Women’s Basketball Set For Home Opener Against California Baptist

Wednesday, November 12

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

California Baptist

Photo by: John Fajardo

Women’s Basketball Set For Home Opener Against California Baptist

11/11/2025 3:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes - California Baptist

The Beach Will Face Future Big West Opponent In Walter Pyramid

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- After a two-game road trip through the Front Range, the Long Beach State Women's Basketball team returns to the Walter Pyramid to open the 2025-26 home season with a contest against future Big West opponents California Baptist on Wednesday, November 12 at 6 p.m. This marks the fifth all-time meeting between Long Beach State and California Baptist. The teams last faced off in 2023 in Riverside, where the Lancers earned the win. The Beach claimed the most recent matchup at the Walter Pyramid in 2022, a 67–59 victory.

Game:......................... Long Beach State vs California Baptist
Date:.................................... Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Time:.............................................................................. 6 p.m.
Location:.................................................... Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................................. Walter Pyramid
TV:................................................................................ ESPN+
TV Talent:................................Devin Hudson, Jason Schwartz
Webcast:...................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:................................................................................ N/A
Live Stats:..........................beachlivestats.statbroadcast.com

• The Beach dropped two games on the road to Mountain West opponents Wyoming and Colorado state last week. Sophomore JaQuoia Jones-Brown led the Beach against the Rams with the program's first double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

• Sophomore JaQuoia Jones-Brown is a key returner from last year's lineup, back for the Beach after an All-Freshman Team selection in 2024-25. Jones-Brown ended the season in the starting lineup for the Beach, averaging 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, second-best on the team as a guard in rebounding. She also shot 41.4% from the floor and 33.3% from three last season. So far in 2025-26, JaQuoia Jones Brown is averaging 13.0 points (13th in Big West) and 7.0 rebounds (8th in Big West) per game. Jones Brown currently sits 18th in the NCAA for double-doubles with one.

• Mykelle Richards also earned All-Freshman Team honors after a strong debut season, starting 20 games for Long Beach State and averaging 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. The sophomore is expected to miss significant time however after suffering a major injury over the offseason.

• Two returners will be counted on to step up in the absence of Richards in the frontcourt. The Beach will turn to 6-2 sophomore Judit Oliva Fernandez and 6-0 Kennan Ka for expanded roles. Oliva Fernandez played in 25 games and Ka participated in 20 last season for Long Beach State. So far, Ka and Fernandez are tied for fifth in the Big West for blocks, averaging one per game.

ABOUT THE BEACH
• Judit Oliva Fermandez has had extensive experience playing Internationally for Spain in 3x3 tournaments, an experience that she detailed for the Long Beach State Beach Reads series found at www.longbeachstate.com.

• Other returning players for Long Beach State in addition to Jones-Brown, Richards, Oliva Fernandez and Ka include sophomore guard Christy Reynoso, forward Brelynn Brice and center Haley Wright. The trio combined for 32 games played during the 2024-25 campaign.

• Two redshirts also return for Long Beach State. Tairat Samuel-Afolabi is a redshirt freshman from Sweden, while Lauren Cummings returns after playing 26 games in 2023-24 before redshirting last season.

• Khylee Pepe gives Long Beach State some veteran experience, joining the program as a senior after spending four years at San Diego State, including one as a medical redshirt in 2024-25. Pepe played in all 35 games for the Aztecs in 2023-24 as a junior, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. In total, Pepe played in 95 games with San Diego State after entering the program as a high school recruit from Bishop Montgomery High School

• Long Beach State brought in three high school recruits to join the team this season. Rosie Akot is a 6-2 forward whose intensity was noted by Wright, coming from Adelaide in Australia. Morgan Mack is a 5-10 guard from Lancaster, who finished her career as the top scorer in Hart HS history, while Brynna Pukis was a four-time first-team all-league selection at Glacier Peak High School in Washington.

• Long Beach State made two changes to the staff in the offseason. Jesse Clark joined the program as an assistant coach, coming to the Beach from the Academy of Art in San Francisco where he was the head coach for the last two seasons, capping over 25 years in coaching across multiple levels. The Beach added Ashley Arroyo as the team's Director of Basketball Operations, while Jashae Lee and Raru Archer return for their third seasons on staff with Amy Wright and Long Beach State.