SAINT MARY'S WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Last season: 13-18, 6-10 (sixth in West Coast Conference).

Trainer: Jeff Cammon, second season, 13-18

Season start: Monday at Cal, 6 p.m

Planned starters: Sophomore guard Zeryhia Aokuso (12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds), redshirt sophomore guard Maia Jones (6.9 points, 1.5 rebounds), senior guard Kennedy Johnson (14.0 points, 6.8 rebounds). ), junior forward Melesungu Afeaki (1.0 points, 1.4 rebounds), junior forward Abigail Shoff (7.8 points, 4.8 rebounds)

Important reserves: Redshirt junior guard Addi Wedin (6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds), sophomore guard Ella Wedin (2.1 points, 1.0 rebounds), junior guard Mali Ennis (8.2 points, 6.8 rebounds),

Strengthen: The Gaels' group of returning players is led by Aokuso, last yr's WCC Freshman of the Year, and Jones, an all-freshman collection of the WCC team. Cammon brought with him several potential impact transfers alongside Aokuso and Jones, an inventory headlined by Jonson, Afeaki and Shoff.

Weaken: While Saint Mary's brought in a number of talent, in addition they lost several players to the transfer portal, including Tayla Dalton (Gonzaga), Makena Mastora (Pepperdine), and Ruby Vlahov (Santa Barbara). Due to offseason knee surgery, Aokuso can also be not expected to play until early December.

Outlook: Saint Mary's was picked eighth within the WCC's preseason poll, but that number may very well be higher if Aokuso were healthy. With Aokuso expected to miss a couple of quarter of the season, the Gaels will need their transfers to provide and reinforce their freshmen and sophomores.

image credit : www.mercurynews.com

Basketball powerhouse Gonzaga typically plays three games within the Bay Area each season, but that tradition is coming to an end.

After weeks of rumors, Gonzaga officially announced Tuesday its intention to go away the West Coast Conference and join the Pac-12 as a non-football member starting in 2026.

WCC's three Bay Area schools – Saint Mary's, Santa Clara and San Francisco – will feel the aftereffects when the conference's biggest draw ends after 46 years of membership.

“Gonzaga has been a valued member of the WCC for more than four decades,” the WCC said in an announcement Tuesday. “As the evolving college athletics landscape continues to bring significant changes, including conference realignment, we remain focused on the future.”

Gonzaga is in a conference that may include newcomers San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State, Fresno State and Boise State, in addition to holdovers Washington State and Oregon State – all teams which have competed within the NCAA at the least once within the last 10 years tournament took part.

Saint Mary's declined to comment Tuesday on Gonzaga's move to the Pac-12. Santa Clara and San Francisco didn’t reply to messages from the Bay Area News Group.

The WCC's prestige will definitely take a success with Gonzaga's departure, but some consider St. Mary's, Santa Clara and USF could have a likelihood to rise to the highest of the conference following Gonzaga's departure.

Former USF coach and longtime college basketball analyst Dan Belluomini said the Bay Area WCC schools are stronger than before and may capitalize on Gonzaga's departure in two years.

“All of these schools are getting a lot better,” Belluomini told the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday. “It will give everyone a likelihood to reinvigorate themselves. Some schools might say, 'Now we’ve a likelihood to win without Gonzaga here.'”

For Frank Knight, the St. Mary's basketball graduate and current Moreau Catholic basketball coach, the memories of the rivalry with Gonzaga run deep. Knight played guard for the Gaels within the late Nineties and stays near the highly successful Randy Bennett's program. Knight even proposed to his wife at halftime of a game between Saint Mary's and Gonzaga.

“It was always a big game between two rivals and we always respected each other,” Knight said. “Matt Santangelo, who played for Gonzaga, is a good friend of mine. Richie Frahm is a good friend of mine. Even though we didn’t like each other and somehow still didn’t like each other, we still respected each other because our teams were really good.”

While Gonzaga was WCC's class act, the gap between it and the WCC schools within the Bay Area and the powerhouse in Spokane, Washington has narrowed over time.

Gonzaga has a 44-14 record against Saint Mary's. But since 2022, Saint Mary's has won 4 of 5 matchups against Gonzaga, including last season's WCC Tournament title game.

Santa Clara has also began to claim itself against the Zags.

Last season, SCU legend Steve Nash sat courtside on the Leavey Center and watched his alma mater break a 26-game losing streak against Gonzaga, 77-76. The Zags were ranked twenty third nationally on the time.

“It’s a huge win for our program,” Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said after the sport in January. “I think it’s a special moment.”

According to a report Tuesday from ESPN's Kyle BonaguraSaint Mary's has had preliminary discussions about joining the Pac-12 itself. But, the report says, the Pac-12 will now shift its focus to establishing a football school now that Gonzaga has decided to affix the conference.

However, Knight isn't convinced his alma mater will stay there.

“I think Saint Mary's will follow,” Knight said. “There is an amazing rivalry between the 2 schools. Both fan bases respect one another, but need to proceed playing against one another.

“It’s hard for me to imagine a league without Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga.”

image credit : www.mercurynews.com

image credit : www.mercurynews.com