SEASIDE, Calif. — Coming off its most successful season in more than a decade, the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team enters the 2026-27 campaign looking to build on the momentum established under head coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery.
 
The Otters made one of the most significant turnarounds in program history last season, improving from just three victories in 2024-25 to a 14-14 overall record in 2025-26. The 14 wins marked the program's highest total since the 2012-13 season, while the .500 finish represented another major step forward in the team's rebuilding process.
 
Monterey Bay also posted an 11-11 record in CCAA play, earning its first conference tournament appearance in 13 years and signaling the program's return to postseason contention.
 
Now entering her fourth season at the helm, Hopkins-Chery welcomes back several key contributors from that breakthrough campaign, including two returning All-CCAA selections and a group of experienced guards.
 
Leading the way is senior Jennifer Moreno Ortiz, who emerged as one of the conference's top offensive players in her first season with the Otters.
 
The San Diego native earned All-CCAA Second Team honors after averaging a team-leading 12.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. She led the CCAA in three-point shooting at 38.5 percent, connecting on 50 shots from beyond the arc while shooting 40.1 percent overall and 86.6 percent from the free throw line.
 
Moreno Ortiz started 26 of 27 games, scoring in double figures 17 times and finishing with 344 points, 120 rebounds, 50 assists and 41 steals. She delivered a season-high 29 points against Cal State Dominguez Hills, connecting on 9-of-11 shots, including five three-pointers.
 
Joining Moreno Ortiz is junior guard Leah Sarabia, who earned All-CCAA Honorable Mention recognition following a productive sophomore campaign.
 
Sarabia averaged 9.6 points and a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per game, starting 21 of 25 contests. The Hawthorne native finished with 239 points, 138 rebounds, 49 assists and 44 steals while shooting 40.1 percent from the field.
 
She recorded a season-high 20 points and 11 rebounds against Cal Poly Humboldt, showcasing her ability to impact games on both ends of the floor.
 
Sophomore Riley Walls also returns after establishing herself as a consistent starter during her freshman season. The Fresno native started 24 of 25 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Walls totaled 193 points, 109 rebounds and 36 steals while shooting 40.6 percent from the field.
 
Junior Brianna Bouton adds another experienced option in the backcourt after appearing in 24 games last season. The Morgan Hill native averaged 2.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game while providing depth in the guard rotation.
 
Sophomore Keegan Medeiros also returns after not seeing game action during her first season. The former Clovis West standout earned All-State recognition as a high school senior and finished her prep career with more than 1,000 points.
 
The returning group will be joined by several newcomers who bring a combination of collegiate experience, international backgrounds and young talent.
 
Senior guard Lucia Llaveria arrives from Bradley University, giving the Otters another experienced backcourt option. The Badalona, Spain, native joins the program after four years at the NCAA Division I level.
 
Monterey Bay also adds size to its frontcourt with junior Haley Wright, a 6-foot-4 center from Great Britain who transfers from Long Beach State, and sophomore Maya Sharvit, a 6-foot forward from Israel who previously attended Cal Poly.
 
The incoming freshman class features guards Sophia Sanchez of San Francisco, forward Kitty White of Sydney, Australia, center Vae Butler of Sacramento and forward Teagan Radcliffe of San Jose.
 
Together, the newcomers will look to complement an established returning core as the Otters work toward another postseason appearance.
 
The 2026-27 schedule opens Friday, Nov. 13, when Monterey Bay faces Jessup University at 7 p.m. in the CCAA/PacWest Crossover hosted by Dominican University in San Rafael. The Otters will face host Dominican the following afternoon at 3 p.m.
 
CSUMB then travels to Hawaii for games against Chaminade on Nov. 18 and Hawaii Pacific on Nov. 19 before returning to Seaside for its home opener against Simon Fraser on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 11:30 a.m. inside The Kelp Bed.