2021 Recruiting Commits:  

Clarice Akunwafo, 6-6 Post from SoCal ranked # 21. 

Rayah Marshall, 6-3 Forward from SoCal ranked # 27