(Gilbert, AZ) The Park University Gilbert women’s basketball team, coming off of 16-10 campaign in 2021-22, was picked to finish third in the California Pacific Conference in a poll of head coaches released today by the Cal Pac. Westcliff was picked to win the conference followed by La Sierra. Westcliff received six first place votes, La Sierra received one, while Park Gilbert and fourth place UC Merced received two first place votes.
“Westcliff and La Sierra are two great programs,” said Buccaneers head coach Jeff Fore. “We are happy to be in the conversation with them and it will be an uphill climb against those teams.”
The Buccaneers, who finished with a 6-3 record in conference last year, return its top two scorers from a year ago in senior Macy Markus (15.8) and sophomore Kayla Schroeder (12.1). Markus finished second in the Cal Pac Player of the Year voting, while Schroeder won Freshman of the Year honors. The Buccaneers also return starting point guard Jayla Reliford who averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in her freshman campaign.
Park also returns post Valerie Van Dijk who looks to improve upon a truncated freshman campaign which saw her only play in 13 games and forward Madison Chappell who owns the only triple-double in school history.
The Buccaneers have added two impact transfers in point guard Allison DeBerry (Centralia CC) and post Jazmyne Jenkins (College of the Southwest) along with freshmen forwards Katelyn Calderon (El Paso, Texas), Paytin Ballard (Vancouver, Wash.) and guardSophie Scott (Gilbert, Ariz.).
The Buccaneers hope to make a return visit to the conference tournament this season as Park Gilbert is the host for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships this season at Bell Bank Park February 25, 27-28.
Westcliff reached the Cal Pac Conference tournament finals in 2021-22 and are led by returning Cal Pac Player of the Year Trinity Vasquez, who averaged over 18 points a game. The Buccaneers beat the Warriors by 10 points last season in their only matchup.
La Sierra has four returning seniors from a team who like Buccaneers reached the Cal Pac semifinals last season. UC Merced, who beat the Buccaneers in the semifinals last season, lost a number of seniors and have a new head coach, but still return two seniors who averaged over seven points a game.
The rest of the poll has Embry Riddle, followed by Saint Katherine, Simpson, Antelope Valley, Benedictine Mesa, Pacific Union and Cal Maritime.
The Buccaneers open the season on Wednesday, November 2 against SAGU-AIC at 6 p.m. at Bell Bank Park.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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