2019-20 Ventura College Women's Basketball Team News
The VC women's basketball team continued to be the most recognized academic achieving community college women's basketball program in the country as a state-leading six members of the 2019-20 team were named Academic All-State by the California Community College women's Basketball Coaches Association in a press release Friday. The Pirates had three sophomores named to the state-wide list: Madison Kast, Cece Quintino and Emma Larson, while three freshmen also earned the honor: Yasmine Ahllamara, Alanna Jackson and Kimora Pooler.
The Ventura College Athletic Department is pleased to report that they list 83 student athletes from 2019-20 who are slated to transfer to four-year institutions in the fall, as of August 31. Of those transfers, 60 plan on continuing their athletic careers at their new school, most of them with an athletic scholarship. The transferring student athletes will attend 58 different schools in 26 states around the country.
The Ventura College women's basketball team posted a program record 3.544 team grade point average for the 2019-20 academic year to receive the No. 2 national ranking on this year's Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Honor Roll. The team achieved a 3.386 GPA in the fall and overcame the disappointment of a cancelled state tournament and the challenges of a spring semester that moved completely online due to the coronavirus health crisis to shatter the program standard with a 3.723 in the spring, earning VC's 16th WBCA Academic Honor Roll appearance in the last 17 years.
The VC women's basketball team has nine alumnae who are planning on transferring to four-year universities in the fall, with four planning to continue their basketball careers. This group adds to the long line of four-year transfers during the 30-year tenure of head coach Ned Mircetic. Since 1990-91, 164 Pirate alumnae have transferred to continue their education with 90 continuing their basketball careers at the four-year level.
At the end of a roller coaster season, the VC women's basketball team had found its way back to the top with a berth in the CCCAA State Elite Eight with a regional final victory on March 7. Five days later, they found themselves in the middle of the emerging COVID-19 crisis that enveloped the country and the world. After a 21-7 overall record, the Pirates became Ventura College's first team to end their season without closure as they returned home from the cancelled state tournament.
The Pirates' women's basketball team traveled to Lemoore Wednesday for the program's 19th CCCAA State Elite Eight, with aspirations of qualifying for the team's 16th Final Four, 10th State Finals appearance, and possibly winning the program's eighth state title. They came home Thursday, however, along with the other seven state championship hopefuls, after the CCCAA canceled the state tournament in response to the COVID-19 outbreak gripping the nation.
With the health and well-being of its student-athletes at the forefront of decision-making and out of an abundance of caution for fans and others due to COVID-19 concerns, the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) announced Tuesday that its upcoming men’s and women’s basketball state championship tournaments at West Hills College Lemoore will be played with only teams and essential staff in attendance. The Ventura College women's basketball team will play its state quarterfinal game as scheduled against Diablo Valley College at 3:00 pm Thursday at Golden Eagle Arena without spectators in attendance.
The Ventura College women's basketball team built a 20-point lead with 1:43 remaining in the third quarter, then held off a furious charge by Irvine Valley in the fourth to post a 70-67 victory in the CCCAA Southern California Regional Finals Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center. The win advances the No. 3-seeded Pirates (21-7) to the program's state-record 19th State Elite Eight next weekend in Lemoore. Cece Quintino had a season-best 20 points and Talia Taufaasau recorded 16 points to send VC to the state tournament for the third time in the past four seasons.
Ventura College sophomore Talia Taufaasau has been named second team All-State by the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The 5-foot-7 point guard earned third team All-State honors a year ago, making her the 11th player in program history to earn the honor for two seasons.
Playoff basketball is just different. With periods of agony and moments of ecstasy culminating in heartbreak or jubilation, the only appropriate mantra is survive and advance. The No. 3-seeded Pirates' women's basketball team experienced all of those emotions Saturday as they survived and advanced with a 73-62 victory over No. 19 Allan Hancock in the CCCAA Southern California Regional Semifinals at the Athletic Event Center. Talia Taufaasau had 15 points, Victoria Maciel scored 13, including three big 3-pointers, and Madison Kast netted 11 as VC (20-7) advanced to the State Sweet 16 for the 23rd time in the 30 year tenure of head coach Ned Mircetic.
Five members of the Pirates' women's basketball team have been named All-Western State Conference for the 2019-20 season, as voted upon by the WSC North Division coaches. Talia Taufaasau, Cece Quintino and Madison Kast were all named first-team All-WSC while LaDaesha Merriweather and Kimora Pooler each earned Honorable Mention All-WSC honors.
Once again, a road to the State Tournament will lead through Ventura. The Pirates' women's basketball team has earned the No. 3 seed in the CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoffs, and will host a regional semifinal on Saturday Feb. 29 at 7:00 pm. VC (19-7) will face off against Wednesday's winner between No. 14 Long Beach (20-8) and No. 19 Allan Hancock (13-15). Ventura earned its 10th Top-4 Seed since 2008.
The stakes were definitely high for the Pirates' women's basketball team Wednesday night in their regular season finale - win and they're in, lose and jump on the bubble. VC chose the former with a solid 72-57 victory over visiting Allan Hancock College at the Athletic Event Center. Talia Taufaasauled the way with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks and Cece Quintino had 16 points for Ventura (19-7, 5-3). With the victory, the Pirates secure a good spot in the upcoming CCCAA SoCal Regional Playoffs.
The Pirates' women's basketball team had a difficult time finding the bottom of the net Saturday, falling at Moorpark 69-54. VC shot just 34 percent in the game (21-62) and connected on 21 percent of their 3-point attempts (4-21) in the setback. Cece Quintino led Ventura (18-7, 4-3) with 14 points and six rebounds while Madison Kast netted 10 points. Talia Taufaasau had nine points and five assists for the Pirates.
Things did not look good for the Pirates Wednesday in Santa Barbara. Early in the second half the Vaqueros hit four straight 3-pointers to build a 54-40 lead before the VC reserve team of Victoria Maciel, Alyssandra Lacanilao, Kimora Pooler, Alaina Garcia and Emma Larson staged a comeback. The quintet outscored SBCC 16-2 over the next six minutes, and erased a seven point deficit in the fourth quarter, leading Ventura (18-6, 4-2) to a 77-68 victory over Santa Barbara.
The VC women's basketball team used a decisive 20-4 run over a seven minute period midway through the first half to pull away from Oxnard College, posting an 84-60 victory over the Condors Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center. Madison Kast had 21 points on just 12 shots to lead Ventura (17-7, 3-2) while Yasmine Ahllamara totaled 19 points, including four 3-pointers. Kimora Pooler had 12 points and nine rebounds while Talia Taufaasau netted 12 points.
