Women's Basketball Team Updates

The Monterey Peninsula College women's basketball team features plenty of newcomers as they prepare for their 2009-10 season. Head coach Wendy Bates and assistant coach Erin O’Hare begin their sixth season together as a coaching staff and have landed some of the best athletes in the area to add to an already talented group of sophomores.  The staff hopes this combination will help to propel them to a Conference Championship and Regional Playoff appearance.

Monterey Peninsula College women’s basketball has welcomed seven freshmen to the team this season and returns eight sophomores. Coaches expect a major contribution from Monterey Bay League ‘Most Valuable Player,’ 5-foot-9 guard/forward Natasha Ray from Seaside High School and 5’11” guard/forward Annie Mahaney who transferred from CSUMB and prepped at Bishop O’Dowd high school in Oakland.   Both players bring a lot of versatility to the inside out game and will compliment 6’2” freshmen Stefanie Robb and already established returner Anastasia Jones (AJ) who came off the bench last season giving the Lobos significant minutes.  Heather Posey who is playing on the MPC volleyball team will round out our inside game.

Sophomore guards Annette Ruvalcaba the 2008 Monterey Bay League ‘Most Valuable Player’ and Ashley Hayes from Seaside High School figure to be key players on the perimeter for the Lobos.  Both will be joined by returners Kelly Mast from Notre Dame High School  and Chasity Swartzel from Seaside High School who saw time last year and looked to be much improved this season.  Also returning for a second season and coming on strong for the improved perimeter spots are Nicolette Jacobs from Seaside High School and Breanna Mah from Gilroy High School.  Coaches are excited about shooting guard Rochelle Welsh from Salinas High School and Felesha Adams a 2007 Seaside High School graduate and like Ray and Ruvalcaba the MBL ‘Most Valuable Player’ in 2007.  Coaches see both these players contributing greatly to the success of the team and playing a big part on the path to a championship.  Other perimeter newcomers are Alexis Benavidez a 5’7” guard from Florida and 5’5” shooting guard Amanda Musones from Alvarez High School.

"I am really proud and excited about the student athletes we've brought in and were able to keep this season," said Bates. "We're much better than we were last year. We're different. I think we will be quicker, more athletic and will have better perimeter shooting. Now we have an inside-outside game, and that should open things up, allowing us to do a bit more."