Despite its struggles last season in the win-loss columns, the Cal State Stanislaus women's basketball team had a shot at qualifying for the conference tournament until the final weekend of the season.  That late-season run provided the needed boost and paved the groundwork for the Warriors to make a run for the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship tournament this season.

Sharon Turner-Dean, who enters her seventh season as the Warriors head coach, feels that this team has the ingredients to make that run. 

“I like our depth, we have key players returning and we added some really good talents,” Turner-Dean said. “I really feel like we have good people. They all fit in together and want to be here and contribute to our program.”

Making up the nucleus of this year's team are a number of returning players from last year's 7-19 squad.  The Warriors return eight players that saw playing time last season, including two All-CCAA selections.  Adding to the group of returning players are nine others that consist of redshirts, one freshman and some transfers to provide the 2008-09 unit the depth Turner-Dean is thrilled to have.

“We don't just have numbers, we have a lot of players that we can put in the game and can contribute,” Turner-Dean said.

Last season the Warriors looked to two-time first team All-CCAA forward Gwendolyn Page for senior leadership, this year they will do the same.  Page suffered a season-ending knee injury after six games in 2007-08, but still put-up strong numbers in limited action as she averaged 10 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

“(Page) looks really good so far and we expect her to make a big impact,” Turner-Dean said. “She is still experiencing some pain and had missed individual workouts, but I am optimistic that she will be ready to go when the season tips off.”

When healthy, Page has shown that she can dominate games.  Before missing the last eight games in 2006-07 with a stress fracture, she averaged 15.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. She has already tallied 22 career double-double.

Senior guard Lysandra Williams will help Page by not only providing veteran leadership, but also as a premier scorer.  Last season Williams averaged 12.7 points per game and earned All-CCAA second team honors.  Over the past two seasons she has shown that she can be a prolific scorer despite typically starting the season slow. 

“We are expecting big things from Lysandra. She has been a little bit of a slow starter so we hope we are getting that out of the way now and she will be able to make a big impact right away,” Turner-Dean said of Williams, who led the Warriors in scoring in 10 of their 26 games last season.

Also returning are sophomores Katie Busi and Christin Gowan, both coming off productive rookie seasons in which they played in all 26 games. Busi averaged 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, showing her capabilities as a solid post player. 

“Katie's numbers could significantly increase if she increases her minutes by staying out of foul trouble,” Turner-Dean said.  Busi recorded four double-doubles last season and was among the CCAA leaders in rebounding (4th, 7.5 rpg) and blocks (3rd, 1.15 bpg). 

Gowan will look to spread defenses by providing an outside threat, as she did a season ago, nailing 33 three-pointers and averaged 9.1 points per game. Turner-Dean likes Gowan's abilities because “She is capable of playing the point, but she is probably more effective as a scoring guard as she can spread out the defense and make them defend on the perimeter.”
 
Other returning players are senior Rebecca Arent, sophomore Jeanette Rowe, sophomore Andreanna Marshall and senior Torrie Hughes.  Of these players, Arent saw the most significant time last season, averaging 14 minutes per game. 

“Last season Rebecca was playing hurt. She is healthy now and playing well, so we are excited to see her contribute this season,” said Turner-Dean. “J-Rowe is a fiery and feisty defender and Marshall really improved her shot over the summer and has impressed the coaches and her teammates with her hard work and improvement.”

Two players that have been here before, but did not play last season, are also in the mix to contribute. Jasmine Carter missed last season with a heart condition, but is impressive early on in practice while Antwinette Turner returns for her senior season after transferring to San Francisco State.  Turner played in 28 games for the Warriors from 2004 to 2006 before moving to the Bay Area. She came back to Cal State Stanislaus in the Fall to work on a second degree and rejoined her former team.

The new faces on the women's team are six transfers and a local high school standout.  The lone freshman is Samantha Bertomen, a Turlock High School star who “is going to be good because she is very smart and understands the game very well at a young age,” Turner-Dean said of “Baby Sam.”

Sophomore Heather Jones of Ceres also returned home after a year at NCAA Division III Lewis and Clark College. Jones, who was originally recruited by Turner-Dean, adds a great deal defensively and has the ability to stop penetration. Ebony Mims-Johnson (Chattanooga State), Sarah Olson (Modesto Junior College), Nathalie Olveda (Fresno City College), Heather Highshoe (Sierra College), and Kyrstin Christ (Moorpark College) round out the slew of community college transfers looking to help the Warriors make that run towards the conference championship.

The Warriors will have the luxury of staying home during the month of November with a pair of tournaments. The Eva Schicke Memorial Classic presented by Stanislaus Farm Supply will take place during the opening weekend of Nov. 15-17. The Warriors will be challenged immediately playing against two Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene. The Stanislaus Thanksgiving Classic will take place during the afternoons of Nov. 28-29 with Notre Dame de Namur and Academy of Art visiting. 

The conference season begins Dec. 5 and the Warriors will play their first four conference games on the road before returning home Jan. 9 to host Sonoma State.  Between Thanksgiving weekend and Jan. 9, the Warriors will endure a tough stretch going on the road for seven of eight contests, including games in Anchorage and Seattle.

“Our goal is to win the national championship, but to do that we must first be one of the eight (CCAA tournament) teams,” said Turner Dean. “After that anything can happen in postseason play.”