WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Defending champion Chico State has been tabbed to repeat as California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) champions in 2009, according to the preseason coaches poll.

The Wildcats, winners of three of the last four CCAA titles and coming off a school-record-tying 28-win season, received 96 points and seven first-place votes to finish ahead of 2007-08 CCAA runner-up UC San Diego. The Tritons collected three first-place votes and 85 points while Humboldt State, coached by former Chico State player Joddie (Vossler) Gleason, was picked third after totaling 70 points.

Sonoma State was fourth with 74 points, while San Francisco State, which received one first-place vote and 61 points, was fifth. Cal State San Bernardino (60) was sixth, followed by Cal Poly Pomona (51), Cal State Dominguez Hills (48), Cal State L.A. (32), Cal State Stanislaus (20) and Cal State Monterey Bay (19).

Today marks the start of the team’s official practices. The Wildcats will play exhibition games at Stanford on Nov. 1 and Cal on Nov. 5. They open the regular season at home against Alaska Fairbanks on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

Chico State finished last season with a 28-6 overall record, including a 17-3 conference mark. The Wildcats, who earned the top-seed in the CCAA Tournament, defeated UC San Diego, 69-63, to claim the conference title and earned the league’s automatic berth to the Division II NCAA Tournament. It was Chico State’s sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.

Chico State enters the 2008-09 campaign under the direction of interim head coach Brian Fogel, who replaces Molly Goodenbour, who was named head coach at UC Irvine. Senior center Renee Goldoff is the Wildcats’ top returning player after averaging 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a contest.

UC San Diego went 25-10 a year ago and finished third during the regular season with a 14-6 CCAA record. Senior forward Michelle Osier highlights the Tritons’ roster after averaging 15.2 points and 10.9 rebounds a game and earning first-team All-CCAA honors as a junior.

The 2008-09 season will begin November 7 when Cal Poly Pomona opens play in the Second Annual Disney Tip-Off Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center. CCAA play begins December 3 when Humboldt State hosts Sonoma State in Arcata, Calif.

The CCAA Tournament is slated for March 3-7 with the semifinals and finals scheduled for March 6 and 7 at Coussoulis Arena on the campus of Cal State San Bernardino.

2008-09 CCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1. Chico State (7) - 96
2. UC San Diego (3) - 85
3. Humboldt State - 70
4. Sonoma State - 63  
5. San Francisco State (1) - 61
6. Cal State San Bernardino - 60
7. Cal Poly Pomona - 51
8. Cal State Dominguez Hills - 48
9. Cal State L.A. - 32
10. Cal State Stanislaus - 20
11. Cal State Monterey Bay - 19

() – Indicates first place votes


Meet the 2008-09 Wildcats

#3 Synchro Bull   
Bull is a 5-foot-6 true freshman guard from Emery Secondary School in Oakland majoring in journalism. She averaged 23 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season and finished ninth in the state in scoring. The Division V All-State selection and Honorable Mention San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Team pick also notched 4.9 assists and 3.5 steals per game.

#4 Jasmin Thomas   
Thomas, a 5-foot-6 freshman guard from Canyon Springs High School in Los Angeles, redshirted last season. The child development major dished out 71 assists while helping to lead her high school team to a 21-7 record as a senior. Thomas is also the granddaughter of the late singer Rick James.

#11 Natasha Smith   
The 5-foot-6 sophomore guard electrified Chico State fans last season with her aggressiveness and athleticism. She averaged 9.8 points and close to four assists and two steals per game as a true freshman last season.

#12 Brandi Foster
Foster, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Davis High School, saw action in 19 games as a true freshman last season. She teamed up with current teammate Molly Collins to help lead Davis High School to consecutive 20-win seasons as a prep.

#20 Taylor Lydon
Lydon, 5-foot-11 sophomore from Chico High School, played in 22 games as a true freshman last season. Her minutes increased as the season wore on and she wound up averaging 1.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.

#21 Melissa Richardson
Richardson, a 5-foot-8 junior guard from Issaquah, Washington, majoring in English Education, started 32 games last season, the most of any returning player. She averaged 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Richardson also finished second on the team with 39 made 3-pointers.     

#22 Courtney Harrison   
Harrison is a 5-foot-8 true freshman guard from Colfax High School majoring in pre-nursing. She was a four-year varsity starter and three-time All-League selection. She averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game while burying 70 3-pointers as a senior.

#23 Sam Oelsner
Oelsner, a 5-foot-8 senior sharpshooter from San Joaquin Delta Community College, buried 9-of-19 threes while playing in 17 games last season. The kinesiology major sank 103 treys in her two-year career at Delta.

#24 Annelise Miller   
Miller is a 5-foot-10 junior guard/forward who transferred from Sierra Community College where she played for former Chico High School and Butte College standout Brandie Murrish. A kinesiology major, Miller was named the Sierra College Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman and sophomore, averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 2.6 assists per game while earning All-Conference honors last season. She helped lead the Wolverines to a 26-7 overall record and 12-2 league mark.

#30 Shonetta Crain-Williams   
Williams, a 5-foot-10 sophomore guard/forward is still working her way back from a knee injury. She sat out last season after transferring from San Francisco State where she started five games and played in all 27 for the Gators as a freshman. She averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

#32 Molly Collins
Collins, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from Davis High School, played very well last year as a true freshman before a knee injury ended her season. In those eight contests she averaged 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

#33 Renee Goldoff
Goldoff, a senior center and one of two fourth-year seniors in the program, averaged 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season while shooting over 50-percent from the field. She averaged just 20 minutes per game and could see her numbers increase with increased playing time this season.   

#40 Ashley Washington
Washington, a 6-foot sophomore center from Seaside, played in 24 games as a true freshman last season. The statistics major averaged 2.0 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor last season.

#41 Cory Edwards
Edwards, one of two fourth-year seniors in the program, averaged 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds last season. The sociology major also grabbed 25 steals. She’s now played in 87 games in a Wildcats uniform.   

#42 Christine Vest
Vest, a 5-foo-11 junior forward from Chaminade High School in Winnetka, averaged 5.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season. She saw action in 32 games and started three for the Wildcats, while shooting 81 percent from the free throw stripe.