Women's Basketball

05/09/06
Simmons named Chico Sportsperson of the Year
CHICO - Chico State's women's basketball All-American Amber Simmons was named Chico Sportsperson of the Year on Tuesday night at the 34th annual Chico Sports Hall of Fame and Senior Athletes' Banquet.

Simmons, who accepted her award in front of a crowd of 200 at the Chico Elks Lodge, thanked her family, friends and coaches, past and present.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore, who graduated from Chico High in 2004, led the Wildcats to the program's first NCAA Division II Elite Eight and Final Four appearances in March and was named to this season's Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team, the first player in the program's history to earn such an distinction.

She averaged 18.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocked shots a game for the 28-4 Wildcats, set the program's new single-season scoring record with 605 points, became just the seventh player in Chico State history to eclipse 1,000 career points and was named Most Valuable Player of the Western Regional.

The event also featured the awarding of senior athletes from local high schools, Butte Junior College, and Chico State. Patrick Boivin and Jennnifer James, both cross country and track standouts received the award for Chico State.

04/04/06
Lynne Roberts takes head job at University of the Pacific
Head Coach Lynne Roberts, who led the Chico State women’s basketball team to the Final Four for the first time in school history this season, has accepted the head coaching position at Division I University of the Pacific in Stockton. The official announcement came from UOP Director of Athletics Lynn King this afternoon at a 3:30 press conference.

“We’re sad to see Lynne go, but we wish her the very best,” said Chico State Athletic Director Anita Barker. “She’s a top-notch coach and a great person. What’s she done for this program, University, and community has been incredible.”

Roberts, who took over the basketball program in 2002, has built the Wildcats into a national power over the last four seasons. Her teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament every year and the Wildcats had their best showing this year, advancing to the NCAA Final Four, while setting a school record with 28 victories. Last season, the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament West Region title game.

“Lynne Roberts is an outstanding coach who brings a wealth of successful experience to Pacific,” said King. “She is a proven program builder who coaches an exciting, up tempo brand of basketball. We are very pleased to have her join our staff.”

Roberts compiled an 86-31 record in four years at Chico State. She earned West Region Coach of the Year honors in 2004-05 and California Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year honors in both 2004-05 and 2005-06, leading the Wildcats to consecutive conference titles.

“We are committed our student-athletes and the women’s basketball program,” said Barker. “To that end, we will work quickly to find the best person to fill the position.”

03/23/06
Wildcats' run at a national championship ends in semifinal
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Boxes of tissue lined the table at the post-game press conference following the Chico State women’s basketball team’s 76-63 loss to Grand Valley State in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Basketball Championship in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Lauren Himmelspach is the only player who needed them, however. None of the other Chico State players or coach Lynne Roberts had reason to cry. This was the greatest season in the history of the program, and though they were disappointed, they also sat proudly, comforted by their magnificent 28-4 season, the best in the history of the program. Himmelspach did the same, but her pride was tinged with the pain of knowing that this was her last game in a Chico State uniform as the team’s only senior.

“This is hard, but I’m proud of the season we’ve had,” said Himmelspach, who finished her career ranked eighth in Chico State scoring history after transferring from the University of Portland after her sophomore year. “I think my best memories are going to be playing in front of the Chico State fans and that community. I’m so glad I came back to Chico.”

The Wildcats, who had never advanced beyond the sweet 16 before this year, advanced to its first Final Four and set the school record for wins. They also had the first Kodak/WBCA All-America selection in the program’s history in sophomore Amber Simmons, who led the Wildcats with 16 points and 11 rebounds Thursday night.

“We’re young and we’ll be back next year,” vowed Wildcats point guard Amy Van Hollebeke. “But it’s hard to lose Lauren. She’s a great player. On the other hand, she’s left a lot with us and the young girls have learned a lot from her.”

Grand Valley State, 32-3 and winners of 22 straight, will face American International College of Springfield, Mass. in the national championship game Sunday. The Yellow Jackets defeated Saint Cloud State (Minnesota) 70-58 in Thursday night’s other semifinal. Erika Ryskamp scored 22 points and dished out eight assists to lead the Lakers. Julia Braseth scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. All-American Niki Reams and Crystal Zick added 14 points apiece.

It was the Lakers’ defense that made the difference, however. It forced the Wildcats into 17 turnovers and Chico State shot just 37-percent.

“They played great team defense,” said Simmons, who shot 7-of-17. “They clogged the key and took away some of our post play.”

“We just help each other,” said Ryskamp. “If we get beat there’s someone there to help and there’s someone there to help that person. It’s a whole-team defense.”

Grand Valley State, which lost to Seattle Pacific University in last season’s national semifinals, was not to be denied this time around. That was obvious from the opening tip. The Lakers jumped out to a 10-2 lead that they would never surrender. The Wildcats cut the lead to 23-22 on Simmons’ layup with 9:02 remaining, but she was soon forced to leave the game after picking up her third foul, and Grand Valley State extended the lead back to 40-32 by halftime.

Foul trouble plagued the Wildcats all night. Haley Ford eventually fouled out, Simmons played the entire second half with three fouls, and Jennifer Borror joined Simmons with two fouls in the game’s first 2:30. Roberts was visibly upset with the way the game was called, but did not comment on the officiating. The final box score showed a foul differential of 24-11, however, and Grand Valley State hit 28-of-33 free throws while Chico State was just 3-of-6.

The Wildcats got as close as 47-41 with 15 minutes to play, but the Lakers responded with a 15-5 run and remained in control from that point.

“We all know that we can play better, but experience is not overrated,” said Chico State Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “Grand Valley lost this game last year and they came out swinging and did what they had to do. You can tell that their goal has been to get back here and win this game.”

Chico State’s goal will likely be much the same next season. The Wildcats return all five starters next season.

Notes-Grand Valley State outrebounded the Wildcats 44-42, marking just the fifth time all season Chico State has been outrebounded…The loss was Chico State’s first on a neutral court in 12 games over the past two seasons…Simmons, who finished the season with 605 points, broke Himmelspach’s single-season scoring record of 594 in the victory.
Semifinal Boxscore

03/22/06
Wildcats advance to NCAA Final Four!!
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Winning ugly has never looked so beautiful to the Chico State women’s basketball team. The Wildcats overcame a 15-point deficit despite a poor shooting night and 22 turnovers to win a 67-66 slugfest against Henderson State University to advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four at the Elite Eight in Hot Springs, Arkansas Wednesday night. Jennifer Borror buried a long jump shot with 54 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats the lead for good. It was their first lead since very early in the first half and the Wildcats never lost it.

“It’s an amazing feeling to get one here,” said Wildcat Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “I didn’t think it was particularly pretty, but both teams left it all out there.”

Chico State trailed 64-57 with 2:46 to play but Amy Van Hollebeke made a pair of free throws and Amber Simmons hit a driving layup, was fouled, a connected from the charity stripe to draw the Wildcats to within 64-62 with two minutes remaining. Haley Ford’s jumper tied it, and after a Simmons steal, Borror calmly sank a 17-footer.

The game turned into a scrum after Van Hollebeke’s free throw made it 67-64. Henderson State’s lone senior, Keisha Blackwell, was fouled driving to the basket on Henderson State’s next possession and the ball rolled around the rim and trickled off to the delight of Chico State’s fans. Blackwell made both free throws, though, and the Reddies were down just 67-66 with 20 seconds left. Facing full-court pressure, the Wildcats played keep-away masterfully until Van Hollebeke inexplicably attempted a long pass to Simmons that was intercepted by Collea Carter, giving the Reddies the ball back with a chance to win. The ball went to Blackwell, but she tried to fire a last minute pass to a cutter and Simmons deflected it. The teams battled for the loose ball at the top of the key but no one gained possession before the buzzer sounded and the Wildcats rushed the floor triumphantly.

“We wanted to get it to Keisha or Shondra (Bush). We wanted to dance with who brought us here,” said Henderson State Head Coach Jeff Caldwell. “Keisha just didn’t make the play tonight like she has so many times before. It’s disappointing. How can it not be?”

The victory continued the best season in Chico State history. The Wildcats, now 28-3, have won a school-record 14 straight games and won the first Elite Eight game in the program’s history Wednesday. Henderson State, which is located about 50 miles from Hot Springs, finished the season 29-5 despite a partisan crowd of 1,580 Reddie faithful.

Simmons, one of 10 players to earn Kodak/WBCA All-America honors at the pre-tournament banquet Tuesday night, played like an All-American Wednesday. She led the Wildcats with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, pulled down 11 rebounds, and blocked two shots. The double-double was her 16th of the season, matching the single-season school record she set last season. Borror also played magnificently and finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and six steals.

That pair also teamed up to shut down All-South Region post player Rayna Hair. She entered the game averaging a team-high 15 points per game, but Borror and Simmons limited her to just two points on 1-of-7 shooting.

“They’re just a great duo,” said Roberts. “They take pressure off each other in different ways. Jen has really bought into her niche on this team and excelled at it. She’s just thrived on the dirty work.”

That was one of just a few things the Wildcats did well Wednesday night, however. They shot just 17-percent (4-of-24) from 3-point range, their worst percentage of the season, and turned the ball over 22 times, something they has done just three times. As a result, the Wildcats trailed for much of the game after jumping out to an early 9-5 lead.

The Reddies outscored Chico State 35-16 over the next 16 minutes, and with the momentum and home crowd on their side, it looked as if they might win going away. Audriana Spencer buried a 3-pointer and Ford made a jumper in the waning seconds of the half, however, to draw the Wildcats to within 40-30.

Chico State rode that momentum into the early going of the second half as Simmons scored six points during a 9-1 run that trimmed the lead to 41-39 with 15 minutes to play. Henderson State steadied itself, however, and kept a slim hold on the lead over the next few minutes. The lead was 58-57 after Simmons converted a three-point play with 3:31 remaining, but Henderson State scored the game’s next six points before the Wildcats stormed back.

“I knew we were still in the game,” said Ford. “We haven’t given up all year in any situation. I just kept telling the team to keep playing hard and the effort will pay off, and it did.”

Now, the Wildcats will face Grand Valley State in the national semifinal with a spot in the national championship game on the line. The Lakers defeated Charleston 74-59 in Wednesday’s last quarterfinal game.

“They’re a great team and they come from a great region,” said Roberts. “We’re going to have to play our best basketball. But we shouldn’t need motivation with a spot in the national championship game on the line. I expect us to play much better (tonight).”

One thing seems certain – if the Wildcats win and advance to the national title game, it won’t be ugly.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., PST. The game will be aired on KPAY 1290 AM radio, and televised on ESPNU, Comcast Cable channel 34, Direct TV channel 656, and Dish channel 409.

Notes -The Wildcats have now won 44 straight games in which they’ve held their opponents to fewer than 70 points…Simmons’ two blocked shots brought her career total to 85, the fourth most in school history…Chico State is now 8-1 this season in games decided by fewer than 10 points…The Wildcats are now 3-2 when trailing at the half…Chico State, which outrebounded Henderson State 46-30, has now outrebounded its opponents in 27 of 31 games this season...Chico State has never faced Grand Valley State in women’s basketball.

03/22/06
Final Four game to be broadcast locally on Comcast
Comcast SportsNet is televising the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Semifinal game live on Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 pm (PST).

Chico State fans located in Northern and Central California can tune into Comcast SportsNet to watch the Wildcats take on Grand Valley State or Charleston University for the right to advance to the national championship game. Viewers in the Chico area can find Comcast SportsNet on Comcast Cable (channel 34), DIRECTV (channel 656) and Dish (channel 409). Check www.comcastsportsnet.com and click on West for channel locations.

03/22/06
Wildcats ready to attack
Games can be heard live on KPAY radio and this web site or follow live stats by clicking here
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - If the Chico State women’s basketball team attacks its opponents like it did the ribs at Stubby’s Hickory Pit Barbecue Tuesday afternoon, the other seven teams in this week’s NCAA Division II Women’s Elite Eight basketball tournament might be in big trouble. The Wildcats devoured piles of ribs, baked beans, and potato salad after their allotted one-hour practice time. Beginning Wednesday, with a game against tournament-host Henderson State, they’ll look to stay close to Stubby’s by staying alive in the single-elimination tournament that will determine the 2005-06 national champion. Wednesday’s tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST.

The champions of each of the nation’s eight regions have converged on Hot Springs, Arkansas this week to battle for a national title. Chico State, 27-3 and champion of the West Region, is making its first trip to the Elite Eight. Following is a brief description of each of the eight teams in the tournament field, beginning with Chico State and its first-round opponent, Henderson State:

Chico State University (Chico, California), West Region champion
Record: 27-3
Elite Eight appearances: First

How they got here: The Wildcats won their second consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association title and earned the No. 2 seed in the regional playoffs by winning more games (24) than any Chico State women’s basketball team has ever won. Chico State then defeated Humboldt State 83-69 in the opening round of the regional, Cal State Bakersfield 83-60 in the semifinals, and Seattle Pacific 72-63 in the finale. Forward/center Amber Simmons earned Regional MVP honors and fellow post player Jennifer Borror was also named to the All-Tournament team.

Player to watch: Point guard Amy Van Hollebeke, a 5-6 sophomore, is averaging 12.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.9 made 3-pointers per game since taking over a starting job 13 games ago. More importantly, the Wildcats are 13-0 since she became a starter. Van Hollebeke has been huge down the stretch of the Wildcats’ recent victories. She scored nine consecutive points against Cal State Bakersfield in Chico State’s CCAA championship-clinching victory on the final weekend of the regular season, scored 11 second-half points in the opening round of the regional against Humboldt State, scored 15 points and dished out a season-best nine assists in the semifinal victory over Cal State Bakersfield, and made six late free throws to preserve the victory over Seattle Pacific. Look for her to play a key role in any close games the Wildcats play.

Inside the numbers: The Wildcats have won 43 straight games in which they have held their opponents to fewer than 70 points.

Head Coach Lynne Roberts’ comment: “The first thing I told my team after we got back from the regional was that you can’t just be happy to be here. You can’t look ahead and you can’t look behind. Whoever wins this think will have played incredible basketball for three straight games.”

Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Arkansas), South Region champion
Record: 29-4
Elite Eight appearances: Second

How they got here: The Reddies, making their second trip to the Elite Eight in three seasons, were the co-champions of the West Division of the Gulf South Conference and earned the No. 2 seed in the south regional. They defeated Delta State 44-40 in the regional title game.

Key player: Rayna Hare, a 6-0 junior, leads the Reddies in scoring at 15 points per game, rebounding at 6.2 per game, and 3-point shooting percentage at 39 percent.

Inside the numbers: Henderson State’s defense has carried it this season. The Reddies have allowed their opponent to score more than 72 points just twice all year and has allowed an average of just 59.7 points per game. Chico State ranks sixth in the nation in scoring at 82 points per game.

Head Coach Jeff Caldwell’s comment: “We’re excited to be home. As a head coach, I would much rather be here than somewhere else. I’m hoping we get a lot of fans out and I’m hoping we’ll get a lot of Arkansas people behind us.”

University of Charleston (Charleston, West Virginia), East Region champion
Record: 31-2
Elite Eight appearances: Second

How they got here: The Golden Eagles earned their second straight trip to the Elite Eight having won 21 of their last 22 games. In the opening round of the regional, they defeated Edinboro 71-62 and followed that up with a 90-88 overtime victory against Wheeling Jesuit to advance to the Sweet 16. They defeated Glenville State 68-58 in the regional final behind Lisa Lee’s 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Player to watch: Kodak/WBCA All-American Lisa Lee, a 6-0 senior forward, is averaging 18.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. She led the Golden Eagles in scoring 22 times and in rebounding 20 times this season and is the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s all-time leading scorer at 2,240 career points.

Inside the numbers: The Golden Eagles can flat-out shoot it. They rank third in the nation with a team field goal percentage of .474.

Head Coach Sherry Winn’s comment: Last season our goal was to make it to the Sweet 16, so when we got here, we weren’t prepared. This year we have different goals. We have some plans to do some damage here.”

Grand Valley State (Allendale, Michigan), Great Lakes Region champion
Record: 30-3
Elite Eight appearances: Second

How they got here: The Lakers earned a second straight trip to the Elite Eight with a trio of blowout victories in the regional. The Lakers won those three regional games by an average of 21 points thanks to their high-powered offense that scored 91 points in the semifinal and final. After starting the season 11-3, they have now won 19 in a row.

Player to watch: Kodak/WBCA All-American Niki Reams, a 5-10 senior guard, is averaging 17.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She scored 34 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the Lakers’ 91-76 victory over Drury in the regional title game.

Inside the numbers: The Lakers are one of the top defensive teams in the nation. They had not allowed an opponent to score 70 points against them all season until giving up 70 to Northern Kentucky in the regional semifinals and 76 to Drury in the regional title game. Still, opponents are averaging just 53.5 points per game.

Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit’s comment: “We’ve faced disciplined teams and we’ve faced athletic teams, but not really anyone who has the combination of both that (first-round opponent) Charleston has.”

Shaw University (Raleigh, North Carolina), South Atlantic Region champion
Record: 29-4
Elite Eight appearances: Second

How they got here: The Bears earned their second consecutive trip to Hot Springs by 68-53 in the South Atlantic Region final for their 24^th straight win overall and their 51^st straight at home. They started the season just 5-4, but were without the services of three starters for five of those games.

Player to watch: Chanae Early, a 5-5 senior guard, is second on the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game despite coming off the bench. She can shoot from the perimeter, as evidenced by her team-high 221 attempts from beyond the arc, and get to the foul line, where she has a team-high 149 attempts.

Inside the numbers: The Bears are 26-1 when leading at the half this season, and just 3-3 when trailing at intermission.

Head Coach Jacques Curtis’ comment: “There’s a little less pressure on us this year because we’re not coming in with a bull’s-eye on our backs,” he said, referring to the Bears’ 32-1 record and No. 1 ranking in the nation heading into last season’s Elite Eight.

Saint Cloud State University (Saint Cloud, Minnesota), North Central Region champion
Record: 29-4
Elite Eight appearances: Sixth

How they got here: The third time was a charm for the Bears, who upset the region’s top seed, University of North Dakota, winners of their previous 34 games, in the regional championship game after losing to them twice in the regular season. Saint Cloud State stumbled into the NCAA Tournament, having dropped four of its previous 12 games, but righted the ship just in time with an offense that averaged 83.3 points per game in the regional.

Player to watch: Two-time Kodak/WBCA All-American Erika Quigley, a 6-2 junior forward, leads the Bears in scoring at 22.5 points per game and rebounding at 12.8 per game. She ranks second on the school’s career scoring and rebounding lists with 1,849 career points and 995 career rebounds. She has also blocked 100 shots heading into the Elite Eight.

Inside the numbers: Saint Cloud’s conference, the North Central, is undoubtedly the toughest in the nation. A North Central Conference team has won the national title 11 of the past 15 years.

Head Coach Lori Ulferts’ comment: “I’ve never seen so many people excited to see us,” joked Ulferts, referring to the Bears’ upset of the University of North Dakota, winners of 34 straight, in the regional final.

Emporia State University (Emporia, Kansas), South Central Region champion
Record: 28-4
Elite Eight appearances: Fourth

How they got here: The Hornets came back from a 17-2 deficit to capture a 61-59 overtime victory over top-ranked Washburn, the defending national champions, in the South Central Region championship game. Casey Henningsen scored 25 of her career-high 27 points after intermission, including six of the team’s eight points in overtime. The Hornets’ run through the regional was especially surprising because they had lost three of seven games entering the regional. This is their fourth trip to the Elite Eight in the last nine seasons.

Player to watch: Kodak/WBCA All-American Michelle Stueve, a 6-2 sophomore forward, is averaging 23.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. She does her scoring from all over the court, shooting 45 percent from 3-point range (91-201), 49 percent overall (247-500), and 85 percent from the free throw line (152-179).

Inside the numbers: Since 1997-98, the Hornets are 151-1 when scoring at least 80 points. The lone loss was to North Dakota in the 1999 Final Four.

Head Coach Brandon Snyder’s comment: “We play in a very tough region and conference that we feel has prepared us for this kind of competition.”

American International College (Springfield, Massachusetts), Northeast Region champion
Record: 24-7
Elite Eight appearances: Second

How they got here: If there is a “Cinderella” team in the field, it’s the Yellow Jackets, who finished third in their own conference before upsetting the No. 2 seed, Stonehill, 70-46 in the regional semifinals, and top-seeded Southern Connecticut State, 48-40, in the regional final.

Player to watch: Kodak/WBCA All-American Sharmion Selman is the program’s first ever All-American. The 6-0 senior forward is averaging 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season. She ranks second on the school’s career scoring list and fourth on the career rebounds list.

Inside the numbers: The Yellow Jackets are stifling defensively, allowing their opponents an average of just 55.5 points per game on 33-percent shooting. As a result, they are 10-0 when scoring 70 points or more on the season.

Head Coach Pete Cinella’s comment: “The papers have described us as a Cinderella team, but we don’t see ourselves that way. We’ve been in the top 25 for much of the last three seasons. I think our team thinks of itself as a very good team.”

03/21/06
Simmons earns Kodak All-American Honors
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Chico State’s Amber Simmons was named to the Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team it was announced Tuesday night at the Elite Eight banquet at the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championships. Simmons, a 6-0 sophomore from Chico High School, is the first Chico State player in the program’s history to earn such an honor. Kim Abts, Joddie Vossler, and Iseth Cowan were all Honorable Mention All-Americans for the Wildcats.

“To be mentioned among the 10 best players in the nation is amazing,” said Simmons. “But to me, this is a team award. When you have the kind of season we’ve had as a team, good things happen.”

Simmons has not only led the Wildcats to their first trip to the Elite Eight, but she’s averaged 18.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 blocked shots per game in the process. She was also named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Regional. Simmons, who recently became just the seventh player in Chico State history to eclipse 1,000 career points, needs just 29 points to break the school’s single-season scoring record of 594.

“I’m so happy that the coaches who vote on this award recognized what a great player Amber is,” said Wildcats Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “There is no doubt in my mind that she is one of the best players in the nation. She earned this honor through a lot of hard work and determination. I’m so proud of her.”

Simmons is one of just three non-seniors named to the team. Michelle Stueve, a 6-3 sophomore forward from Emporia State, and Erika Quigley, a 6-2 junior forward from Saint Cloud State, are the other two. Simmons is also one of six players named All-America who helped lead her team to the Elite Eight. Sharmion Selman, a 6-0 senior from American International College, Lisa Lee, a 6-0 senior from the University of Charleston, Niki Reams, a 5-10 senior from Grand Valley State University, Quigley, and Stueve, are all in Hot Springs.

Washburn’s Jennifer Harris, a 5-10 senior guard, earned Player of the Year honors. She averaged 24.2 points and three steals per game while leading the Blues to a 32-1 record. Amanda Newton, a 6-1 center from Drury University, Kristi Boese, a 6-0 forward from the University of North Dakota, and Lindsay Dietz, a 6-0 senior forward from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, round out the team.

Rollins College Head Coach Glenn Wilkes, Jr., who led the Tars to victory in each of their first 28 games this season, and a final record of 28-2, was named the Kodak/WBCA Coach of the Year.

NCAA Division II Kodak/WBCA All-American Team
Kristi Boese - University of North Dakota - 6-0, Sr., F
Lindsey Dietz - University of Minnesota-Duluth - 6-0, Sr., F
Jennifer Harris - Washburn University - 5-10, Sr., G
Lisa Lee - Grand Valley State University - 6-0, Sr., F
Amanda Newton - Drury University - 6-1, Sr., C
Erika Quigley - Saint Cloud State - 6-2, Jr., C
Niki Reams - Grand Valley State University - 5-10, Sr., F
Sharmion Selman - American International College - 6-0, Sr., F
Amber Simmons - Chico State - 5-11, So., F
Michelle Stueve - Emporia State University - 6-2, So., F
National Player of the Year: Jennifer Harris, Washburn University
National Coach of the Year: Glenn Wilkes, Jr., Rollins College

03/13/06
Wildcats' headed to Elight Eight with first-ever West Region title
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – For the first time, the Chico State women’s basketball team is the best in the west. Tournament MVP Amber Simmons dominated with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocked shots as the Wildcats beat Seattle Pacific University 72-63 in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Region championship game Monday night at Western Washington University’s Sam Carver Gymnasium.

“Coach (Lynne Roberts) has been telling us for a long time how good this feels to motivate us to keep working hard and to stay focused on our goal of winning the region,” said Simmons. “She’s was right. It feels really, really good.”

Chico State will next head to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for the Elite Eight March 22-25 where they will face South Region champion Henderson State Wednesday, March 22 at 4 p.m. in the opening round. It will be Chico State’s first trip ever to the Elite Eight.

Monday night, the Wildcats’ minds were on the present moment. Not only did Chico State claim its first regional title, it did it against Seattle Pacific, the team responsible for ending two of Chico State’s last three seasons. Seattle Pacific is also where Roberts played and began her coaching career. She played a critical role in recruiting Seattle Pacific’s seniors.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Roberts. “They’ve knocked us out of the playoffs two of the last three seasons, so to get this win, the biggest we’ve ever had, against them, is amazing.”

Chico State, winners of 13 straight, improved to 27-3 on the season. The Wildcats have won 43 straight when holding their opponents to fewer than 70 points. Seattle Pacific finished its season 24-6.

Wildcats point guard Amy Van Hollebeke, who made six-of-eight free throws in the final moments to preserve Chico State’s lead, joined with Simmons to carry the team to victory. She finished with 15 points, tied her career-high with nine assists, and turned the ball over just once in 36 minutes against heavy full-court defensive pressure.

“I’m so proud of Amy,” said Roberts. “She asserted her will over the game as the point guard. For a sophomore to do that in a game like this is something she should really be proud of.”

Lauren Himmelspach, Chico State’s lone senior, finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Jennifer Borror, who joined Simmons on the five-player All-Tournament team, pulled down nine rebounds to go with her eight points. Haley Ford tallied nine points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Ford’s defensive effort against Seattle Pacific sharpshooter Mandy Wood was her biggest contribution. Wood, who torched the Wildcats for 27 points in their first meeting this season, was held to just 16 points on 5-of-21 shooting and turned the ball over three times.

“Haley Ford frustrated (Wood) all night,” said Roberts. “She did an amazing job.”

Chico State led 15-4 in the early going as Van Hollebeke scored the team’s first five points and then dished out three straight assists. The Wildcats made five of their first 10 shots of the game, but then missed 18 of their next 20 as Seattle Pacific put together a 15-2 run to take its first lead of the game. Ford scored seven points over the final five minutes of the half, however, and Chico State took a 34-23 lead into break.

That lead grew to 13 points on a Simmons layup with 17:37 to play, and it looked as if the Wildcats, who had won 27 straight when leading at the half entering the night, would cruise to victory.

Wood had other plans. The senior guard made a trio of 3-pointers and a jumper to spark a 19-2 run that put the Falcons in front 44-40. But following a timeout, Van Hollebeke and Himmelspach scored to tie the game, and little-used freshman Cory Edwards buried a jumper and hit a pair of free throws to give the Wildcats the lead for good.

The lead hovered around five points until Jennifer Borror drove for a layup, and after a Simmons steal, scored another layup, to make it 61-51.

The Wildcats made 10-of-12 free throws late to seal the victory. Himmelspach, the team’s lone senior, made the last four.

“I knew all week that I wouldn’t be playing my last game here,” said Himmelspach. “Too many signs pointed our way. I couldn’t be happier.”

Notes – With her 17^th point Monday, Simmons became just the seventh player in Chico State history to score 1,000 career points...Roberts has guided the Wildcats to 85 wins in her first four seasons at the helm…With her first basket, Ford moved past Marissa White into 10^th place on Chico State’s career scoring list…Ford’s 3-pointer was the 139^th of her career, tying her with Wildcats assistant Alisha Valavanis for fourth place on the career list…Chico State was 0-7 against Seattle Pacific before winning both meetings between the teams this season…Joining Simmons and Borror on the All-Tournament team were Seattle Pacific’s Wood and Brittney Kroon, and Cal State Bakersfield’s Rhonda Johnson.

03/13/06
Wildcats' founding coach witnesses program make history
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – By virtue of their 72-63 victory over Seattle Pacific University Monday night, the Chico State Wildcats have the first trip to the Elite Eight in the history of the program in their near future. But Monday night was mostly reserved for soaking in the present and the past. Fran Coslet, who started the modern-day program in 1969 and guided it for 20 years, was in the stands to watch the Wildcats .

“This win is not just for us,” said Wildcats Head Assistant Coach Alisha Valavanis, who played from 1995-1999 for Mary Ann Lazzarini, the second of three head coaches in the program’s history. “This is for Fran, Mary Ann, and all of the players who have ever played here and paved the way for us.”

Roberts invited Coslet to be a guest coach as the Wildcats clinched the CCAA championship with a win over Bakersfield in the final weekend of the regular season. Coslet was having way too much fun to stay away, so when Chico State Athletic Director Anita Barker invited Coslet to join the team at the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional, she could not pass up the chance.

“I’m honored that she’s a part of it. For me, it doesn’t get any cooler,” said Roberts. “To have someone who started this whole program with us, that’s the good stuff. It’s humbling that she would be here with us.”

Coslet spent some time away from the program after Lazzarini lost a long battle with cancer. Valavanis and Roberts made a concerted effort to invite Coslet back into the fold this season, however, and Coslet responded. She’s thrilled she did.

“I’m just so honored, proud, and thankful to be given the chance to be here,” said Coslet just before Roberts ran into the stands to bring her a piece of the net the Wildcats were cutting down. “It also makes me proud to know all of the years that went into building this program.”

03/13/06
Wildcats' secret out of the bag
Chico State faces Seattle Pacific tonight for trip to the Elite Eight
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Shhhhh! Chico State women’s basketball Head Coach Lynne Roberts wants to keep the following a secret: Amber Simmons is very, very good. The nice thing for the Wildcats is, Simmons doesn’t know how good she is, and it seems that many opposing coaches suffer from the same issue.

Only a sophomore, Simmons might already be the greatest player to have ever slipped on the cardinal and white Chico State uniform. She ranks seventh in the history of the program in scoring and rebounding, fifth in blocks, eighth in steals, 10th in free throws, and first in field goal percentage. By the way, the Wildcats are 50-9 since Simmons’ arrival to the program.

“Amber has no idea how good she is,” said Wildcats Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “The reason she is so successful is because she works so hard. She works so hard because she doesn’t realize how good she is already. She’s always looking to improve and get better. The scary thing is, she will keep getting better.”

Still, despite averaging nearly a double-double every night out and leading her team to its second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association title this season, Simmons finished third in the Conference Player of the Year balloting done by the coaches. She also finished third in the balloting for Regional Player of the Year.

“Coach said I might win those awards and it was kind of like ‘whoa,’ because I had no idea,” said Simmons. “But not getting it really wasn’t a letdown because I wasn’t really expecting to. Plus, it wasn’t really something I set out to accomplish this season.”

Those awards are designed to recognize individual accomplishments, something Simmons has never concerned herself with. She is only concerned about the region’s most important award of all, the regional title, which the Wildcats would earn with a victory against Seattle Pacific University Monday night in the regional championship game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Western Washington University’s Sam Carver Gymnasium in Bellingham, Washington.

“It would be so amazing to cut down the nets tomorrow night,” said Simmons. “That’s something I’ve only seen in movies or on TV. It gives me butterflies just thinking that we can do that if we win. That would be really, really, really sweet.”

In two tournament games so far, Simmons’ play has been sweet. She’s averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. She led the Wildcats with 21 points and grabbed four steals in their 83-69 first-round win against Humboldt State. In Saturday’s 83-80 semifinal victory over Cal State Bakersfield, Simmons carried the Wildcats with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots.

Those games are in the past now, however, and Simmons and the second-seeded Wildcats have revenge on their minds. Two times in the past three seasons, Seattle Pacific has ended Chico State’s season in the regional playoffs. In fact, last season’s regional final pitted Chico State against Seattle Pacific. The host Falcons won and advanced all the way to the national championship game.

“If we look at it honestly, we would have to say they were the better team last season and they deserved to win,” said Simmons. “But this year, we know we’re the better team and we deserve to win. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that happens.”

Fifth-seeded Seattle Pacific, which slipped past UC San Diego 62-57 in the opening round and then shocked top-seeded Western Washington 70-50 to advance to the title game, may also have some revenge on its mind. In early December, the Wildcats beat SPU 80-76 in overtime in Bellingham behind Simmons’ 20 points, 15 rebounds, and seven steals. Seattle Pacific standout Mandy Wood buried a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime and finished with 27 points. Brittney Kroon, the Falcons’ 6-4 senior center and the nation’s leader in blocked shots, tallied 10 points, six rebounds, and five blocks in the loss.

“That was a huge win for us to let SPU know that we can compete with them,” said Roberts. “I think it neutralized the mental edge they had on us.”

Chico State, 26-3, has now won 12 in a row and 17 of its last 18. Seattle Pacific, 24-5, has also won 17 of its last 18 games. The game’s winner will punch a ticket to the Elite Eight in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where the winners of each of the nation’s eight regions will play for the national title. The Wildcats have never advanced past the sweet 16.

Julie van Beek, Seattle Pacific’s first-year head coach, intimated before the semifinals that Kroon is the factor that gives the Falcons an edge over the three other remaining teams. Kroon backed up that theory with a career-high 20 points in the semifinals, but the Wildcats will counter with Simmons, just a sophomore who doesn’t know how good she is. That secret may have escaped Van Beek as well. The Wildcats sure hope so.

03/11/06
Chico State advances to Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament
Wildcats edge Roadrunners to reach regional final
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Cal State Bakersfield Head Coach Tim La Kose chose to take his chances by not double-teaming Chico State’s Amber Simmons. Like many who have done so before him, La Kose discovered that didn’t give his team much of a chance. Simmons scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Wildcats advanced to the sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship Tournament with a thrilling 83-80 victory over the Roadrunners Saturday night at Western Washington University’s Sam Carver Gymnasium.

Simmons was fouled going to the basket and hit two free throws with 43 seconds remaining to give Chico State an 81-77 advantage, and after Katie McElree converted a three-point play to trim the lead to one, Simmons scored on a reverse layup with 15 seconds remaining to make it 83-80. La Kose called a timeout and drew up a play designed to get seniors Gillian Lillich or McElree free for a game-tying 3-pointer, but the Wildcats defended it masterfully and Bakersfield was forced to settle for an off-balance desperation shot by Krista Arase that missed badly.

“Coach has been telling me all year I can score on anyone,” said Simmons, who has scored 546 points the season, the second most in school history. “I just believed and went for it.”

The 14th-ranked Wildcats, winners of 12 in a row, will now take No. 5 seed Seattle Pacific, which upset No. 1 seed Western Washington in the other semi-final match, on Monday at 7 p.m. in their second-consecutive regional title affair. At 26-3, they have already set the school standard for wins in a season and will be attempting to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in the school's history.

Cal State Bakersfield, which entered the weekend ranked No. 18 in the nation, finished 24-5 overall despite Rhonda Johnson’s career-high 26-points and 11 rebounds. McElree, regarded by many as one of the CCAA’s best players ever, finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists in her final collegiate game. Kelley Tarver scored 12, but shot just 5-of-17 thanks in part to Amy Van Hollebeke’s stifling defense.

Simmons’ dominance is something Chico State fans have grown accustomed to. It was the career game that fellow Wildcats post player Jennifer Borror had that may have been the difference in the end. Borror scored a season-high 19 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and matched her season high with five assists.

“They played behind Amber so Jen had to be a factor.” said Wildcats Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “She was outstanding.”

Together, Simmons and Borror combined for 45 points, 22 rebounds, seven assists, two blocked shots, and three steals.

“Their inside play was the difference,” said La Kose. “Simmons did what she always does and Borror had a great game. I think those two were the difference.”

Borror has a reputation as one of the region’s top rebounders, but entered the game averaging just 6.5 points per game. Still, the best effort of her season was simple enough for her to explain.

“I came in to the game thinking I needed to just box out, rebound, and play defense,” said Borror. “But they were leaving me open over and over so I shot it.”

Chico State led 65-60 with eight minutes to play, but the Wildcats made just one shot and two free throws over the next three minutes as Bakersfield went on an 11-4 run to take a 71-69 lead. Borror and Simmons scored consecutive baskets to give Chico State the lead back, but McElree responded by swishing a 3-pointer. At that time, Chico State’s lone senior, Lauren Himmelspach, took control of the game. She scored six points over the next three minutes, hitting all four of her free throw attempts, to give the Wildcats the lead for good. She drove to the basket for a layup to put Chico State ahead 75-74 and followed Tarver’s game-tying free throw with a pair from the charity stripe. Johnson scored in the lane to tie the game 77-77 with 1:34 remaining, but Himmelspach took Lillich to the basket, drew a foul, and sank both free throws to make it 79-77. Haley Ford pressured McElree into a turnover on Bakersfield’s next possession and Simmons scored the game’s final four points to seal the victory.

“All the pressure was on Amber down the stretch so I called Lauren’s number because I know she can create on the offensive end,” explained Roberts. “Plus, I know she wants to be in the game in that situation. She’s a senior with big-game experience and she played like it in the second half.”

Himmelspach scored all eight of her points in the half. Ford finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, and a pair of assists. Audriana Spencer buried 3-of-4 shots from beyond the arc and chipped in 11 points.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 16-9 lead in the early going, but Johnson scored 14 points in a 26-12 Roadrunners run that gave Bakersfield its largest lead of the night, 35-28, with 2:51 left in the opening half. Borror scored back-to-back buckets, Spencer nailed a 3-pointer, and Simmons converted a layup to cut Chico State’s deficit to 38-37. Tarver made a 3-pointer to keep the Wildcats at bay, but Simmons beat the buzzer with an acrobatic rebound and put back at the buzzer and Chico State trailed 40-39 at the intermission.

The Wildcats scored the first six points of the second half in the paint to cap a 15-4 run that spanned both halves to take a 45-40 lead. They fended off a number of Bakersfield runs over the next few minutes, but rarely-used reserve Katherine Smith made just her seventh 3-pointer of the season to put the Roadrunners back into the lead, 58-56, with 11:35 to play. The lead changed hands five times over the next seven minutes before Himmelspach gave the Wildcats the extra push they needed and Simmons put the win away.

Notes: Ford’s nine rebounds increased her career total to 505. She’s the eighth player in school history to record 500 rebounds…The Wildcats are now 2-2 after trailing at the half…After losing to Bakersfield the first eight times they met, Chico State has now won four of the last five games in the series…Spencer is 7-of-10 from 3-point range through the first two games of the tournament.

03/10/06
Chico State beats Humboldt in opening round of NCAA Tournament
Wildcats advance to semifinals to face Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Lauren Himmelspach doesn’t particularly like her role coming off the bench. Fortunately for the Chico State women’s basketball team, she doesn’t particularly like seeing her team struggling either. Himmelspach kept the floundering Wildcats afloat with 10 first-half points off the bench, and then entered the game to key an 8-0 run in the second half that put Chico State in control for good as the Wildcats defeated Humboldt State 83-69 in the opening round of the NCAA Championship Tournament Friday at Western Washington University’s Sam Carver Gymnasium.

Himmelspach entered the game with Chico State leading 18-17 and proceeded to score 10 points and grab a steal during a four-minute stretch in which Chico State built its lead to 39-32. In the second half, she capped a 19-5 run with a steal and layup to put the Wildcats firmly in control at 68-52 with 11:33 remaining.

“All I can do is play as hard as I can when I get the opportunity to be in there,” said Himmelspach, who set Chico State’s single-season scoring record last season as a junior, but lost her starting job midway through this season. “This is my last go-around, so I just want to keep winning. Whether I’m starting or coming off the bench, I just want to keep winning.”

Chico State’s school-record 25th win sets up a much-anticipated showdown with Cal State Bakersfield in the regional semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. with a trip to the sweet 16 on the line. The Wildcats lost at Bakersfield early in the season and then exacted some revenge with a victory at home against the Roadrunners March 3.

Amber Simmons led Chico State with 21 points and notched a game-high four steals. Audriana Spencer hit 4-of-6 shots from beyond the arc en route to 14 points, and tallied three assists and no turnovers in 35 minutes of action. Amy Van Hollebeke finished with 13 points, including 11 in the second half, as the 14th-ranked Wildcats improved to 25-3 on the season with their 11th straight victory.

Humboldt State Head Coach Joddie Gleason, widely considered one of the best players in Chico State women’s basketball history, was proud of her team’s effort in its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 11 years.

“We really came ready to play and I was proud of our effort,” said Gleason. “(Chico State) just has so many weapons to try to contain for 40 minutes.”

Humboldt State’s main weapon, senior forward Jenna Washington, carried the Lumberjacks with 15 first-half points. She finished with just 19, however, and missed both of her second-half shots as Simmons, Cory Edwards, and Jennifer Borror worked together to shut her down in the paint and secure the Wildcats’ sixth straight victory against Humboldt State.

“We didn’t really do anything different other than pick it up a level intensity-wise,” said Wildcats Head Coach Lynne Roberts. “They did a nice job early, but I think our pressure got to them.”

The strong defensive effort is something Chico State fans have grown accustomed to. The Wildcats have now held nine of their last 10 opponents to fewer than 70 points, and have won the last 42 contests in which they’ve accomplished that feat.

Humboldt State made six of its first eight shots to build a 13-9 lead in the early going. Spencer buried a 3-pointer to key a 7-0 Chico State run and the Wildcats would not trail again, however. Haley Ford’s jumper just before intermission gave Chico State a 44-39 halftime cushion. A pair of Humboldt State 3-pointers early in the second half briefly drew the Lumberjacks even, but Van Hollebeke answered with a long trey of her own to keep the Wildcats in control. Thanks to the efforts of Himmelspach, and Simmons’ six quick points, that lead quickly ballooned to double-digits and the Wildcats won going away.

Notes-Chico State has won 27 straight when leading at the half…Simmons’ first two points made her just the fourth player in Chico State history to reach 500 points in a season…Simmons moved past Gleason into fourth place on the Wildcats’ single-season points list during the contest. She has 520 points this season. Gleason, then Vossler, scored 509 points in the 1992-93 campaign…Himmelspach has now scored 934 career points and moved past Kara Scheitlin into eighth place on the Wildcats’ career scoring list Friday.

03/09/06
'Twas the night before the regional
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - 'Twas the night before the West Regional and all through the hotel not a creature was stirring except eight head coaches who were overanalyzing everything. The jerseys were hung on their hangers with care, in hopes that on Monday they would be needed for wear. The players were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of buzzer-beaters danced in their heads.

It wasn’t Christmas Eve, but the Chico State women’s basketball team awoke to soft-falling snow Thursday in Bellingham, Washington, on the eve of the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional. The Wildcats are seeded No. 2 in the eight-team regional field, the winner of which will advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Hot Springs, Arkansas March 22-25. Chico State will face the seventh seed, Humboldt State University, Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Cal State Bakersfield, ranked No. 18 in the nation, is seeded third and will face sixth-seeded Cal State L.A. to open the tournament Friday at 12:30 p.m. Fourth seed UC San Diego and fifth seed Seattle Pacific face off at 5:30 p.m. Western Washington University, ranked No. 4 in the nation, is the top seed. The Vikings will take on eighth-seeded Northwest Nazarene University in Friday’s nightcap at 7:30.

The Chico State-Humboldt State winner will take on the Cal State Bakersfield-Cal State L.A. winner Saturday at 5 p.m. The Western Washington-Northwest Nazarene winner will face the UC San Diego-Seattle Pacific winner Saturday at 7:30. The regional title game will tip off Monday at 7 p.m.

No. 1 seed Western Washington University (26-1)
The champions of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), the Vikings are making their eighth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament, but for the first time, they do it on their home floor at Sam Carver Gymnasium where they are 359-58 all-time, 13-0 this season, and have won 18 in a row. They are ranked No. 4 in the nation and have won 20 straight games since losing at Cal State Bakersfield, 75-56, on Dec. 20.

Western won the regional title in 2000 when it reached the semifinals at the Elite Eight. The Vikings also reached the regional championship game in 2002, and have gotten to the semifinals four times.

Player to watch: Senior forward Tina Donahue, who was named the GNAC Player of the Year, is averaging 13.6 points a game to rank seventh in the GNAC. She also among the league’s top 10 in 3-point shooting at 42.1 percent (40-of-95), free throw accuracy at 79.5 percent (62-of-78), and field goal percentage at 48.0 (132-of-275). Donahue is 12th (one point shy of 11th) among school career scoring leaders with 1,163 points.

No. 2 seed Chico State University (24-3)
The Wildcats earned their highest seed ever in the regional by claiming their second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association title this season and matching the school record for most wins in a season. Chico State, ranked No. 14 in the country, is making its fourth straight trip to the tournament. The Wildcats won their last 10 regular-season games. They’ve won 26 straight in which they led at the half and 41 in a row in which they held their opponent to fewer than 70 points. Last season, Chico State defeated Western Washington 85-75 in the regional semifinals before losing 85-70 to national runner-up Seattle Pacific in the final. They are making their seventh regional tournament overall.

Player to watch: Amber Simmons, a 5-11 sophomore post who was the 2005 CCAA Freshman of the Year and first-team all region and All-CCAA pick this season, leads the team in points (18.5), rebounds (9.1), and blocks (1.1) per game. She’s second on the team with 2.1 steals per game and fifth in assists at 2.0.

No. 3 seed Cal State Bakersfield (23-4)
The Roadrunners have lost four out of their last seven games, but are still ranked No. 18 in the nation. They return three starters from last season’s 20-8 team that lost to Saint Martin’s, 73-58, in the first round of the 2005 regional. Cal State Bakersfield has a minus-5.0 rebound margin, but has forced 231 more turnovers and has 136 more steals than its opponents. The Roadrunners are making their sixth regional appearance in their sixth year of collegiate basketball. They are 5-5 all-time in tournament play and claimed the regional title in 2003.

Player to watch: Katie McElree, the runner up for the West Region Player of the Year honor, is a 5-10 senior guard. Last season, she finished third among NCAA II scoring leaders last season at 23.4 points per game. This season, she is averaging 16.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. She is a 40-percent shooter from 3-point range and shoots her free throws at 81 percent.

No. 4 seed UC San Diego (23-4)
The Tritons are making their second regional appearance in three seasons at the Division II level. The Tritons are ranked No.23 nationally and finished the regular season with eight consecutive wins. They feature wins over Chico State, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State L.A., and Northwest Nazarene.

Player to watch: West Region and CCAA Player of the Year Leora Juster leads the region in scoring at 22.0 points per game. Juster is also averaging 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.6 steals per game, while shooting 47 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the free throw line.

No. 5 seed Seattle Pacific University (22-5)
The Falcons are making their 10thstraight regional appearance and their 11th overall. Last season, they advanced to the Division II national championship game and finished 30-3 overall. They return four starters from that squad, but had a three-year string of GNAC titles snapped this season by Western Washington. Still, the Falcons won 15 of their last 16 regular-season games to clinch their seventh straight 20-win season. New at SPU this year is head coach Julie van Beek (162-119 in nine years prior to SPU), who took over for Gordy Presnell when he left to become head coach of NCAA I Boise State after 18 seasons with the Falcons.

Player to watch: Mandy Wood, a second team All-Region selection and MVP of the 2005 West Regional, leads the Falcons into battle. The 5-6 senior guard averaged 15.3 points per game and 4.2 assists per game. She also holds the SPU career record for 3-point makes (219).

No. 6 seed Cal State L.A. (20-7)
The Golden Eagles are making their first NCAA regional tournament appearance ever after putting together the first 20-win season in school history this season. They were one of the most improved teams in the nation this season, having finished just 7-20 last season. The Golden Eagles upset Cal State Bakersfield, their first round opponent, 62-61, Feb. 22.

Player to watch: Two-time honorable mention All-American Monica Tokoro is averaging 14.3 points and 4.6 assists per game as a senior. She is a 76-percent free throw shooter and shoots her field goals at 51 percent.

No. 7 seed Humboldt State University (17-10)
Led by former Chico State player Joddie Gleason, the Lumberjacks are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995 and their second overall in Gleason’s second year. Humboldt State won six of their last seven games to lock up a spot in the tournament, and on Jan. 7, put the biggest scare into Western Washington’s run at a perfect conference record when they had the ball in a tie game with the clock winding down, but a turnover cost them the game. The Lumberjacks shoot 76 percent from the free throw line.

Player to watch: First Team All-Region selection Jenna Washington, a senior who transferred from Portland State two seasons ago, leads the Lumberjack attack. The 5-11 forward has 11 double-doubles and averages 19.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocked shots per game.

No. 8 seed Northwest Nazarene University (17-10)
The Crusaders are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance. They won nine of their last 13 games to earn a spot in the regional. The Crusaders finished second in the GNAC in steals, averaging 11.3 per game.

Player to watch: Danielle Dwello averages 11.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, per game, and 1.1 blocks per game to lead the Crusaders.

03/08/06
Wildcat hearts pumping in Washington
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Lynne Roberts remembers stepping onto the court at Seattle Pacific University for her first NCAA Championship Tournament game as a head coach. The atmosphere was electric. Her heart was pounding. She had never experienced anything like it before.

“There is just a heightened level of nerves,” said Roberts. “You feel like you deserve to be there and you want to show everyone else that you deserve to be there.”

Four years later, Roberts will be leading her Wildcats into their sixth NCAA Championship Tournament game in four seasons. She will know exactly how the opposing coach, Humboldt State’s Joddie Gleason, is feeling. Gleason will be coaching in her first NCAA Championship Tournament game in her second season with the Lumberjacks.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Friday at Western Washington University’s Sam Carver Gymnasium. The winner will advance to face the Cal State Bakersfield-Cal State L.A. winner Saturday at 5 p.m. with a spot in the sweet sixteen and regional title game at stake.

Four years ago, the Wildcats were big underdogs against Seattle Pacific, the team Roberts played for in college and where she is still known as one of the best players in school history. The eighth-seeded Wildcats played top-seeded Seattle Pacific tough before succumbing to the Falcons 81-70. They showed everyone they deserved to be there. This season, Gleason’s Lumberjacks are big underdogs against Chico State, where she played from 1989-1993 and ranks second in school history in points and steals.

Roberts knows Humboldt State will also play well in its first tournament game because she already knows the Lumberjacks deserve to be there. Roberts has known as much since a 90-80 victory over Humboldt State in the season opener for both teams in November at Acker Gym.

“They are a very good, well-coached team,” said Roberts. “They have improved a bunch since we played them at the beginning of the year.”

Fortunately, so have the Wildcats. Haley Ford, Amber Simmons, Lauren Himmelspach, and Audriana Spencer, the four players that led the Wildcats to the sweet sixteen last season for the first time in school history, are the team’s four leading scorers. Newcomers Amy Van Hollebeke and Jennifer Borror have claimed starting roles and have played exceedingly well of late. Since Van Hollebeke took over as the starting point guard, the Wildcats have reeled off 10 straight wins. Borror, meanwhile, is among the region’s top rebounders at 8.8 per game despite playing limited minutes early in the season. Along with Himmelspach, freshmen Cory Edwards, Jackie George, and Teresa Karcher, and junior college transfer Niki Simons come off the bench to give the Wildcats arguably the most talented subs in the region.

Humboldt State, making its first tournament appearance in 11 seasons, is keyed by senior forward Jenna Washington. She established a school single-season scoring record of 536 points this season and is also averaging 8.9 rebounds per game. Senior Kelly Fay is the Lumberjacks’ top perimeter threat, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting her 3-pointers at 44 percent (70-for-159). Katie Wilder is averaging 11.4 points per game and leads the team in assists at 3.4 per game. They will all be playing in their first NCAA Tournament game.

Lynne Roberts’ heart still pounds. The atmosphere is still electric. And she wants to experience something she never has before as a coach – a regional title. Seven other teams want to experience the same thing, however, and Chico State will have to get past a one-time Wildcat first Friday night to keep those hopes alive.

The game will be broadcast on KPAY 1290 AM radio. The pregame show will begin at approximately 2:20 p.m.

Simmons, last year’s CCAA Freshman of the Year, led the CCAA with 13 double-doubles and finished second in the CCAA in scoring (18.5 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg), and field-goal percentage (.530). The 5’11” sophomore post from Chico is the only CCAA player to rank in the top five in all three categories. She also ranks sixth in blocks and tenth in steals.

Ford, a 5’11” junior from Redding, finished third in three-pointers (2.07 pg), 11th in scoring (12.7 ppg), 13th in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and 14th in assists (2.59 apg). Ford was named All-CCAA Second team last year.

Himmelspach, a First Team pick last season finished sixth in the CCAA in steals (2.42 spg) and free-throw percentage (.791). The senior guard from Chico ranked 12th among all CCAA players in scoring (12.6 ppg).

Roberts, in her fourth season at Chico State, guided the Wildcats to a 24-3 regular season record, including an 18-2 league mark that earned the ’Cats a second-consecutive CCAA Championship. Chico advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship West Regional for the fourth straight season under Robert’s direction. The 24-win mark ties the school record set last year when the Wildcats advanced to the regional title game. Roberts’ four-year career coaching record through the current regular season is 82-30 (.732).

UC San Diego’s Leora Juster was named Most Valuable Player of the Year and teammate Michelle Osier received Freshman of the Year honors.
Complete All-CCAA teams

03/06/06
Amber Simmons named CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK - Chico State's Amber Simmons has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 27- March 5.

Simmons, a 5-foot-11 forward from Chico, Calif., led the Wildcats to a 2-0 record over the weekend, including a win over Cal State Bakersfield. Chico State secured its second straight outright CCAA Championship by defeating Cal State L.A. Saturday.

In Friday’s 78-68 win over CSUB, Simmons led all players with 15 rebounds and dished out a seasonhigh six assists to go with her seven points. In Chico State’s 91-49 win over CSULA Saturday, she scored 26 points with 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. The double-double was here 13th of the season. She also shot 9-for-13 from the floor and 8-for-10 from the line.

For the week, she averaged 16.5 points, 13 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. Chico State closed out the regular season 24-3 and will take on Humboldt State (17-10) in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament on March 10.

03/05/06
Women's basketball team headed to NCAA Championship Tournament
Chico State to make fourth straight appearance
For the fourth year in a row, the Chico State women's basketball team has received a berth in the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.

This year the Wildcats received the No. 2 seed, the highest seeding in the school’s history, and will take on No. 7 Humboldt State in the opening round of the West Regional on March 10 in Bellingham, Wash. They earned that seed by winning their second consecutive CCAA Championship and finishing 24-3 to match last season’s total for the most wins in school history.

Although the Wildcats had hopes of hosting the event, the No.1-seed and hosting honor went to Western Washington University (26-1). All seven games of the regional tournament will be played on WWU’s home court, Sam Carver Gymnasium, including the Saturday night, Mar. 11, semifinals and the Monday, Mar. 13, championship game.

March 10 opening-day schedule:
12:30 - No. 3 Cal State Bakersfield (23-4) vs. No. 6 Cal State L.A. (20-7)
2:30 - No. 2 Chico State (24-3) vs. No. 7 Humboldt State (17-10)
5:30 – No. 4 UC San Diego (23-4) vs. No. 5 Seattle Pacific (22-5)
7:30 – No. 1 Western Washington (26-1) vs. No. 8 Northwest Nazarene University (17-10)

Game times on Saturday are 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. The championship game is Monday at 7:00 p.m.

In all, 64 teams received Division II berths nationwide. Winners of the eight regional tournaments will advance to the Elite Eight, Mar. 24-27 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The winner of the West Region will face the winner of the South Region in the opening round.

West Regional tickets will go on sale beginning Monday at noon at the WWU ticket office (360-650-2583). Prices are $10 for reserved seating and $8 for general admission, and $5 for students/youth general admission.

03/04/06
Women's basketball wins second straight CCAA Championship
Himmelspach scores season-high 26 on senior night
CHICO - Every drop of the icy cold water meant for Chico State Head Coach Lynne Roberts’ head wound up on the floor, but that was thing that disappointed the Wildcats Saturday night. Chico State hammered Cal State L.A. 91-49 to clinch sole possession of first place in the CCAA in the final game of the regular season at Acker Gym.

Chico State’s lone senior, Lauren Himmelspach, scored a season-high 26 points on senior night. Amber Simmons also scored 26 points and added 11 rebounds, five assists, and four steals as Chico State improved to 24-3 overall and 18-2 in the CCAA. The 24 wins match last season’s total for the most in school history. Cal State L.A. dropped to 20-7 overall and 14-6 in the CCAA.

The Wildcats, winners of 19 straight at home, now await Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament selection show to find out where they will be playing as part of the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Entering the weekend, Cal State Bakersfield was ranked No. 1 in the region, Western Washington was No. 2, and the Wildcats were No. 3. Chico State beat Bakersfield Friday night. The Roadrunners won at Cal State Stanislaus Saturday night. Western Washington won both of its games this week. Still, any of those teams could be chosen to host the regional.

Tiffaney Maddox paced Cal State L.A. with 20 points. Amber Foust finished with 12, and Monica Tokoro chipped in 11. The Golden Eagles, who entered the weekend No. 6 in the region, might be Chico State’s first-round opponent in the regional.

Saturday, however, the Wildcats made the Golden Eagles look like anything but a tournament team. Chico State led 39-24 at intermission and won going away. Defensively, the Wildcats were again strong, holding the Golden Eagles to just 31 percent shooting and turning 18 turnovers into a 26-8 edge in points off turnovers. Chico State has now won 41 straight games in which it held an opponent to fewer than 70 points.

03/03/06
Wildcats dance to another CCAA Championship
Van Hollebeke sparks late run
CHICO - Disco was in the last time the Chico State women’s basketball team won consecutive conference championships. The Wildcats were dancing again Friday night. Amy Van Hollebeke spun and swerved her way to nine points in just under two minutes during a late 9-2 Chico State run that turned a nailbighter into a 78-68 win against Cal State Bakersfield in front of a raucous crowd of 1,208 at Acker Gym.

The Wildcats last won back-to-back conference titles in the 1970-71, 71-72 seasons under then Head Coach Fran Coslet, who brought a little mojo to the Chico State bench as the guest coach. The Acker Gym mojo helped too. The Wildcats have now won 18 straight home games. Chico State, which holds a one-game lead over UC San Diego, can clinch the CCAA title outright with a win in their final regular-season game at home against Cal State L.A. Saturday night. Tipoff is set for 5:30.

Ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 3 in the West Region entering the weekend, the Wildcats improved to 23-3 overall and 17-2 in the CCAA. The 23 wins are the most regular-season wins in the program’s history. Cal State Bakersfield, which entered the weekend ranked No. 14 in the nation, No. 1 in the West Region, and with hopes of hosting the regional tournament, dipped to 22-4 overall and 15-4 in the CCAA. The Roadrunners’ loss, coupled with Western Washington’s victory over Seattle Pacific Thursday night, likely ended those dreams.

Haley Ford led Chico State with 21 points and Van Hollebeke scored 20, but it was rebounding and defense that paved the way to victory for the Wildcats. Chico State outrebounded Bakersfield 49-25 and scored 20 second-chance points to the Roadrunners’ eight. Amber Simmons led the way with 15 rebounds, Jennifer Borror pulled down 12, and Ford grabbed nine to go along with six steals.

Chico State’s defense, meanwhile, limited the Roadrunners to their third-lowest scoring output of the season. Bakersfield entered the weekend ranked fourth in the nation in scoring at 83.5 points per game. Chico State has now won 40 straight games in which it has limited its opponents to fewer than 70 points.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 27-13 lead twelve minutes into the game and parlayed that advantage into a 44-31 halftime cushion. The Wildcats did most of their damage on the glass, turning 20 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.

Bakersfield slowly whittled away at the lead in the second half and drew to within 63-60 with 4:15 to play on Rhonda Johnson’s layup. After the teams traded missed shots, Wildcats Head Coach Lynne Roberts called Van Hollebeke’s number despite the fact she was 2-of-9 from the floor at that point. Her sophomore point guard responded with a 3-pointer, followed by a layup, a pair of free throws, and another layup that capped a 9-2 run over 1:54 that stretched Chico State’s lead back to 72-62. The Wildcats were 6-for-6 from the line in the final minute to seal the win.

Johnson and Kelley Tarver led Bakersfield with 14 points each. Krista Arase chipped in 12 points and a game-high seven assists. Katie McElree, one of the favorites for CCAA Player of the Year honors, was held to just nine points on 4-of-10 shooting and committed four turnovers.

03/02/06
CCAA women's basketball title could be decided Friday
Victory over Bakersfield would clinch at least a share of championship for 'Cats
It’s fitting that former Chico State Head Coach Fran Coslet will be on the bench as the guest coach Friday night when the Wildcats host Cal State Bakersfield with a chance to clinch their second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association championship. The Wildcats have not won back-to-back conference titles since Coslet was on the bench in the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons. A win Friday would clinch at least a share of the title for Chico State, which leads Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego by one game entering the final weekend.

With that title on the line, there is no place the Wildcats would rather be than in their own Acker Gym where they have won 17 straight games. The second game of that streak was an 89-70 win against Bakersfield and marked the first time ever the Wildcats beat the Roadrunners. They wound up sweeping the season series and finishing with the most wins in the program’s history at 24-6 last season.

Bakersfield exacted some revenge earlier this season with a 92-68 win in Bakersfield. The Roadrunners got 33 points from senior Katie McElree and 16 points and 12 rebounds from Jessie Loring in a convincing win. But since then, the Roadrunners have struggled a bit, dropping games to Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills. Meanwhile, the Wildcats have reeled off eight straight wins since inserting Amy Van Hollebeke into the starting lineup after the Bakersfield loss.

Though the game features two of the nation’s highest scoring teams – Bakersfield is fourth at 83.5 points per game and Chico State is seventh at 81.2 points per game – defense might be the key. The Wildcats have won 37 straight games in which they’ve held their opponent to under 70 points and they’ve held their opponents to an average of just 57 points per game during their recent winning streak.

Offensively, Amber Simmons is Chico State’s go-to player, as always. She ranks 23td in the nation in scoring at 18.6 points per game, and has registered three double-doubles in three career games against Bakersfield. Simmons will not be asked to carry the load alone, however. Fellow post player Jennifer Borror has been outstanding over the past four games, averaging eight points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot per game. Van Hollebeke has also shined since being inserted into the starting lineup, averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc.

03/01/06
Top of West Region rankings remain the same
Huge matchups this weekend likely to decide top seed; Wildcats in the mix to host first regional in school history
Despite a loss at Cal State L.A. last week, the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team kept its hold on the No. 1 spot in the West Region rankings this week. The Roadrunners were followed by No. 2 Western Washington, No. 3 Chico State, No. 4 UC San Diego, No. 5 Seattle Pacific, No. 6 Cal State L.A., No. 7 Humboldt State, No. 8 Northwest Nazarene, and No. 9 Central Washington. The top eight teams in the region will earn berths in the West Regional of the NCAA Championship Tournament which tips off March 10.

The top seed in the West will have the opportunity to host the regional, and just who that team will be is still very much in doubt. Chico State hosts two of the region's biggest game of the season this weekend when top-seeded Cal State Bakersfield visits Friday and No. 6 Cal State L.A. visits Saturday. A weekend sweep would put the Wildcats in prime position to host the regional for the first time in school history. Thursday night in Seattle, No. 2 Western Washington and No. 5 Seattle Pacific will face off in another game that has huge regional reprocussions.

The NCAA Tournament field and regional hosts will be announced Sunday night at 7 p.m..

02/28/06
Eyes of the West Region on Acker Gym Friday Night
The California Collegiate Athletic Association title will be on the line in perhaps the biggest home game in the history of Chico State women’s basketball when Cal State Bakersfield visits this Friday night. Chico State is ranked No. 16 in the nation according to the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll released Tuesday. Cal State Bakersfield is No. 14, but the defending CCAA champion Wildcats hold a one-game edge in the conference standings entering the final weekend of play.

Chico State is 22-3 overall and 16-2 in conference action, while Cal State Bakersfield is 22-3 and 15-3 in CCAA play. The Roadrunners got the better of Chico State in their only meeting thus far this season, however. Western Washington University, 24-1, is the only West Region team ranked higher than Chico State and Bakersfield at No. 7. UC San Diego, tied with Bakersfield for second place in the CCAA at 21-4 overall and 15-3 in conference, moved up one spot to No. 23 in the nation this week.

Washburn University (27-0) remained atop the poll this week, followed by the University of North Dakota (30-0). They, along with eighth-ranked Rollins College (26-0) are the only remaining undefeated teams in the nation.

Jennifer Borror finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Haley Ford scored 12 points and added four assists and a pair of steals. Sonoma State limited CCAA Player of the Year hopeful Amber Simmons to eight points and seven rebounds.

Chico State led by as many as nine in the first half before the Seawolves began cutting into their lead. A 6-0 Sonoma State run over the final three and a half minutes left the score tied at 26 heading into the half. Chico took the lead for good at the 14:30 mark on a jumper by Haley Ford. Chico’s lead got as big as 11 before it was sliced into again late in the half. SSU brought it to within four at 51-47 with 2:16 left before a Haley Ford three-pointer with just over a minute to go iced it for the Wildcats.

Sonoma State got 17 points from senior Jessica Jennings and 10 from Nichola Hester. The Seawolves fell to 10-15 overall and 7-11 in the CCAA.

Chico State defeated San Francisco State 96-55 Friday night at The Swamp in San Francisco. Simmons led five Wildcats in double figures with 24 points on 10-13. She also added four steals and two blocks, all in just 22 minutes of work. Behind Jennifer Borror’s 17 rebounds, the Wildcats outrebounded the Gators 53-33. Freshman Cory Edwards also had 12 boards.

Chloe Grimm had 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the way for the gators. Leslie miller also chipped in 11 points and 4 steals.

Chico State wraps up the regular season at home this weekend against Cal State Bakersfield Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Cal State L.A. Saturday at 5:30.

02/22/06
Women's basketball team remains No. 3 in West, No. 16 in nation
A pair of home victories over the weekend were enough to secure the Chico State women's basketball team's standing among the best teams in the West Region and in the nation. The Wildcats, 20-3 overall and tied for first place with Cal State Bakersfield atop the CCAA standings at 14-2, remained No. 3 in the West Region and No. 16 in the nation according to the latest polls.

In the West Region, where the top eight teams earn a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional, the Wildcats trail No. 1 Cal State Bakersfield and No. 2 Western Washington. UC San Diego is currently No. 4, followed by Seattle Pacific, Cal State L.A., Northwest Nazerene, and Cal State Dominguez Hills. Humboldt State and Central Washington, ranked ninth and 10th respectively, are currently on the outside looking in.

There was very little movement in the national poll this week. Eighth-ranked Western Washington holds the same spot it did the previous week, as did 24th-ranked UC San Diego. Cal State Bakersfield moved up one spot from No. 14 to No. 13.

02/21/06
Women's basketball team sixth in the nation in scoring
In Lynne Roberts’ tenure at the helm of the Chico State women’s basketball program, the Wildcats have developed a reputation as an attacking, high-powered offense. This season is no exception. The Wildcats, ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 3 in the West, have averaged 82.7 points per game, the sixth highest total in the nation.

However, perhaps the main reason the 20-3 Wildcats are off to their best start in school history is their defense. Chico State ranks 31st in the nation in field goal percentage defense and the Wildcats are allowing just 62.1 points per game, their lowest under Roberts.

The Wildcats also rank among the nation’s leaders in a number of other categories. They are 12th in scoring margin at 20.5 points per game, 14th in rebound margin at 8.7 per game, 17th in 3-point field goals per game at 7.3, and 30th in 3-point percentage at 36.3.

Individually, Amber Simmons and Amy Van Hollebeke are both among the national statistical leaders. Simmons’ 18.9 points per game are the 23rd most in the nation, and her field goal percentage of 53 percent is 43rd. Van Hollebeke ranks 28th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.8 percent.

02/18/06
Women's basketball wins 17th straight home affair
CHICO - The Chico State women’s basketball team won its 17th straight home game and prevailed for the 37th straight time it held an opponent to fewer than 70 points in a 67-52 victory over Cal Poly Pomona Saturday night at Acker Gym. Haley Ford scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats (20-3), who remain in a tie for first place atop the CCAA with Cal State Bakersfield at 14-2 with four regular-season games to play.

Amber Simmons scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds for 16th-ranked Chico State, which is also ranked No. 3 in the West Region. Lauren Himmelspach finished with 12 points, and Jennifer Borror led all players with 13 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Shanika Perkins led Cal Poly Pomona (10-13, 7-9 CCAA) with 15 points and three steals. Ashley Moody scored nine points, but the Broncos made just 13-of-44 shots and saw Chico State outrebound them 42-25. Only a 22-of-24 performance from the free throw line kept the Broncos close.

Ford finished with three rebounds, the third of which was the 474th of her career, trying her with Mary Ann Macur (1974-78) for 10th place on Chico State’s career list. She also buried her 50th 3-pointer to become just the fourth player in Chico State history to accomplish that feat twice.

Chico State travels to take on San Francisco State Friday night and Sonoma State Saturday night before returning home to wrap up the regular season with games against Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State L.A. the following weekend.

02/17/06
Ford steals victory for Wildcats, who hold off Dominguez Hills
CHICO - Haley Ford, like many other players this season, had a hard time stopping Cal State Dominguez Hills point guard Tameka Blue. With the game on the line, though, Ford blocked Blue’s shot and then stole a pass from her to secure the Chico State women’s basketball team’s 74-73 victory Friday night at Acker Gym. Chico State’s 19-3 record is its best ever through 22 games.

Blue finished with 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting, her last basket coming with 59 seconds to play that drew the Toros within one point. After Amber Simmons missed a jumper, Dominguez Hills had two opportunities to win the game. But with 19 seconds left, Blue had a layup attempt blocked by Ford.

The Toros grabbed the offensive rebound to give Blue one more opportunity to win the game, but Ford cut off her drive attempt and then grabbed a desperate pass right out of her hand with six seconds to play.

Ford missed both ends of a one-and-one, but grabbed the offensive rebound to secure the victory. Chico State, ranked 16th in the nation and 3rd in the West Region, improved to 13-2 in the CCAA. The Wildcats have won 16 straight home games. Cal State Dominguez Hills fell to 13-8 overall and 8-7 in the CCAA.

Amber Simmons led the Wildcats with 21 points, 14 of which came in the first half. Jennifer Borror notched her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Audriana Spencer was 5-for-5 from the field and scored 14 points.

Blue pocketed five steals and was one of the main forces behind Chico State’s 29 turnovers. Brandi McGinest chipped in 17 points.

The Wildcats are back in action Saturday night when they host Cal Poly Pomona at 5:30.

02/15/06
Van Hollebeke's hot shooting has her among nation's best
Chico State women’s basketball point guard Amy Van Hollebeke has only been starting for a couple of weeks, but she’s already parlayed that move into some national recognition. In four games as a starter, Van Hollebeke has shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (17-for-34) while averaging 14.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. That accurate 3-point shooting has rocketed her to 17th in the nation in 3-point percentage according to the latest NCAA statistics released Wednesday.

While Van Hollebeke entered those rankings for the first time this week, three of her teammates, who have been ranked among the nation’s best all season, remain this week. Sophomore post player Amber Simmons, the reigning CCAA Player of the Week, is among the nation’s leaders in points per game (24th, 18.9), rebounds per game (36th, 9.3), and field goal percentage (46th, 52.9).

Audriana Spencer, who moved to the wing when Van Hollebeke was inserted into the starting lineup, remains among the nation’s assist leaders. She’s averaging 4.8 assists per game, 46th best in the nation. Lauren Himmelspach, meanwhile, ranks 46th in the nation in steals at 2.8 per game.

Chico State also ranks among the nation’s best in a number of team categories. The Wildcats are fifth in the nation in scoring at 83.8 points per game. Their average scoring margin of 21.7 points is the 11^th best in the nation. The Wildcats also rank among the nation’s top 40 in rebound margin (14th, 8.5), 3-pointers per game (25th, 7.1), field goal percentage defense (28th, 35.7), and 3-point percentage (36th, 35.6).

02/15/06
Women's basketball rises to No. 3 in West, No. 16 in nation
Thanks to a 90-66 victory over UC San Diego last Friday, the Chico State women’s basketball team leapfrogged the Tritons to move up to No. 3 in the latest West Region rankings released Wednesday. The top eight teams in the region qualify for the West Regional of the NCAA Championship Tournament.

Cal State Bakersfield remains atop the West rankings, followed by Western Washington, Chico State, UC San Diego, Seattle Pacific, Cal State L.A., Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Northwest Nazarene. Humboldt State, ranked ninth, and 10th-ranked Central Washington are currently on the outside looking in.

Chico State takes on Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly Pomona at home this weekend. The Wildcats, winners of four in a row, also moved up one spot to No. 16 in the national rankings.

02/13/06
Amber Simmons named CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK - Chico State forward Amber Simmons has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 6-12.

Simmons, a 5’11” sophomore from Chico, Calif., led the Wildcats to a pair of crucial victories as Chico State moved into a first-place tie with Cal State Bakersfield last weekend.

In Friday’s 90-68 win over UC San Diego (Feb. 10), Simmons scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds with two assists, two blocks and two steals. She shot 7-for-15 from the field (47 percent) and 4-of-6 from the line.

Simmons had 23 points and 11 rebounds for a conference-leading 12th double-double of the season in Chico State’s 77-56 win over Cal State San Bernardino Saturday (Feb. 11). She also added five assists, three blocks and four steals and shot 10-for-15 from the field (67 percent) and 3-for-8 from the foul line.

For the week, Simmons averaged 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 steals per game. She shot 57 percent (17 for 30) from the field. The Wildcats improved to 18-3 on the season, including a 12-2 mark in league play.

02/11/06
Women's basketball moves into tie for first in CCAA
CHICO - Amber Simmons finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Chico State women’s basketball team beat Cal State San Bernardino 77-56 and moved into a tie for first place atop the CCAA Friday night. Chico State’s win, coupled with Cal State Bakersfield’s loss, left both teams 12-2 in the CCAA.

Chico State cruised to a 44-21 halftime lead and then held off the Coyotes in the second half. They improved to 18-3 with the win. That is the best start for the Wildcats since they started 17-1 in 1975-76. Cal State San Bernardino fell to 12-9 overall and 6-8 in the CCAA.

Haley Ford scored 14 points for the Wildcats, Amy Van Hollebeke added 13, and Niki Simons scored 10 points off the bench.

Monique Cruz paced Cal State San Bernardino with 13 points and Christina Day scored 12, but the Coyotes shot just 34 percent and turned the ball over 22 times.

Chico State is back in action at home next weekend when it hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday and Cal Poly Pomona Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 7:30.

02/10/06
Wildcats blow out UC San Diego 90-68 in crucial game
CHICO - It was supposed to be the West Region game of the week. It was supposed to be a nail-biter between two of the nation’s top 25 teams. The Chico State women’s basketball team turned it into a blowout. They raced to a 47-27 halftime lead and ran away with a 90-68 victory over visiting UC San Diego Friday night at Acker Gym to take over sole possession of second place in the CCAA. They trail conference leader Cal State Bakersfield by a game.

Chico State (17-3, 11-2 CCAA) entered the contest ranked 17^th in the nation and fourth in the West Region. UC San Diego (15-4, 10-3 CCAA) was 21^st in the nation and third in the region. The Tritons began garnering national recognition with a 79-77 upset of the Wildcats in San Diego in early January.

Chico State avenged the loss with ease, however, and ran its home winning streak to 14 games in the process. Jennifer Borror totaled career highs in points (16), assists (5), steals (6), and pulled down seven rebounds, to lead Chico State’s attack. Amber Simmons bagged her 11^th double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Amy Van Hollebeke dished out a career-best nine assists to go along with her 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

Michelle Osier led UC San Diego with 18 points and eight rebounds. Leora Juster chipped in 15, but the nation’s seventh-leading scorer entering the weekend (22.2 ppg) was limited to 3-of-16 shooting by a tenacious Wildcats defense that often double-teamed her and forced her into eight turnovers.

Chico State is back in action Saturday night when it hosts Cal State San Bernardino at 5:30. The Wildcats have now won 35 straight games in which they limited their opponent to less than 70 paints.

02/08/06
Wildcats move up spot to No. 4 in West Region
No. 3 UC San Diego visits Friday
Acker Gym should be rocking Friday night when UC San Diego comes to town for the biggest women's basketball game of the season thus far. Chico State (16-3, 10-2 CCAA) enters the contest ranked 17th in the nation and fourth in the Western Region. UC San Diego (15-3, 10-2 CCAA) is ranked 21st in the nation and third in the region.

The winner will take over second place in the CCAA, and should Cal State Bakersfield slip up against Cal Poly Pomona, would move into a tie for first. The top eight teams in the final Western Regional rankings will advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament.

The Wildcats have won their last 13 home games dating back to last season, and Friday night will mark the first of six home games for Chico State in Acker Gym during the final eight games of the regular season. UC San Diego is no slouch on the road, however, compiling a 7-1 mark in hostile territory.

UC San Diego beat Chico State 79-77 earlier this season in San Diego when Amy Van Hollebeke's 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out. Leora Juster scored 26 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Tritons. Amber Simmons torched UC San Diego for 30 points and 13 rebounds, but the rest of the Wildcats were limited to 16-of-51 shooting (31 percent).

Twelfth-ranked Cal State Bakersfield remains on top of the regional rankings this week after beating UC San Diego over the weekend. Eighth-ranked Western Washington is No. 2, followed by UC San Diego, Chico State, Cal State L.A., Seattle Pacific, Northwest Nazarene, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Central Washington.

02/06/06
Amy Van Hollebeke named CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK - Chico State guard Amy Van Hollebeke has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of January 30-Feb. 5.

Van Hollebeke, a 5’6” sophomore from Carlsbad, Calif., made the most of her first two collegiate starts in leading the Wildcats to two road victories as Chico State improved to 16-3 overall and 10-2 in the CCAA in a two-way tie for second place with UC San Diego.

Van Hollebeke recorded career highs with 22 points on 7 of 11 shooting from the field in Chico State’s 97-38 win over Cal State Stanislaus. She was also a career-best 5-for-8 in three-point field goals. Van Hollebeke also added 4 steals and 3 assists in her first start.

In Chico State’s 101-66 win over CSU Monterey Bay Saturday, she scored 19 points on 6-for-13 from the field with a career high 8 assists to go with 3 steals and 4 rebounds. She was 4-for-11 from behind the arc.

For the week, Van Hollebeke averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 2 rebounds. She shot 54 percent from the floor (13-for-24) and 47 percent in three-point field goals (9-for-19).

02/04/06
Van Hollebeke leads balanced effort with 19 points and eight dimes as 'Cats move into tie for second place
Second place on line when UC San Diego visits Friday
SEASIDE - Amy Van Hollebeke kept rolling in her second career start and the Chico State women's basketball team rolled over the century mark for the fourth time in four games against Cal State Monterey Bay in a 101-66 win Saturday night at the Kelp Bed. The win moved to Wildcats into a tie with UC San Diego for second place and kept them within one game of conference leader Bakersfield.

Van Hollebeke buried four 3-pointers and tallied game highs in points (19) and assists (8) as the Wildcats improved to 16-3 overall and 10-2 in the CCAA. Amber Simmons scored 17 points, Lauren Himmelspach netted 16, Nikki Simons finished with 14, and Haley Ford added 12 for the Wildcats. Cal State Monterey Bay (3-16, 2-10 CCAA) was paced by Jennifer Lopez's 15 points.

Chico State forced the Sea Otters into 33 turnovers, leading to a 40-7 advantage in points off turnovers. Van Hollebeke, Jennifer Borror, and Simons snatched three steals apiece.

The Wildcats, ranked 16th in the nation and 4th in the Western Region, return home Friday night to face UC San Diego to begin a stretch in which they finish out the regular season by playing six of their final eight at home. UC San Diego is currently ranked No. 3 in the region and 21st in the nation.

02/01/06
Van Hollebeke, Spencer get Wildcats started
TURLOCK - A change did the Chico State women’s basketball team good Wednesday night in a 97-38 drubbing of host Cal State Stanislaus. Sophomore point guard Amy Van Hollebeke made her first collegiate start and regular point guard Audriana Spencer moved to the wing. The pair combined for 38 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, as the Wildcats moved to within a half game of first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Van Hollebeke scored a career-high 22 points on a career-high 5-of-8 three-pointers, and also notched a career-best four steals. Spencer scored 16 points and pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds for her second career double-double.

The Wildcats, ranked 16^th in the nation and fourth in the Western Region, improved to 15-3 overall and 9-2 in the CCAA. Cal State Stanislaus dropped to 6-9 overall and 2-6 in the CCAA.

Chico State’s margin of victory was its largest on the road since 1991. The Wildcats are back in action Saturday night when they travel to face Cal State Monterey Bay at 5:30. After that, they’ll finish the regular season with six of their final eight games at Acker Gym.

02/01/06
Women's basketball drops four spots to No. 16 after Bakersfield loss, but moves up a spot in the West Region poll
After spending six weeks ranked 12th in the nation, the Chico State women’s basketball team finally made a move in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll this week. Unfortunately, they moved in the wrong direction. The Wildcats dropped four spots to No. 16 following a weekend in which they slipped by Cal State L.A. 55-52 and then lost 92-68 at then 17th-ranked Cal State Bakersfield.

The Roadrunners moved up four spots to No. 13 with the victory. Eighth-ranked Western Washington is the highest-ranked team in the rankings representing the Western Region. UC San Diego is ranked 21st. Seattle Pacific is listed among others receiving votes.

With its win over Chico State, Bakersfield also strengthened its grip on the West Region’s top ranking. Chico State, meanwhile, leapfrogged Cal State L.A, into the fourth spot. UC San Diego No. 2, Western Washington No. 3, Cal State L.A. No. 5, Seattle Pacific No. 6, Northwest Nazarene No. 7, Cal State Dominguez Hills No. 8, Humboldt State No. 9, and Cal State San Bernardino No. 10. The top eight teams in the regional rankings following the completion of the regular season will earn a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament.

02/01/06
Simmons among nation's top 30 in points, rebounds, and shooting
Chico State sophomore post player Amber Simmons currently ranks among the nation’s top 30 in three categories. She’s 22nd in points per game (18.9), 29th in rebounds per game (9.5), and 30th in field-goal percentage (54.7). Teammate Audriana Spencer ranks 28th in assists per game at 5.3, while Lauren Himmelspach ranks 25th in steals per game at 3.0.

As a team, the Wildcats rank sixth in the nation in points per game (82.1), 13th in rebound margin (8.2), 15th in scoring margin (18.8), and 39th in 3-point field goals per game (6.6).

For complete NCAA statistical rankings, please visit http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/womens/stats/stats

01/28/06
No. 12 Wildcats lose big at 19th-ranked Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD --– Katie McElree told a local reporter that she had been looking forward to playing Chico State ever since the Wildcats swept Cal State Bakersfield last season. For McElree, the game was worth the wait. She scored 33 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block as the host Roadrunners handed Chico State its worst loss since the 2002-03 season Saturday night, 92-68.

The loss dropped the 12th-ranked Wildcats (14-3, 8-2 CCAA) into third place in the CCAA, a game behind Cal State Bakersfield (16-1, 9-1 CCAA) and UC San Diego, at the halfway point of the conference slate.

Amber Simmons scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season and the 26th of her career to lead Chico State. Haley Ford finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season and the 10th of her career.

The Wildcats fell behind 6-0 early and trailed throughout the game. Simmons’ layup to start the second half cut the deficit to 43-33, but McElree answered with a 3-pointer and a layup, and Chico State never got back within striking distance.

Chico State is back in action Wednesday night when it takes the road to face Cal State Stanislaus.

01/27/06
No. 12 Wildcats win close one over Cal State L.A. on the road
Chico State faces No. 19 Bakersfield tomorrow
LOS ANGELES - In what could play out to be the biggest roadtrip of the Wildcats’ season, the 12^th-ranked Chico State women’s basketball team took care of business on Friday night beating Cal State L.A. 58-54 in a tight contest. The Wildcats take on No. 17 Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday night.

The win is not only important in the CCAA Standings, where the Wildcats (14-2, 8-1 CCAA) remain in a three-way tie for first place with Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego, but also in the regional rankings, where the Wildcats entered the weekend ranked No. 5, one spot below Cal State L.A. (12-4, 6-3 CCAA). Cal State Bakersfield is ranked No. 1 in the West.

Chico State dominated the early going as the Wildcats used a 13-0 run over a six-minute span to open up a 17-6 margin midway through the first half. The Chico lead was still 11 points at 24-13 with 3:41 to go in the period before Cal State L.A. closed the half on a 9-0 run, holding Chico State to just one point over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the period as the Golden Eagles closed the gap to 24-22 by intermission.

The Cal State L.A. run continued in the second half as CSULA opened the period on an 8-0 spurt to build a 30-24 lead early in the second half. Chico State would not reclaim the lead until a Jennifer Borror free throw with 6:23 to go gave the Wildcats a 41-40 lead. Cal State L.A. answered back with a pair of jumpers to take a 44-43 lead with 5:08 remaining.

The Wildcats held a five-point edge at 55-50 with 44 seconds left, but four CSLA free throws cut the gap to one point at 55-54 with 21 seconds to go. Niki Simons made 1-of-2 free throws for Chico State with 13 seconds left. Amber Simmons blocked Cal State L.A,’s final effort and was fouled. She made both free throws at the other end to ice the game.

For the Wildcats, who have now won five straight, Borror notched her third double-double in the last four games with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Simmons led the team with19 points and Haley Ford ended the game with nine points and 11 rebounds.

CSLA’s Monica Tokoro led all scorers with 23 points and was the only Golden Eagle in double figures. Charmaine Utz led her team with 11 rebounds.

01/25/06
'Cats remain 12th in nation, fifth in region but changes on horizon
For the sixth consecutive week, the Chico State women's basketball team is ranked 12th in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, released Tuesday. The Wildcats also held steady at No. 5 in the West Region poll, though both of those numbers could change following this weekend's games at Cal State L.A. (ranked fourth in the west region) and Cal State Bakersfield (ranked 17th in the nation and first in the region).

Washburn University (Kan.) remained atop the national rankings at 18-0, followed by fellow unbeaten University of North Dakota - Grand Forks (22-0). Western Washington University and UC San Diego, which handed the 13-2 Wildcats their only two losses of the season, are ranked eighth and 25th in the nation, respectively.

01/25/06
Wildcats among nation's best offensively and on boards
The high-powered Chico State women's basketball team is fifth in the nation in points per game at 84.6 and eighth in average margin of victory at 22.6 according to the NCAA national statistics report released this week. As a team, the Wildcats are also ranked 17th in rebounding margin (8.3), 20th in win-loss percentage (86.7), 24th in 3-point field goals per game (7.1), 32nd in field goal percentage (44.5) and 35th in field goal percentage defense (36.3).

Individually, Amber Simmons, Audriana Spencer, and Lauren Himmelspach are each among the nation's top 30 in at least one category. Spencer ranked 14th in the nation in assists per game (5.9). Himmelspach is currently 15th in steals per game (3.4). Simmons enters the weekend ranked 19th in field goal percentage (56.9), 23rd in rebounds per game (9.7), and 28th in points per game (18.3).

01/21/06
Ford drives Wildcats to 13th straight home win
CHICO - Haley Ford scored 20 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, matching her career-high in boards, as the Chico State women’s basketball team handled visiting San Francisco State 76-61 Saturday night at Acker Gymnasium.

The Wildcats, ranked 12th in the nation and fifth in the region entering the weekend, have now won 13 straight home games dating back to last season. They are 13-2 overall and in a three-way tie with Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego atop the CCAA standings at 7-1.

San Francisco State (4-10, 0-8) stayed in striking distance for much of the night, but never got closer than nine after the opening minute of the second half. The Wildcats kept their distance thanks to a 45-27 edge on the glass.

Jennifer Borror (12) and Amber Simmons (10) gave the Wildcats three players in rebounding double-figures. Simmons notched her ninth double-double of the season and the 25th of her young career by adding 13 points.

Amy Van Hollebeke came off the bench to score 14 points in 18 minutes of work, while starting point guard Audriana Spencer scored 12 points and dished out a game-high six assists.

Farryn Lewis paced San Francisco State with 15 points, Maria Orozco scored 12 on four 3-pointers, and Bobbie Waldon and Krystal Mays added 10 points apiece.

The Wildcats take the road to face Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield next Friday and Saturday, respectively.

01/20/06
No. 12 Wildcats remain undefeated at home
CHICO - The Chico State women’s basketball team remains undefeated at home this year at 6-0 and runs its home winning streak to 12 games with an 81-54 win over Sonoma State in a California Collegiate Athletic Assoication game on Friday night in Acker Gym.

The 12^th-ranked Wildcats improve to 12-2 overall, 6-1 in CCAA play, which keeps them tied with UC San Diego in second place. No. 19 Cal State Bakersfield leads the CCAA with a 7-1 record. Sonoma State drops to 7-7 overall, 4-3 in conference play.

The Wildcats took the lead five minutes into the game and built the advantage to 14 points on a jumper by Niki Simons with 6:37 left, but the Seawolves outscored the ‘Cats 15-6 to finish out the period and cut the lead to five points, 35-30, at halftime.

In the second half, Chico padded its lead to 15 points before Sonoma cut the deficit to nine points midway through period, but Chico quickly built the lead to 20 points over the next five minutes and cruised to the win.

Haley Ford led four Wildcats in double figures with 18 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Jennifer Borror recorded her second straight double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Lauren Himmelspach tallied 12 points and Niki Simons came off the bench to score 17 points, 10 in the first half.

Sonoma’s Jessica Jennings led all scorers with 22 points, but was the only Seawolf to reach double digits. Jennings led Sonoma with five rebounds, along with Lauren Powers who recorded five rebounds and nine points.

Chico State hosts San Francisco State tomorrow at 5:30. Sonoma State travels to Cal State Stanislaus.

01/18/06
Wildcats ranked 12th nationally, fifth in region
It's a different week but the same story for the Chico State women's basketball team, which is ranked No. 12 in the nation for the fifth consecutive week according to the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll released Tuesday. In another way, meanwhile, the week offered the Wildcats a brand new story. In the first West Regional poll released by the NCAA this season, the Wildcats are No. 5. The top eight teams in the final poll earn berths in the NCAA Tournament.

The region has been highly competitive this season, with every team absorbing at least one loss to another team in the region. But thanks, at least in part, to victories over Chico State and Cal State Bakersfield, UC San Diego opens the rankings on top. The Tritons are followed by Bakersfield, Western Washington, Cal State L.A., Chico State, Seattle Pacific, Sonoma State, Northwest Nazarene, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Humboldt State, which rounds out the top 10.

In important regional matchups this week, Cal State L.A. takes on Bakersfield Wednesday night, Humboldt State hosts Seattle Pacific Thursday, Chico State faces Sonoma State and Dominguez Hills takes on UC San Diego Friday night, and Humboldt State plays host to Northwest Nazarene Saturday.

01/18/06
Simmons is doing things no one else is
She is only a sophomore, but Chico State's Amber Simmons is making a name for herself in the world of women's basketball. About midway through the regular season, Simmons ranks 15th in the nation in points per game (19.8), 18th in rebounds per game (9.9), and 16th in field goal percentage (57.7). No one else in the nation is among the top 20 in all three of those categories.

Meanwhile, another Wildcats sophomore, Audriana Spencer, ranks 11th in the nation in assists per game (6.2) and senior guard Lauren Himmelspach ranks 12th in steals per game (3.4).

01/14/06
Wildcats sweep road trip with win over Dominguez Hills
CARSON, Calif. – The Chico State women's basketball team posted four players in double figures to record a 75-52 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game on Saturday night and sweep their weekend roadtrip. The 12th-ranked Wildcats improve to 11-2 overall and 5-1 in CCAA play.

The Wildcats fell behind 24-16 with five minutes remaining in the first half, but Chico State used a 15-6 run, highlighted by six points each by Amber Simmons and Lauren Himmelspach, to edge the Toros and go into the locker room with a 31-30 advantage.

The Toros (7-5, 2-4 CCAA) outshot the Wildcats in the first half, but Chico used a 13-5 offensive rebounding advantage and benefited from the second-chance points.

Chico opened the second half on a 17-5 run over the first five minutes to take a 13-point lead. The Toros cut the lead to 10 with 12:24 left, but that was as close as the Toros would get the rest of the game.

The Wildcats were led by Simmons' eighth double-double of the season. She topped all scorers with 21 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Jennifer Borror recorded her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Audriana Spencer and Ford rounded out the Wildcats in double figures with 17 and 12 points, respectively.

The Wildcats play at home next weekend, taking on Sonoma State on Friday and San Francisco State on Saturday. Both games tip off at 5:30.

01/13/06
Simmons records seventh double-double in win over Pomona
POMONA - Amber Simmons had 14 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season in Chico State's 66-60 win over Cal Poly Pomona on Friday night in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.

The Broncos built an 18-12 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. A 3-pointer by Haley Ford, though, got the Wildcats on the comeback trail and Chico State quickly tied the game at 18-18 after a 3-pointer by Amy Van Hollebeke. The Wildcats led by as many as six points, 26-20, before the Broncos went on a 12-2 run that gave the Broncos a 32-28 edge. A pair of free throws by Audriana Spencer in the final minute of the half made it 36-36 at halftime.

Cal Poly Pomona took a 38-36 lead in the first minute of the second half, but that was the last advantage the Broncos would have. Chico State tied the game on a layup by Simmons and then took the lead for good, 42-40, after two free throws by Van Hollebeke with 15:42 to go.

Chico State built its lead to nine points, 53-44, and then led by four points or more the rest of the way. The Broncos, after falling behind by 10 points, sliced the deficit to four points, 60-56, with 1:43 remaining after a pair of free throws, but couldnt get any closer.

Lauren Himmelspach had 13 points and Spencer added 10 points, three rebounds and three assists for the No. 12-ranked Wildcats (10-2, 4-1 CCAA).

Chico State hit seven 3-pointers in the first half, two each by Himmelspach, Spencer and Van Hollebeke, then held the Broncos (5-7, 2-3) to just 19 percent from the field in the second half.

The Wildcats beat the Broncos for the fourth consecutive time, and travel to Cal State Dominguez Hills tonight in conference play.

01/10/06
Women's basketball team remains No. 12
The Chico State women’s basketball team remains at No. 12 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released Tuesday. The Wildcats (9-2) split a pair of games on the road over the weekend.

Western Washington, which beat the Wildcats in Bellingham earlier this season, leads all West Region teams at No. 9. Cal State Bakersfield moved up a spot to No. 19. Seattle Pacific, which Chico State defeated earlier this season, and UC San Diego, which nipped Chico State Saturday, are listed among those teams receiving votes.

01/10/06
Simmons among nation's top 25 in a trio of categories
Amber Simmons, Audriana Spencer, and Lauren Himmelspach each rank among the nation's top 25 Division II women's basketball players in at least one statistical category as of Tuesday, according to the NCAA. Simmons ranks 14th in field goal percentage (59.4), 17th in points per game (20.2), and 25th in rebounding (9.7 per game). Himmelspach is currently fifth in the nation in steals per game (4.0), and Spencer ranks 10th in assists per game (6.5).

Meanwhile, as a team, the 12th-ranked Wildcats are fourth in scoring offense (88.3), seventh in scoring margin (24.4), 15th in made 3-pointers per game (7.5), 29th in field goal percentage (45.2), 32nd in rebound margin (7.3), 39th in 3-piont field goal percentage (35.6), and 50th in field-goal percentage defense (36.4).

01/07/06
Wildcats lose close one to UC San Diego
LA JOLLA, Calif. - The Chico State women’s basketball team suffered its first California Collegiate Athletic Association loss of the season in a 79-77 battle with UC San Diego on Saturday night in RIMAC Arena. The 12th-ranked Wildcats fall to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play. UCSD improves to 8-2 overall with a 3-1 league mark.

The score was tied 10 times in the first half and ended tied at 47-47 at the break. The see-saw affair continued in the second half with Chico tying the score for the 18^th time in the game with two minutes remaining. UC San Diego went on to score the next four points on a jumper and two free throws for a four-point advantage with 30 seconds left. Jennifer Borror cut the lead to two with 11 seconds left and Chico managed to put up the tying shot, but it didn’t go.

Amber Simmons led all scorers with 30 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Jennifer Borror also grabbed 13 rebounds, along with scoring nine points. Lauren Himmelspach added 14 points, while Haley Ford chipped in with 12 points.

Leora Juster led UCSD with 26 points and seven assists. Michelle Osier recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Wildcats hit the road again this weekend with games at Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

01/06/06
12th-ranked Wildcats roll over Coyotes, 76-49
SAN BERNARDINO – The No. 12 Chico State Wildcats improved their conference record to a perfect 3-0 with a decisive 76-49 win over Cal State San Bernardino Friday night in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.

The Wildcats opened up an early 11-2 lead in the contest and led 40-18 at the half.

The defending CCAA Champion Wildcats are now 9-1 on the season. San Bernardino drops to 6-4 overall and 0-3 in the CCAA.

Lauren Himmelspach led the Wildcats with 15 points, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes. Amber Simmons, the CCAA's freshman of the year last season, had 14 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and a block in 18 minutes. Jennifer Borror led all players with 12 rebounds.

Mariqueta Starling finished with a team high 12 points for the Coyotes and Desiree Ekno finished with nine points.

Chico State shot 48 percent for the game (26-54) compared to 23 percent by San Bernardino and out rebounded the Coyotes 50-36.

The Wildcats head to UC San Diego for a 5:30 Saturday start.

12/27/05
Haley Ford named CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Chico State guard Haley Ford has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of December 19-25.

Ford, a junior from Redding, led the Wildcats to a pair of convincing victories at the St. Martin’s Budd Bay Embrodiery Classic (Dec. 20-21).

After producing 6 points and 6 rebounds in an 89-36 rout of Western Oregon, Ford poured in a career-high 34 points and added 7 assists, 7 rebounds and a career-high tying 6 steals in a 106-65 win over host St. Martin’s.

For the week, she averaged 20.0 points on 63 percent shooting (12-19), 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals over the two games.

Of the six CCAA Player of the Week honors awarded this season, three have gone to Chico State. Amber Simmons and Audi Spencer also received the honor.

12/21/05
Haley Ford has career night in win over St. Martin's
LACEY, Wash. - Haley Ford poured in a career-high 34 points, including a career-tying seven 3-pointers, and matched her career high with six steals to lead the Chico State women's basketball team to the 106-65 win over St. Martin's at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge in Washington on Wednesday night.

Ford had 27 points by halftime on 10-of-13 shooting and approached Chico State's single-game scoring record of 37 points held by Marissa Bradley and Lauren Himmelspach. The No. 12 Wildcats (8-1) held a 57-29 lead at intermission.

The Wildcats hit the century mark for the third time in their nine games. Five players finished in double figures. In addition to Ford's effort, Amber Simmons tallied 19 points, Amy Van Hollebeke contributed 12 points for the second straight night, Lauren Himmelspach had 11 points and seven assists and Audriana Spencer ended the night with 10 points and a game-high nine assists.

Simmons, Spencer, and Ford were named to the All-Tournament team, which also included Beth Layton and Whitney Golob from St. Martin's, Gwendolyn Page from Stanislaus, and Ali Crumb from Western Oregon.

Next up for the Wildcats is the continuation of CCAA play when they travel to San Bernardino and San Diego Jan. 6-7.

12/20/05
No. 12 Chico State has no problem with Western Oregon
LACEY, Wash. - No. 12 nationally ranked Chico State led from start to finish during a 89-36 dismantling of the Western Oregon women’s basketball team in the first game of the GNAC/CCAA Challenge at the Saint Martin’s Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.

The Wildcats improved to 7-1 with the 53-point win, while Western Oregon remained winless at 0-8. The Wildcats take on host Saint Martin’s tomorrow to wrap up the four-game format.

Chico State held a 52-21 rebound advantage and placed four players in double figures during the win. Sophomore Amber Simmons posted a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Lauren Himmelspach added 18 points and seven steals. Amy Van Hollebeke ended the game with 12 points and Jennifer Borror added 10 points.

The Wildcats had 20 steals in the game and hit eight of 19 shots from three-point range.

Chico State roared out of the blocks, scoring the first nine points of the game in a three minute span. They would out-rebound the Wolves 31-9 in the first half, which included 15 boards on the offensive end. WOU shot just 17 percent before intermission, converting only four field goals, three of those from three-point range. The Wildcats led at the break, 43-15.

12/20/05
Without playing a game, Wildcats drop to No. 12
Taking a week off from competition didn't help the Chico State women's basketball team in the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll. While the Wildcats sat idle for the week, previous No. 12 Glenville State (W. Va.) jumped to No. 9 and previous No. 13 Valdosta State moved to No. 11.

Chico State is ranked No. 12 with games tonight and tomorrow at the GNAC/CCAA Challenge in Lacey, Washington.

Washburn University in Kansas (9-0), University of North Dakota - Grand Forks (12-0), and Drury University (8-1) are the top three teams, respectively.

12/13/05
Wildcats hold at No. 11 in latest D-II poll
After a 2-1 record against tough competiton last week, the Wildcats remain at No. 11 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll.

Chico State is the only CCAA school ranked in the top 25. Washburn University (7-0) and Drury University (8-0) hold on to the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively.

Chico State (6-1) started the week with a 101-65 win over conference opponent Cal State Stanislaus on Wednesday.

On Friday, Chico beat last week's No. 3 ranked team, Seattle Pacific (4-2), 80-76 in overtime at the GNAC/CCAA Challenge. The Falcons drop to No. 10 this week after losing to Chico State and Sonoma State.

On Saturday, Chico lost 94-81 to last week's No-8 team, Western Washington. The Vikings (5-0) move up one spot to No. 7 this week after wins over both the Wildcats and Sonoma State.

12/12/05
Amber Simmons named CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK - Chico State forward Amber Simmons has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of December 5-11.

Simmons, a 5’11” sophomore from Chico, led the defending CCAA Champion Wildcats to a 2-1 week.

She averaged 22.0 points on 52.8 percent shooting, 12.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 blocked shots and 3.3 steals over three contests.

Simmons scored six of her 20 points in overtime and also finished with a season-high 15 rebounds, 7 steals and 2 assists in an 80-76 overtime win over defending West Region Champion and long-time nemesis No. 3 Seattle Pacific at the Western Washington CCAA/GNAC Challenge (Dec. 9).

That performance came after Simmons opened the week with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and an assist in a decisive 101-65 win over CCAA opponent Cal State Stanislaus (Dec. 7).

Simmons finished the week with 24 points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot in a 94-81 loss to No.8 ranked Western Washington (Dec. 10).

12/10/05
Wildcats' perfect start comes to an end with loss to No. 8 Western Washington
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - After beating third-ranked Seattle Pacific on Friday night, the Wildcats had little time to enjoy it before turning around to take on another top-10 opponent. Chico State didn't fare as well tonight, snapping its six-game winning streak with a 94-81 loss to No. 8 Western Washington in final-day action Saturday at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference/California Collegiate Athletic Association Challenge Classic.

The game was tight throughout the first half, which featured seven ties and four lead changes, but Western Washington (5-0) went on a 9-0 run to end the first period and take an 11-point advantage into the locker room, 41-30.

In the second half, Chico was down by as much as 15, but battled back with a 16-7 run to cut the lead to six points midway through the period, but the 'Cats could get no closer.

Chico State, which fell to 6-1, was led by the Lauren Himmelspach's 25 points, four assists, and five steals. Amber Simmons recorded her fourth double-double of the year with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Audriana Spencer had 12 points and Amy Van Hollebeke recorded nine points. The Wildcats were without the service of post player Renee Goldoff, who suffered an injury just before game time. Cory Edwards, starting in her place, grabbed eight rebounds and scored six points.

WWU's Mollie Stelmack, who came off the bench for the Vikings to contribute a team high 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists was named the tournament MVP. Center Courtney Clapp added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Vikings.

Clapp, Simmons and Himmelspach joined Stelmack on the all-tournament team, as did Sonoma State guard Natalia Worth and Seattle Pacific guard Mandy Wood.

The Wildcats head north again to Lacey, Wash., Dec. 20-21 to take on two more GNAC teams in the second GNAC/CCAA Challenge of the season. Chico State plays Western Oregon on Tuesday at 5:00 and St. Martin's on Wednesday at 7:00.

12/09/05
No. 11 Wildcats knock off No. 3 Seattle Pacific for sixth-straight win
First win ever for Chico State over SPU
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Forward Amber Simmons had 20 points, 15 rebounds and seven steals as the Wildcats defeated Seattle Pacific University, 80-76 in overtime, in first-day action Friday between two nationally ranked teams at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference/California Collegiate Athletic Association Challenge Classic at the Whatcom CC Pavilion.

The game was a re-match of last year’s NCAA Division II West Regional final, which Seattle Pacific won 85-70. The win was Chico State’s first in eight series meetings with the Falcons. Head Coach Lynne Roberts, who played four years for Seattle Pacific and coached there for five years, picked up her first win against her alma mater.

The Wildcats, ranked No.11 in the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Top 25, improved to 6-0 despite shooting just 33.7 percent (32-95) from the field in a fast-paced game. Forward Haley Ford had 19 points and eight rebounds, while guard Lauren Himmelspach scored 17 points and guard Audriana Spencer added 13.

Seattle Pacific, the national runner up last year and currently ranked No.3, fell to 4-1. All five Falcon starters scored in double figures, including guard Mandy Wood, who had a game-high 27 points and five steals.

After trailing nearly the entire game, Chico State took the lead, 62-61, with 6:10 remaining in the second half on a layup by center Renee Goldoff. Neither team scored after the 3:42 mark, however, until Spencer hit a pair of free throws to put Chico State up 70-67 with seven seconds remaining.

On the next play, Wood drove the length of the court and drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to force overtime. Chico State never trailed in the extra period, and Simmons scored six of the Wildcats’ first eight points to put the game out of reach.

Chico State shot 32.6 percent (15-of-46) in the first half, making just eight of its first 30 shots. But the Wildcats pulled down 18 offensive rebounds and trailed just 41-39 at the half.

Chico State takes on tournament host, No.8 Western Washington University, on Saturday at 8:00 at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

12/07/05
Wildcats remain perfect this season at 5-0
CHICO -The 11th-ranked Chico State women's basketball team scored over 100 points for the second straight game, beating Cal State Stanislaus 101-65 in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game in Acker Gym tonight. The Wildcats have now won 11 in a row at home, dating back to last season and remain perfect this season.

Stanislaus (3-3, 1-1 CCAA) scored the first 10 points of the game before the Wildcats went on a 19-3 run and never looked back. Lauren Himmelspach scored the Wildcats' first eight points of the game, all thanks to free throws. She ended the night 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Haley Ford scored the first Chico State basket from the floor on a lay up five minutes into the game.

Chico State (5-0, 2-0 CCAA) quickly built its lead to ten points midway through the half and went to the locker room with an 18-point halftime lead, 44-26.

Four Wildcat starters finished the game in double figures led by Amber Simmons and Himmelspach with 22 a piece. Audriana Spencer netted 17 points and eight assists and Ford ended the night with 10 points. Renee Goldoff, the 'Cats fifth starter led all players with 12 rebounds.

Gwendolyn Page led the Warriors with 17 points and six assists. Lindsie Lefort recorded eight points and Antwinette Turner and Lysandra Williams scored seven each.

The Wildcats hit the road for nine games, beginning with the GNAC/CCAA Challenge hosted by Western Washington. Chico takes on No. 3 Seattle Pacific at 5:00 on Friday and Western Washington on Saturday at 8:00. All games can be heard on KPAY AM 1290 or on the Chico State Web site.

12/02/05
Wildcats dominate CCAA opener
CHICO - Haley Ford led a dominating effort with 15 points and 13 rebounds as the 16th-ranked Chico State women’s basketball team hammered visiting Cal State Monterey Bay 107-44 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association opener for both teams Friday night at Acker Gym. The 63-point margin of victory is Chico State’s largest since a 100-15 win against the College of Notre Dame in January of 1990.

Amber Simmons led all scorers with 21 points. Lauren Himmelspach scored 20; Amy Van Hollebeke came off the bench to match her career high with 17 points. True freshman Cory Edwards notched 12 points and seven rebounds. And point guard Audriana Spencer put together a nine-assist, eight-point, four-rebound performance.

The Wildcats improved to 4-0 on the season with the victory and have now won 10 straight at home, dating back to last season. Cal State Monterey Bay fell to 0-4 and has lost 24 in a row.

For the second straight game, the Wildcats defense held their opponent to under 50 points. Chico State forced 36 turnovers with the help of 20 steals, and limited the Otters to 24-percent shooting. Britnea Moore paced the Otters with 11 points.

Chico State is back in action Wednesday night when it hosts Cal State Stanislaus at 5:30 p.m. in another CCAA showdown.

11/30/05
Wildcats win ninth straight at home
Open CCAA season on Friday night
CHICO - Amber Simmons finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high six steals to lead the Chico State women’s basketball team to a 68-47 win over visiting Grand Canyon Wednesday night at Acker Gym. It was the Wildcats’ final tune up before California Collegiate Athletic Association play, which begins Friday night when Cal State Monterey Bay comes to town.

The win was the ninth straight at home for Chico State, dating back to last season. The Wildcats are off to a 3-0 start this season. Grand Canyon fell to 1-6 with the loss.

Defense keyed Chico State’s win Wednesday. They forced 39 Grand Canyon turnovers and help the Antelopes to just 28-percent shooting (12-for-43). Lauren Himmelspach and Audriana Spencer notched four steals apiece.

On the offensive end, Himmelspach and Spencer also joined Simmons in double figures with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Nevertheless, it was Simmons who made Chico State’s offense go. She was 11-for-20 from the floor, while the rest of the Wildcats combined to shoot just 31 percent (16-for-52).

The double-double was the 18 in Simmons’ career and her second in three games this season. The sophomore has already moved into fourth on Chico State’s career list behind only Michelle Vanden Bosch (36), Kim Abts (23) and Samantha Copenhaver (23).

11/29/05
Defending champs picked to finish 2nd by coaches
WALNUT CREEK - California Collegiate Athletic Association coaches pick the defending CCAA champion Chico State women's basketball team to finish second this season, according to the preseason coaches poll that was released Tuesday. The Wildcats, who return three starters from a team that finished 16-4 in CCAA action last season, received four of 11 first-place votes.

Cal State Bakersfield, which received the other seven first-place votes, also returns three starters. Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly Pomona, who joined the Wildcats and Roadrunners in the NCAA Tournament last season, were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively.

Following are the results of the preseason coaches poll:
Team (first-place votes) points
1. Cal State Bakersfield (7) 97
2. Chico State (4) 93
3. Cal State Dominguez Hills 78
4. Cal Poly Pomona 75
5. Cal State L.A. 52
6. Cal State San Bernardino 51
7. Sonoma State 48
8. UC San Diego 46
9. San Francisco State 25
10. Cal State Stanislaus 23
11. CSU Monterey Bay 15

11/22/05
Spencer named Wilson CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK - Not bad for the first two starts of her collegiate career. Chico State sophomore point guard Audriana Spencer was named this season's first Wilson CCAA Player of the Week for November 14-20 thanks to her Enloe Coslet Classic MVP efforts over the weekend.

Spencer all but wrapped up the honor in a 90-80 victory over Humboldt State Friday night in her first collegiate start. The 5-foot-9 Chico High School product scored a career-high 25 points, 21 of which came on a career high seven three-pointers, dished out a career-high 12 assists, and blocked a career-high two shots.

The following night, in an 84-60 win against Alaska Fairbanks, Spencer chipped in 11 points, three steals, and two assists. For the weekend, Spencer averaged 18.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 2.5 steals on 55-percent shooting (11-20).

11/19/05
Simons, Ford score 22 apiece as Wildcats win Coslet Classic
Audriana Spencer named Tournament MVP
CHICO - Niki Simons scored 22 points in her first starting role, and Haley Ford added 22 points and nine assists, as the Chico State women’s basketball team won the 33rd Annual Enloe Coslet Classic with a 96-68 victory over Alaska-Fairbanks Saturday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats have now won their own tournament seven consecutive times.

In Saturday’s opening game, Humboldt State (1-1) beat Sonoma State (1-1) 67-46.

The 16th-ranked Wildcats got 12 points and 10 rebounds from Amber Simmons and improve to 2-0. Amy Van Hollebeke scored a career-high 17 points, and Jennifer Borror pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with her nine points.

Kari Reabold and Karen Rabung paced five Nanooks (0-3) in double-figures with 13 points.

Chico State’s Audriana Spencer earned Tournament MVP honors. Simmons and Ford were also named to the All-Tournament team, along with Humboldt State’s Jenna Washington and Katie Wilder.

Chico State is back in action Wednesday, Nov. 30, when it hosts Grand Canyon University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Humboldt State 67, Sonoma State 46
Jenna Washington turned in a dominant performance, leading all players with 24 points and 12 rebounds, as the Lumberjacks won convincingly. Renee Riberdy scored nine points and pulled down six rebounds to pace Sonoma State.

11/18/05
Spencer scores 25 in season-opening win over Humboldt State
CHICO - There will never be another point guard like Kim Abts at Chico State. There may never be another one like Audriana Spencer either. In her first game as a starter at Chico State, the sophomore finished with 25 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and seven 3-pointers, as the Wildcats defeated a feisty Humboldt State team 90-80 on opening night of the 33rd Annual Enloe Coslet Classic Friday night at Acker Gymnasium. It was the season opener for both teams.

Amber Simmons finished with 18 points and four steals for the Wildcats, ranked No. 16 in the nation in the preseason. Lauren Himmelspach chipped in 17 points. True freshman Renee Goldoff added 10 points, and junior college transfer Jennifer Borror came off the bench to lead Chico State with eight rebounds to go along with her six points.

Jenna Washington paced Humboldt State with 22 points on 11-of-13 shooting, and eight rebounds. Katie Wilder scored 21 points, and Kelly Fay chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.

In the night's other game, Sonoma State finished on a 22-7 run to dispatch of Alaska-Fairbanks 74-49.

The Wildcats rolled to a 41-21 halftime lead on the strength of nine steals and a 25-6 edge in points off turnovers. But Humboldt State slowly chipped away at the lead and got as close as 82-75 on Haley Andrews's 3-pointer with 1:42 left. But Simmons answered with a jumper and Chico State made 6-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

The game was the first in four years for the Wildcats without Abts, the school's all-time leader in assists and 3-pointers, and a Second-Team All-American last season. Questions swirled all summer regarding who would take over the starting spot. Spencer eventually emerged as the starter, though she didn't spend much time at the point last season. The lack of experience was evident at times. Spencer did finish with seven turnovers. Nevertheless, it did not take long for her to take control of the game. She scored a layup for the game's first points, and then proceeded to assist on five of Chico State's next six buckets as they jumped out to a 15-5 advantage and never trailed again.

Chico State will attempt to win its seventh consecutive Classic title Saturday when it takes on Alaska-Fairbanks at 7 p.m.. Sonoma State and Humboldt State clash at 5 p.m.

Sonoma State 74, Alaska-Fairbanks 49
Jessica Jennings, Natalia Worth, and Chelsey Armacost scored 14 points apiece as the Seawolves won going away in their season opener. Karen Rabung and Sheena Brown, who tallied 10 points each, paced alaska-Fairbanks, which fell to 0-2.

11/18/05
Wildcats sign two in early signing period
Chico State Head Women's Basketball Coach Lynne Roberts has announced that two players have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Chico State, beginning next fall. Christine Vest is a 6-foot-1 forward from Chaminade High School in Los Angeles. Melissa Richardson is a 5-9 guard from Issaquah High School in Washington.

“I am very excited about our early recruits,” said Roberts, who has led the Wildcats to the NCAA Championship Tournament in each of her first three seasons as a head coach. “Because we have only one senior on the roster this season, we have been very selective in our recruiting efforts. In Christine and Melissa, we not only have two very exciting young players with tremendous potential on the basketball court, but we also have two quality people who will add to the quality and character of our program.”

Vest, an All-Mission League selection as a junior last season, averaged 15 points, 13.4 rebounds, and five assists per game. She was recently honored as a 2005-06 NCSA Preseason All-American.

“Christine is a very athletic post player who brings instant aggressiveness to our inside game,” said Roberts. “She can run the floor and score in the half court. She is a tremendous addition to our young front line and I expect her to have a tremendous career as a Wildcat.”

Richardson led her Issaquah High School team to a fourth-place finish in the Washington State Championship Tournament last. In the process, she led the team in scoring (12.3 ppg), rebounding (5.6), steals (4.1), assists (3.0), blocks, and 3-point percentage. For her efforts, she earned First Team All-King County honors, and was the only non-senior to do so. She is also a standout volleyball player and helped lead her team to a 28-4 record and the state semifinals earlier this month.

“Melissa is a great get for our program,” said Roberts. “She's a long, athletic wing who can get up and down the floor, as well as consistently hit the three. She's also a winner, having had a very successful athletic career in a strong and competitive league.”

11/17/05
Friday's game can be heard live on the internet
Due to the fact that the Chico State women's and men's basketball teams both play at 7 p.m. Friday night, only one game can be broadcast via the Chico State internet broadcast connection. If you want to listen live to the women's broadcast it will be available through the Humboldt State web site at 6:45 p.m., with Chico's Mike Wessels making the call. Click here for the Women's Broadcast...

11/12/05
Nine score in double-figures as women's basketball team wins exhibition contest over Bethany 114-48
Behind a smothering defense that notched 27 steals and forced 41 turnovers, the Chico State women's basketball team defeated visiting Bethany University 114-48 in an exhibition game Saturday night at Acker Gym. Nine players scored in double-figures for the Wildcats, and all 10 Chico State players in uniform scored. Last season, only eight players scored all seasons.

Amber Simmons scored 15 points, grabbed a game-high seven steals, and pulled down seven rebounds. True freshman Renee Goldoff notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Lauren Himmelspach scored a team-high 16 points, dished out six assists, and notched five steals. Stephanie Singer (10 points, seven assists), Audriana Spencer (11 points, seven assists), Haley Ford (11 points), Amy Van Hollebeke (11 points), Niki Simons (15) points), and Cory Edwards (10 points, eight rebounds) scored in double-figures for Chico State.

Jennifer Mooney led Bethany with 16 points. Rosemary Brown tacked on 13 points.

Chico State will open up the regular season next weekend with the Enloe Coslet Classic Nov. 18-19. The Wildcats face Humboldt State Friday at 7 p.m. and Alaska-Fairbanks Saturday at 7 p.m.

11/09/05
Women's basketball team preseason No. 16
Chico State will start its women's basketball season as the No. 16 team in NCAA Division II, according to the first USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. The Wildcats return three starters from last year's squad that went 24-6 and advanced to the NCAA sweet 16.

Fellow Western Region teams in the top 25 are Seattle Pacific, ranked 3rd, and Western Washington, 14th. Chico State will travel to Bellingham to take on Seattle Pacific and Western Washington Dec. 9 and 10, respectively.

Washburn (Ks.), which defeated Seattle Pacific for the 2005 national championship, got the No. 1 ranking with 18 first-place votes. Drury (Mo.) was next, followed by SPU and Shaw (NC).

USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll
1. Washburn (Ks.) (18) 663
2. Drury (Mo.) (4) 611
3. Seattle Pacific 554
4. Shaw (NC) (1) 523
5. Charleston (WV) (1) 509
6. Merrimack (Ma.) 453
7. Grand Valley (Mi.) 442
8. North Dakota (2) 438
9. Emporia State (Ks.) (1) 392
10. Saint Cloud State (Mn.) 336
11. Bentley College (Ma.) 314
12. California (Pa.) 305
13. Anderson College (SC) 282
14. Western Washington 259
15. Henderson State (Ar.) 256
16. Chico State (Ca.) 252
17. Central Arkansas 240
18. Angelo State (Tx.) 230
19. Carson-Newman (Tn.) 222
20. Fairmont State (WV) 163
21. Lake Superior State (Mi.) 111
22. Valdosta State (Ga.) 111
23. Central Missouri State 100
24. Glenville State College (SC) 97
25. Regis (Co.) 96

11/09/05
Women's basketball team hosts Bethany Saturday
The 16th-ranked Chico State women's basketball team will host Bethany University in an exhibition game Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Acker Gym. It will mark the general public's first opportunity to see the 2005-06 Wildcats, which feature five returners, four true freshmen, and four junior transfers.

06/27/05
Women's basketball excited about spring recruits
Chico State women's basketball coach Lynne Roberts recently announced the signings of three juniors and one freshman to the program for the 2005-06 season.

Jennifer Borror, a junior from Porterville College joins the 'Cats after earning the 2005 Nor Cal Junior College Player of the Year honor. The 5-11 forward, who averaged 22.3 points per game and 12.6 rebounds, was the Central Valley Conference MVP and a member of the First Team All-State.

Niki Simons, a 5-9 guard, recorded 12.9 points per game and 4.8 rebounds for Santa Rosa Junior College last year. The incoming junior, who attended Kelseyville High School, was named Second Team All-State and First Team Bay Valley Conference.

Stephanie Singer, a transfer from Division I Washington State University, joins the Wildcats for her junior season. The 5-7 point guard led the Cougars in assists her freshman year, starting in 10 games, and tallied a career highs nine assists against Fresno State and career high 17 points against Arizona State. She attended Marist High School in Engene, Oregon, averaging 15.5 points, 9.2 assists, and six steals per game.

Renee Goldoff is the only freshman in the spring recruiting class. A 6-2 post from Bishop Alemany High School, Goldoff recorded 16 points, and seven rebounds per game last year, earning First Team All-Mission League and Second Team All-Southern Section.

The four incoming players are entering the program at a very successful time. The Wildcats, who last year finished the season with a 24-6 record and their first CCAA title, made a third straight trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Wildcats lost the championship game to host Seattle Pacific University, who eventually went on to play for the national title. The 24 wins last season was a school record, as was 2,657 points in a season, a 47 percent field-goal percentage, 248 three pointers and 650 assists.

06/07/05
Panttaja receives CCAA award
WALNUT CREEK - Chico State's Maija Panttaja and Steven Springhorn were selected as the Wildcats' 2004-05 recipients of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Dr. Hal Charnofsky Outstanding Scholar-Athlete and Inspirational Scholar-Athlete awards.

Springhorn, a member of the cross country and track and field teams, was chosen the Wildcats' top scholar-athlete. Panttaja, who played on the women's basketball team, was picked the top inspirational scholar-athlete.

The award is named after Charnofsky, a longtime faculty athletics representative for Cal State Dominguez Hills who died in 2003. Recipients are selected by their staff members of each school's athletic department.

Panttaja also received Chico State's Scholar Athlete Award, presented earlier in the spring at the University Awards Reception, which is awarded annually to a male and female intercollegiate athlete who have illustrated excellence in their academic pursuits as well as in their respective sports.

At the same spring awards presentation, Panttaja was awarded the Outstanding Chico State Student Leader Award, which is presented to the one student who has not only demonstrated excellence in his or her academic endeavors, but also made a significant contribution to the enhancement of student life at Chico State.