As the players entered the press conference room, their shoulders slumped and eyes fixed on the ground.
When the first question came, it wasn’t just words that filled the air, but a sting of a season that had slipped away. The team, once eager to respond with energy and pride, now sat in silence, while their faces hardened with disappointment, responding to each question.
For the first 38 minutes of the Big West Championships quarterfinals, Cal Poly Women’s Basketball held the lead against the higher seeded UC San Diego.
But in the final minutes, Tritons guard Sumayah Sugapong turned the game in their favor for their first lead of the game on a reverse layup. The Tritons never looked back to secure a 59-54 win.
This loss marked the end of the season for a senior-led Cal Poly squad, which featured four seniors, including three in the starting lineup.
For Cal Poly’s seniors, this game was more than just a loss. It was the final chapter of their time in a Mustang jersey. Annika Shah, Sydney Bourland, Sidney Richards and Ashley Hiraki have been integral to the team’s growth. They helped clinch the postseason spot in Henderson and won their first playoff game under third-year Head Coach Shanele Stires in a 56-54 win over UC Santa Barbara.
“They’ve left just a tremendous legacy for us,” Stires said.
Stires joined Cal Poly during the 2022-2023 season, stepping into a team where Shah and Bourland had already spent a year under former head coach Faith Mimnaugh. The Mustangs went 3-22 that season.
Shah described the team’s direction at the time as “chickens with their heads cut off.”
When Stires stepped into a new role with players who she hadn’t recruited, it took patience, adaptability and a commitment to building trust. Stires not only had to implement her system but also forge relationships with players like Shah and Bourland, who had already spent a year under a different coaching philosophy.
Shah, who had been the sharpshooter for the Mustangs all season, reached 1,000 career points and led the Big West in three-pointers. The trust between the two grew quickly as Shah was thrust into a starting role her sophomore year due to injuries.
“It was easy to connect with her because she’s got such a passion for the game,” Stires said. “She’s got such tremendous work ethic, and she’s got such a fun personality.”
Upon her arrival, Stires noticed a lack of discipline within the team, sensing that they weren’t fully locked in on their goals. She saw a group with potential but without the focus needed to compete at the highest level.
Her relationships with her players would soon define their years together on the court. Through countless practices, tough losses and shared victories, that bond grew, turning a group of individuals into a team that fought until the very end.
Shah shared that she didn’t feel like she had a voice on the team before Stires arrived. Now, she’s one of the loudest in the room, embracing a leadership role as a senior and leading the younger part of the roster. She credited the coaching staff for instilling confidence in each player.
For four years, Shah and Bourland have shared the court, from being recruited in high school to navigating the highs and lows of the game together. They’ve adapted through trials and setbacks, learning from each challenge along the way. What once felt like just part of the journey has become their final destination.
“She’s my best friend,” Shah said. “I’m just happy to have experienced the highs and lows with her, and [she’s] someone I can always count on.”
With four seniors leaving behind their final season, Cal Poly Women’s Basketball faces the challenge of filling the void left behind.
This season’s lack of depth was a glaring issue, forcing key players into extended minutes with little relief off the bench. As fatigue set in, it became harder to maintain consistency, especially in late-game situations like the quarterfinals.
Stires talked about not being as fresh as the game neared its end, ultimately leading to the game slipping away in the final minutes.
Over the past two seasons, the Mustangs have looked to the transfer portal to help fill those gaps. Richards joined Cal Poly last season, while Hiraki came in this year, providing the team with much-needed versatility.
Moving forward in recruiting, whether through incoming freshmen or transfers, will be a top priority as the program looks to rebuild depth and create a more balanced lineup.
“I think to win this tournament the way that it’s formatted, is that you’ve gotta have depth,” Stires said. “That’s one of the things that we look forward not only with recruiting but developing the talent that we do have.”
Despite ending the season in a second-round loss, the senior class left a lasting impact on the team’s culture, setting a strong foundation for what a team should look like in the years to follow.
