Cal Poly Humboldt women’s basketball team’s bench celebrates a made shot last season against Concordia University Irvine. Humboldt has announced six new signees since the start of the month. (Photo by Mark Larson)
Humboldt women’s hoops team adds to roster
The Cal Poly Humboldt women’s basketball team continues to fill out its roster, announcing three new transfers heading to the North Coast to join the ‘Jacks after all three spent time at junior colleges.
On Monday, the ‘Jacks announced the addition of Moriah Burley to the team, who comes to the ‘Jacks from Victor Valley Community College in Victorville just east of Palmdale. Burley played two seasons with Victor Valley and averaged 9.75 points per game over 52 games.
Burley is a 5’9” guard. In addition to nearly double-digit scoring, she averaged 1.9 steals and 0.7 blocks a game in her Rams career. Burley also proved to be a threat from three in her time at Victor Valley, shooting 32% on 4.46 attempts a game. The ability to stretch the floor will be a welcome sign for the ‘Jacks who finished 7th out of 12 teams in the CCAA conference when it came to making three-pointers in 2023-24.
Following Burley’s announcement, the team on Tuesday welcomed guard Kyla Miller, who previously played at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, Washington. Miller led the Orcas in scoring with 15.2 points per game, the total was good for 13th in the entire Northwest Athletic Conference.
Miller did more for Whatcom than just score too, averaging 1.8 steals, 4.5 rebounds a game while shooting over 40% from the field. Miller stands at just 5’7” but she will give ‘Jacks head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson another option in the backcourt to go along with her fellow transfers and returners from the ‘Jacks a year ago in seniors Emilia Long and Kenya Edelhart.
Last week, the ‘Jacks put out an introductory post for another guard, Kendall Pickford from North Idaho College, a community college in Coeur D’Alene. Pickford nearly averaged double-digit scoring in her redshirt freshman year with the Cardinals, putting up 9.8 a game with 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Pickford is a 5’10″ guard and although she shot only 31.4% from three, she displayed her prowess from deep, hitting six threes in a 27-point outing and hitting eight threes in another game where Pickford ended up with 26 points in a Cardinals win.
With Miller, Pickford and Burley now in the fold for Humboldt, that now makes it six recruits joining the ‘Jacks this month as the conference opener against Chico State is just over four and a half months away for Bento-Jackson who is entering her ninth year head coaching at Humboldt.
CR softball adds two new recruits under new coach
It’s been just over a month since College of the Redwoods hired Micaela Harris as head coach after she had spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach with Cal Poly Humboldt following her playing career with the ‘Jacks from 2018-23.
Since the hiring of Harris, the Corsairs brought in three new recruits to fill out her first-year roster with CR.
Over the weekend, the team announced the signing of shortstop/utility player Jordyn Hattery from Spanish Springs High School in Sparks, Nevada. The post from the team calls Hattery a “natural leader on the field” and “an absolute force” which should help out the Corsairs after their 11-25 record in 2024.
Then on Tuesday, the team posted the signing of former H-DNL player Aria Soberanis, who joins the Corsairs from Arcata High School. Soberanis will play left field and third base for the Corsairs and will continue this year’s contingency of local players headed to CR that was started with St. Bernard’s Kiara McGinnis who signed in May and South Fork’s Cloe McConnell who signed on with the Corsairs last month.
The Corsairs have plenty more work to do, with only four returners from their 2024 team coming back for their sophomore seasons at College of the Redwoods.
Dylan McNeill can be reached at 707-441-0526.
