Long Beach State University Athletics
Photo by: John Fajardo
LBSU Women’s Basketball Chosen Third in The Big West Preseason Coaches Poll
10/20/2022 3:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Beach earn a total of 73 points in the preseason poll as they return six letterwinners and bring in 10 talented newcomers
IRVINE, Calif. – The Big West released the complete 2022-23 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday afternoon and Long Beach State was picked to finish third with a total of 73 points.
The Beach return six letterwinners from a year ago including redshirt senior guard Ma'Qhi Berry and redshirt junior guard Kianna Hamilton-Fisher.
Berry finished the 2021-22 campaign with 7.7 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game, while totaling 72 assists, 38 steals, and 12 blocks.
Meanwhile, Hamilton-Fisher concluded the year with 7.5 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game to go along with 49 steals, 40 assists, and nine blocks.
Joining the Beach for the 2022-23 season are 10 newcomers highlighted by senior guard Malia Bambrick, redshirt senior guard Tori Harris, and senior guard Courtney Murphy.
Bambrick is a transfer from Pepperdine who was the second-leading scorer for the Waves with 10.0 points per game. She also led the team in three-point percentage (.330), three-pointers made (33), and minute (32.9).
Harris came to LBSU from St. Bonaventure where she averaged 11.1 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game to rank second on the squad, while making 86 three-pointers.
Murphy, a native of Sunshine Coast, Australia, comes to Long Beach State by way of Seattle U where she ranked fourth in three-pointers and finished her career at Seattle with more than 700 career points. She was the team's second leading scorer averaging 8.8 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per game.
Long Beach State was chosen third with 73 points behind preseason favorite Hawaii which earned 99 points with a total of nine first-place votes, and UC Santa Barbara which finished with 84 points and two first-place votes.
Coming in fourth behind the Beach was UC San Diego with 72 points, while UC Davis came in fifth with 71 points. UC Irvine placed sixth with 62 points, UC Riverside was picked seventh with 40, and CSUN was chosen eighth with 36 points.
Rounding out the bottom three of the poll were Cal State Fullerton (ninth place, 33 points), Cal Poly (10th, 18 points), and CSU Bakersfield (11th, 17 points).
Long Beach State opens the season on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Gonzaga at 8 p.m. The Beach's home opener is set for Saturday, Nov. 12 against La Sierra at 6 p.m.
2022-23 Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Hawaii – 99 points (9)
2. UC Santa Barbara – 84 points (2)
3. Long Beach State – 73 points
4. UC San Diego – 72 points
5. UC Davis – 71 points
6. UC Irvine – 62 points
7. UC Riverside – 40 points
8. CSUN – 36 points
9. Cal State Fullerton – 33 points
10. Cal Poly – 18 points
11. CSU Bakersfield – 17 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2022-23 All-Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Team
Tess Amundsen, CSUN
Sydney Brown, UC San Diego
Ila Lane, UC Santa Barbara
Julia Macabuhay, UC San Diego
Evanne Turner, UC Davis
Lily Wahinekapu, Hawaii
The Beach return six letterwinners from a year ago including redshirt senior guard Ma'Qhi Berry and redshirt junior guard Kianna Hamilton-Fisher.
Berry finished the 2021-22 campaign with 7.7 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game, while totaling 72 assists, 38 steals, and 12 blocks.
Meanwhile, Hamilton-Fisher concluded the year with 7.5 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game to go along with 49 steals, 40 assists, and nine blocks.
Joining the Beach for the 2022-23 season are 10 newcomers highlighted by senior guard Malia Bambrick, redshirt senior guard Tori Harris, and senior guard Courtney Murphy.
Bambrick is a transfer from Pepperdine who was the second-leading scorer for the Waves with 10.0 points per game. She also led the team in three-point percentage (.330), three-pointers made (33), and minute (32.9).
Harris came to LBSU from St. Bonaventure where she averaged 11.1 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game to rank second on the squad, while making 86 three-pointers.
Murphy, a native of Sunshine Coast, Australia, comes to Long Beach State by way of Seattle U where she ranked fourth in three-pointers and finished her career at Seattle with more than 700 career points. She was the team's second leading scorer averaging 8.8 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per game.
Long Beach State was chosen third with 73 points behind preseason favorite Hawaii which earned 99 points with a total of nine first-place votes, and UC Santa Barbara which finished with 84 points and two first-place votes.
Coming in fourth behind the Beach was UC San Diego with 72 points, while UC Davis came in fifth with 71 points. UC Irvine placed sixth with 62 points, UC Riverside was picked seventh with 40, and CSUN was chosen eighth with 36 points.
Rounding out the bottom three of the poll were Cal State Fullerton (ninth place, 33 points), Cal Poly (10th, 18 points), and CSU Bakersfield (11th, 17 points).
Long Beach State opens the season on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Gonzaga at 8 p.m. The Beach's home opener is set for Saturday, Nov. 12 against La Sierra at 6 p.m.
2022-23 Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Hawaii – 99 points (9)
2. UC Santa Barbara – 84 points (2)
3. Long Beach State – 73 points
4. UC San Diego – 72 points
5. UC Davis – 71 points
6. UC Irvine – 62 points
7. UC Riverside – 40 points
8. CSUN – 36 points
9. Cal State Fullerton – 33 points
10. Cal Poly – 18 points
11. CSU Bakersfield – 17 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2022-23 All-Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Team
Tess Amundsen, CSUN
Sydney Brown, UC San Diego
Ila Lane, UC Santa Barbara
Julia Macabuhay, UC San Diego
Evanne Turner, UC Davis
Lily Wahinekapu, Hawaii
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