Cal Poly Women’s Basketball is gearing up for a new season with several additions under third-year head coach Shanele Stires.
The Mustangs offered fans a season preview in their exhibition game against Division II Sonoma State, but they only won by 11 points after trailing at halftime.
The game highlighted some areas for improvement, with fouling and rebounding emerging as big issues. Sonoma State capitalized on second-chance opportunities, exposing weaknesses the Mustangs will need to address as they prepare for the season.
Stire’s time at Cal Poly has left a significant mark on the women’s basketball program, guiding the team to an impressive season last year.
Their season ended with three Mustangs earning All-Big West accolades and a dramatic turnaround when they qualified for the WNIT Postseason Tournament for the first time since 2014.
The Mustangs had a strong showing last season with 17 wins and a third-place finish in the Big West Conference.
Since the previous season, the Mustangs have added nine new players, eight of whom are freshmen.
With Natalia Ackerman leaving Cal Poly to transfer to UC Berkeley as a graduate student and Ania McNicholas departing after graduation, Cal Poly faces the challenge of fulfilling their roles and fostering a new dynamic within the team.
Backup center Amanda Olinger also moved on after completing her graduate studies.
The Mustangs aim to accommodate these new players by integrating new skills such as offensive playmaking and defensive versatility to establish their roles alongside the seven returners, finding the team chemistry to prepare for this upcoming season.
“Getting eight of our new freshmen into the fold is going to be a big deal this year,” redshirt sophomore forward Sierra Lichtie said.
Some returning players include senior point guard Annika Shah, who is entering her final season with Cal Poly. The Palo Alto, Calif. native led the Mustangs in scoring a season ago, averaging 11.7 points per game.
“All we have is one shot for us to get to the NCAA tournament, especially for us seniors that have one more year,” Shah said. “So we have to give everything we possibly have, and it needs to show on the court.”
Despite reaching the playoffs, the Mustangs have not secured a postseason win in the past two seasons. Opponents they defeated in the regular season have managed to turn the tables in the playoffs.
Cal Poly beat UC Davis twice in last season’s regular matchups, but the Mustangs came up short against them in the quarterfinals.
The Mustangs are focusing on playing more cohesive, team-oriented basketball this season. They emphasize ball movement to create quality looks, whether it be kicking it out to the perimeter or inside the paint.
By focusing on extra passes and thoughtful positioning, the Mustangs aim to open up better shooting opportunities while keeping the defense on its toes with their unselfish style of play.
“We want to be more like the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors,” Shah said. “Where we spray the ball out, make extra passes, get it inside to our bigs and just play together as a team.”
While offense remains a top priority, strong efforts on one end of the court must translate to the other.
Translating their discipline from offense to defense will be crucial in controlling the pace and applying pressure to their opponents.
As they head into the season, the Mustangs aim to make defense a cornerstone of their success.
The team recognize that good defense not only limits the opposing team from scoring but also allows transition plays to be implemented, allowing for swift scoring opportunities on offense.
However, their lack of size will be a challenge to overcome.
Sophomore Mary Carter is starting at the center position, whereas last season, she was seen playing more of a power-forward role.
With limited size and no experienced backup in the big-man position, the Mustangs’ defense will need to adjust to maintain a strong presence in the paint.
“Defense is going to be a big factor,” Shah said. “We need to be the team that comes with the most defensive energy every single day. Our defense is going to lead to our offense, so it starts there.”
The Mustangs will host UC Merced for their first game of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. in Mott Athletics Center.
“Our goal is to play team basketball,” Shah said. “It’s all about giving everything that we have.”
Looking ahead, the Mustangs face a challenging non-conference schedule highlighted by matchups against Stanford and UCLA, two of the teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season.
