CP Pomona Has Usual Edge in Women’s Game

Since the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. started playing women’s basketball in 1981, Cal Poly Pomona has been as steady as the Rock of Gibraltar.

In each of the first 10 seasons, the Broncos have either won or shared the title. So it is no wonder that Pomona is regarded as the top college division team in the Southland once again. The Broncos, who were 22-9 and reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals last season, were ranked No. 6 in a preseason Division II poll.

Pomona has only two returning starters, forward Leslie Ellis and guard Nicole Sanders. But longtime Coach Darlene May, who has the most victories of any coach in Division II history with a 448-104 record, also is getting back center Danielle Carter, a freshman All-American two seasons ago, and has added several top players, among them all-state junior college transfers Carrie Stritenberg at forward and Sylvia Castaneda at guard.

Here’s a look at the rest of the conference, as well as the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference:

If any team has the ability to unseat Pomona, it might be Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The Mustangs were the only CCAA team that beat Pomona last season and finished 14-13 and 6-4. Coach Jill Orrock has returning starters Beth Nelson at forward and Nicole Lowry at guard, and two top letter winners in guard C.C. Nues and forward Kristie McCall.

Chapman struggled to 11-15 overall and fifth in the CCAA last season, but the Panthers should be a contender with the return of starters Linda Kirby and Missy Abraham at guard and Marvette Williams at forward. They also have former starter Julie King, who sat out last season.

Cal State Dominguez Hills, 15-11 and 2-8 last season, is counting on the return of four starters--post players Cheri Bullet and Dionne Vanlandingham, guard-forward Denise Slater and guard Karee Bond.

UC Riverside, which went 13-15 and tied for third in the CCAA, reached the conference tournament for the first time in Debi Woelke’s first season as coach. However, all five starters have graduated, so Riverside will rely on returning front-line players such as Stephanie Strauss and Rachel Rosario and junior college transfer Nicole Force at guard.

Cal State San Bernardino has joined the conference after going 10-16 in its final season as a Division III independent. The team has only two letter winners returning, so it will rely on junior college transfers such as Kim Hansen at forward and Rachel Daugherty at guard and Cal State L.A. transfer Kelly O’Brien at center.

With a first-year coach, Marcia Murota, and no full-time starters back from a team that went 14-16 and tied for third in the CCAA at 5-5 last season, Cal State Los Angeles will build around guards Millie Junio and Kim Bly and center Traci Daniels.

It was clearly a breakthrough season for Christ College Irvine in the NAIA District 3.

The Lady Eagles finished at 21-7--best mark in the district--and reached the playoffs for the first time last season. The outlook is for more of the same, with their top four scorers returning. The team is led by all-district performers Stacy Kirch at guard and Gitte Mejer at center, forward Nancy Geisler and guard Genevieve Graff.

Cal Baptist, perhaps the most consistent team in the district, expects to be a playoff contender again after a 16-13 season. They must replace Sonja Akkerman, district player of the year, and do not have as much size as usual, but starters Tracie Hildre at guard and Jane Jackson and Julie Hines at forward are back.

Southern California College, which improved to 13-17 last season, has four starters back. The leaders are expected to be forward Kristen Bevis and guard Lori Halliday. The Vanguards will also count on Idaho State transfer Jamie Zitterkopf at center.

After a 9-20 season, the worst in Sue Hebel’s 15 years as coach, Azusa Pacific has center Debbie Macciola, forward Rolynn Rienstra and guard-forward Tesa Stegmiller returning. They should also benefit from the addition of junior college transfers such as forward Dee Dee Hinson and guard Wendy Thomas.

Biola, after going 11-18 last season, has two starters back: Tonya Zwagerman at forward and Krista Granger at guard. They will also rely on letter winners such as guard Tanisha Nimmer and forwards Angie Parnell and Amber Andreasen.

The Master’s was 3-25 last season. Under first-year Coach Rob Belue, the inexperienced Mustangs are expected to be led by returning letter winners Jaci Harris and Julie Kamminga at forward and freshman Krissi Trower at guard.

Since the SCIAC started competing in women’s basketball, Pomona-Pitzer has been the conference power, winning conference titles from 1981-87 and another in 1989. The Sagehens won the conference title again last season when they were 17-9. They still have plenty of talent including All-SCIAC forward Caryn Cranston, swing player Melissa Anderson and forward Audra Timmins.

Crosstown rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has finished no worse than second in the conference the last five seasons. The Athenas, who finished at 18-8 and second in the conference last season, are led by All-SCIAC point guard Carol Jung, forward Karen Marinko and center Nicole Angell.

Considering that it does not have a senior on its 12-player roster, Redlands may be another season away. The Bulldogs were 16-9 last season, when they were led by returning starters Cindi Pila at guard and Lesley Kearney at forward.

First-year Coach Julie Krause of Occidental suffered an early loss when Jacqui Dent, an All-SCIAC player last season, decided to forsake basketball for track. So the Tigers, 15-10 and second in the SCIAC last season, will rely on players such as center Janet Hubbell, forward Stephanie Francis and guard Michelle Pratt on a squad that has only three seniors.

Cal Lutheran has a new coach, Kecia Gorman, and mostly untested players after the team slipped to 5-20 in its final season in the NAIA District 3 last season. Top returning players include guards Evelyn Albert and Shelly Hicks, forward Cathy Clayton and guard-forward Tania Love.

With only two players returning from a squad that went 11-15 and finished in a tie for fourth in the SCIAC, La Verne begins its first season under Coach Tim Confair. He has letter winners Michelle Ourique at forward and Vicki Garcia at point guard and Cal State Northridge transfer Michelle Macias at guard.

Under second-year Coach Debra Larsen, Whittier was 2-23 last season. The leaders are forward Erika Williams, guard Alison Izumita and center Kim Stumpf.