Cal Poly Women’s Basketball forward Natalia Ackerman has committed to UC Berkeley, she told Mustang News on Monday.
After playing three seasons for the Mustangs, Ackerman will attend UC Berkeley as a graduate transfer.
Ackerman’s final list came down to UC Berkeley, Wake Forest and Syracuse.
Ackerman is the first player from Cal Poly Women’s Basketball to transfer to a school in a Power Four conference since former Cal Poly guard Abbey Ellis transferred to Purdue after the 2020-2021 season.
This past season, Ackerman had a breakout year as the Mustangs’ starting center. She was named to the All-Big West First Team and the All-Big West Defensive Team while averaging 12.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
Ackerman’s 2.1 blocks per game ranked 22nd in Division I women’s basketball.
Her best game of the season came against CSU Bakersfield on Jan. 20, where she scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in an 80-67 win. The Watsonville native secured at least 10 rebounds in 14 out of 27 games played.
However, Ackerman missed the team’s WNIT appearance due to injury.
The 6 foot 1 forward missed the 2021-2022 season after recovering from a back injury but made a recovery the following season and went on to play 23 games in the 2022-2023 season.
Where the roster stands now
In Shanele Stires’ second season as head coach, the team found success.
The Mustangs finished with their first winning record since the 2020-2021 season. They also had their highest win total since the 2017-2018 season (17) and made the WNIT Postseason Tournament for the first time in a decade.
However, the team saw multiple players depart due to graduation, including Ania McNicholas and Amanda Olinger. Other departures include Jordan Hoffman, Diamond Richardson, and Brooklyn Perry.
Coming in next year, the Mustangs picked up graduate transfer Ashley Hiraki from the transfer portal by way of Santa Clara. From the high school level, the Mustangs signed Avery Carter, Carmela Fontes, Ana Moleon Hidalgo, Nora Perez and Gabby Robinson.
All five incoming freshmen are listed at 5 foot 10 and above and will bring more depth to the front court to make up for losing Ackerman and Ollinger.
