Mustangs Head to Stockton to Face Pacific in First Round of WNIT Thursday

Thursday, March 21

Stockton, CA

6 P.M.

Pacific

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Mustangs Head to Stockton to Face Pacific in First Round of WNIT Thursday

3/19/2024 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

WEEKLY NOTES (PDF)

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Despite having a tough showing in the Big West Championship last week, Cal Poly women's basketball was rewarded for its strong regular season with a bid to the WNIT and will play its first round game Thursday on the road at Pacific. The Mustangs (17-13) will face the Tigers (18-14) in Stockton Thursday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. Pacific lost in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament to No. 1 seed Gonzaga last week. The winner will move on to take on Minnesota in the second. A date, time and location have not been announced yet for that game. This will be Cal Poly's first WNIT appearance in 10 years and fourth overall. They previously were in it in 2014, 2012, and 2011, losing all three times in the first round. It has already been a very successful season for second year head coach Shanele Stires and crew. Their 17 wins to this point are the most since the 2017-18 team won 17 games. They finished tied for third in the Big West standings during the regular season which is the highest since the 2020-21 team. Senior forward Natalia Ackerman has had a stellar season. Her 12 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game all lead the team and garnered her both First Team All-Big West and Big West All-Defensive Team honors. She led the Big West in blocks and field goal percentage this season. Meanwhile, junior guard Annika Shah also is having a very strong season. She is second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game.Shah is also the top free throw shooter in the Big West at 94 percent and is 65-69. It is on pace to break Cal Poly's single season free throw percentage record. One ot the top sharp shooters in the Big West, Shah leads the conference in three point percentage at 40 percent. All this led her to being named Honorable Mention All-Big West. As a team, the Mustangs lead the Big West in blocks and rebounds; are second in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and third in free throw percentage. The Mustangs have been doing this all with a very new and young team. There are nine newcomers to the team with just four returners. The four returners are Shah, Ackerman, redshirt freshman Sierra Lichtie, and junior guard Sydney Bourland. The nine newcomers consist of four Division I transfers and five true freshmen.