Sequoias, defending champ Orange Coast top Pre-Season Women's Basketball State Top 25
As much as the players influence the outcomes of games, the head coaches can sway a program's success through strong recruiting, sound game strategy as well as teaching the good, old-fashioned fundamentals.
So when last season's NorCal Coach of the Year Tyler Newton left state quarterfinalist and regular season state #1 Butte for a new, full-time gig at College of the Sequoias, it made sense that the expectations have already been set high for the Giants.
Appropriately wearing the color orange this Halloween release, Sequoias earned the #1 ranking and 2-time, defending state champion Orange Coast the #2 spot in the 2024-25 Pre-Season CCCWBCA State Top 25.
COS scored six first-place votes and 213 points while OCC is right behind with two first-place votes and 203 points in the state coaches poll. State semifinalist Moorpark is #3, followed by #4 Mt. San Antonio, #5 San Joaquin Delta (3C2A quarterfinalist), #6 Glendale (state runner-up), #7 Laney (quarterfinalist), #8 Palomar, #9 City College of San Francisco, and #10 Mt. San Jacinto.
That entire top 10 has the ultimate in variety as all are from different conferences or divisions. The Big 8 has the most representatives on the top 25 with five, followed by three each from the Orange Empire and Coast North.
The 2024-25 season officially kicks of Friday, Nov. 1 with several tip-off tournaments, including the Delta Jocelyn Mancebo Classic and the high-end competition as part of the Mt. SAC Linda Smith Memorial Tip-Off Classic--tourney brackets, click here
1. SEQUOIAS, Central Valley, The Giants get tested right away with Mt. SAC tourney games v. #3 Moorpark, #2 Orange Coast and the #4 Mounties. COS has three returning All-State players in Butte transfers Morgan Triguiero, Campbell Vieg, and Jocelyn Medina.
2. ORANGE COAST, Orange Empire, The Pirates face #13 Victor Valley, COS, and Moorpark at the Mt. SAC tourney. Two starters from the '24 state champions return in Alyssa Dreesen and Myia Collins.
3. MOORPARK, Western State North, The Raiders take on Sequoias, Mt. SAC and OCC in a formidable opening to the season at Mt. SAC. All-State player Mika Jarrett is back.
4. MT. SAN ANTONIO, South Coast North, The Mounties missed out on last year's state tourney despite being SoCal's #1-rated team at #2 in the final State Top 25 regular season poll. Mt. SAC begins with Antelope Valley, then stiff tests v. Moorpark and Sequoias. SoCal State Player of the Year Daisia Mitchell returns.
5. SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8, The Mustangs begin with Cerro Coso at their host bracketed, 8-team tourney. Also in the mix are #7 Laney, #15 Fresno and #25 San Mateo. Two players who scored 10 points each to lead SJD in their state quarterfinals loss to OCC are back in Kathreen Noa and Kiara Council.
6. GLENDALE, Western State South, Coming off the program's best season ever, the Vaqueros won't play their season opener until Nov. 8-9 at the Rio Hondo Crossover. Three starters from the state runner-up squad return, including All-State player Malia Ulery and Evelyn Birau.
7. LANEY, Bay Valley, The Eagles open up at the Delta tourney with a game v. Shasta.
8. PALOMAR, Pacific Coast Athletic, The Comets face #16 Irvine Valley in a road opener on Friday. Two All-PCAC First Team selections are back in Nevaeh Mageo and Angelina De Leon.
9. CC SAN FRANCISCO, Coast North, The Rams host Foothill on Nov. 8 to start the year.
10. MT. SAN JACINTO, Inland Empire Athletic, The Eagles open with their Lions Club Tip-Off on Nov. 7-8 with games v. AVC and #14 Long Beach. Two All-IEAC First Teamers return in Natalie Derla and Drasoni Kyles.
11. FOLSOM LAKE, Big 8, The Falcons made the state tourney as a quarterfinalist last year for the first time in the program's short history. They start with a game v. Butte on Nov. 8. Three lettermen return including Khalilah Corley.
12. SIERRA, Big 8, The Wolverines begin on Nov. 7 v. #20 Cypress at a Fresno Crossover. All-Big choice Katie Leeth is a key sophomore.
13. VICTOR VALLEY, Inland Empire Athletic, The Rams play at the MT. SAC Tip-Off and have to face #2 Orange Coast and #14 Long Beach right away. All-IEAC First Teamer Karoline Ellison returns.
14. LONG BEACH CC, South Coast South, A surprise state quarterfinalist last season, the Vikings won't have to face the elite top 4 at Mt. SAC with #13 VVC expected to be the toughest of their three opponents. All-State talent Brillana Boyd makes LBCC a tough foe.
15. FRESNO CC, Central Valley, The Rams open at the Delta tourney with a game v. #25 San Mateo. Remmi White is a returning player.
16. IRVINE VALLEY, Orange Empire, The Lasers will try to get by #8 Palomar in their home opener. All-OEC Moka Sakai is back.
17. COSUMNES RIVER, Big 8, The Hawks begin v. Butte on Saturday, but the state semifinalist is unranked. All-Big 8 LaKayla Hale is a key returner.
18. CHABOT, Coast North, The Gladiators opens Nov. 5 by hosting Mission.
19. SAN JOSE CC, Coast South, The Jaguars host Las Positas to begin the year on Friday. All-State scorer Tatiana Collazo has SJCC excited.
20. CYPRESS, Orange Empire, The Chargers host LA Southwest on Saturday. All-OEC Journie Hayden is back.
21. SANTA ROSA, Big 8, The Bear Cubs have a Golden Valley-opening excursion as they face Lassen at Redwoods on Friday. Ivy Gonzalez, the team's second-leading scorer, returns.
T22. PASADENA CC, South Coast North, The Lancers host their own PCC Sisterhood of Champions tourney Nov. 1-2, opening v. Palo Verde. 2023 All-SCC player Sheridan Orange is ready for her sophomore season.
T22. VENTURA, Western State North, The Pirates won't play until the Nov. 8-10 West LA Wildcat Shootout, facing #16 Irvine Valley in the opener. All-WSC First Team choice Alexa Coubal leads VC.
24. CITRUS, Western State South, The Owls have to host #2 Orange Coast in their opener on Nov. 6. All-State Joleen Olia is a premier talent.
25. SAN MATEO, Coast North, The Bulldogs fill out the last of the top 25 as they take on #15 Fresno at the Delta tourney. Simone Murray is a top returner.
ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Allan Hancock, Antelope Valley, Cerro Coso, Chaffey, East Los Angeles, Hartnell, Imperial Valley, LA Trade-Tech, LA Valley, Riverside City, San Diego Mesa, Santa Barbara City, Skyline, Solano, Taft, West LA.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWBCA Publicist/Rankings tabulated by Greg Murphy through coaches votes