Before last season, the last time the Long Beach State women’s basketball team played in a national postseason tournament game, Bill Clinton was president, nobody knew what an iPhone was and most players on the current roster were in elementary school.
But unlike last year, this team of young versatile players offers a surprising abundance of leadership that one wouldn’t expect on a team with just one senior.
“We experienced heartbreak last year,” head coach Jody Wynn said. “It’s really refocused and fueled their motivation all offseason up until now. They’ve done a phenomenal job of leading the five freshmen. It’s been more of the upperclassmen taking hold instead of the coaches having to lead every step of the way.”
Wynn, who is now in her fifth year, has seen a new type of leadership mold this team with recently nominated team captains Alex Sanchez, Ella Clark and Hallie Meneses.
“A lot of people can chatter and talk, but if there’s no respect and no trust, nobody is going to listen,” Wynn said. “They’re holding themselves at a higher standard than they’ve ever held themselves to, so the leadership is more respectable.”
The 49ers finished last season with a 16-16 record, earning an at-large bid in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament that brought them to a close, hard-fought game against Utah. The Utes eventually fell to Drexel in last year’s WNIT Championship game.
Although the preseason poll has them projected for a fourth-place finish in the Big West, Wynn said she and her staff expect even more from this year’s unit.
“We’re working every day to get better for March,” she said. “To take a step forward every day, and if we do hit adversity, find a way to overcome that hurdle without it turning into a deeper trench hole.”
Injuries have become one of these hurdles that the 49ers consistently face.
Fortunately for LBSU, the backcourt of Sanchez and Meneses will be reunited once again after Meneses spent all of last season on the sidelines because of an ACL injury.
“My goal is to look like I never tore my ACL,” said Meneses. “That’s always what I’m going to be working hard for. I’m getting there. Not too happy yet. Not too satisfied. But that’s definitely one of my goals.”
The last time Sanchez — who finally had an offseason that was rehab-free — and Meneses were on the court together during season play, they helped lead the 49ers to the Big West tournament finals.
“They play really well together,” Wynn said. “Last year without Hallie, Alex had to shoulder much of the responsibility as far as decision-making and handling the pressure.
Having them play side-by-side, they can bounce off of each other. They are two phenomenal young women that are great leaders, and I’m just excited to have them out on the court at the same time.”
Unfortunately for LBSU, the same can’t be said for junior forward Devin Hudson. Hudson has been dealing with leg injuries, and there is no timetable for her return. Hudson was an important piece of the team last year and earned an All-Big West honorable mention nod.
Bianka Balthazar and Chantel Dooley will also be out to start the season.
An additional distinction that separates this team from those of the past is the number of player’s who don’t call California home. Freshmen Madison Montgomery and Bree
Throop are from Colorado, freshman Raven Benton is from Washington, senior Jade Wilson is from Arizona and junior Ella Clark is from London, where she competes for her senior national team.
“I can bring them home because I’m closer. I want to make sure they don’t get homesick,” said Sanchez, who is from Anaheim. “Just make sure our team stays together when we hit adversity. And at the same time, do what I can do to win games, win championships and take my team to the NCAA [tournament].”
But before they get to that tournament, they’ll have to prove themselves worthy with their play on the court.
Their first game is set for Friday at California, the first of three consecutive road games before LBSU plays host to Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Nov. 23.
“I expect us to compete and give full effort every time we take the court,” Wynn said. “I am excited and looking forward to the versatility and the depth and the overall competition that is displayed every day in practice.”