2015-16 Preseason All-PacWest Women's Basketball Team
IRVINE, Calif. – California Baptist University was named the preseason favorite in the PacWest in a vote by the league’s women’s basketball coaches released Thursday. The Lancers were picked to win the conference title and had three players on the Preseason All-PacWest team.
CBU finished second in the PacWest last season and received an at-large bid to the NCAA West Regional, the first in program history. The Lancers won the regional, as the No. 5 seed, and advanced all the way to the National Championship game, finishing runner-up to Cal University (Pa.).
Azusa Pacific received two first-place votes to come in second place in the poll. Academy of Art and Hawai’i Pacific each received one first-place vote and came in third and fourth place, respectively. Point Loma came in fifth place and BYU-Hawaii and Concordia tied for sixth.
The top-six teams in the regular season standings qualify for the 2016 PacWest Championship tournament in Irvine, Calif., March 3-5. Concordia and Holy Names are ineligible for the tournament as they continue their transition to full NCAA Division II members.
APU senior forward
Kelly Hardeman was named PacWest Preseason Player of the Year. A two-time first-team All-PacWest selection, she ranked second in the PacWest in scoring (19.1 ppg), fourth in rebounding (9.9 rpg), and fifth in blocks (2.0 bpg). She was a first-team Daktronics All-West Region member. Hardeman was the 2013-14 preseason player of the year as well.
Hardeman was joined on the Preseason All-PacWest team by
Kamille Diaz (CBU),
Jasmin Guinn (Academy of Art),
Cassidy Mihalko (CBU),
Courtney Nelson (CBU) and
Roya Rustamzada (Point Loma). Guinn was a first-team All-PacWest selection last season. Diaz, Mihalko and Nelson were all members of the second team. Rustamzada was on the third team and the PacWest Freshman of the Year.
| 2015-16 PRESEASON ALL-PACWEST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Kamille Diaz |
California Baptist |
G |
Jr. |
Indio, Calif./JW North |
| Jasmin Guinn |
Academy of Art |
G |
Sr. |
Berkeley, Calif./Berkeley HS |
| Kelly Hardeman |
Azusa Pacific |
F |
Sr. |
Manilla, Philippines/Faith Academy |
| Cassidy Mihalko |
California Baptist |
G |
Jr. |
Franklin, Wis./Franklin |
| Courtney Nelson |
California Baptist |
G |
Jr. |
Kennewick, Wash./Kamiakin |
| Roya Rustamzada |
Point Loma |
F |
So. |
Temecula, Calif./Great Oak |