Long Beach State University
Toledo
Beach Return Home Monday To Host Toledo
12/21/2025 2:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Long Beach State Continues Non-Conference Play as Growth Remains the Focus
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State returns to the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on Monday to host Toledo in a non-conference matchup as the Beach continue to measure progress through a challenging early-season schedule. With the all-time series tied at 1–1, Monday's contest provides another opportunity for LBSU to translate defensive discipline and competitive stretches into sustained execution on both ends of the floor.
RIGHT AWAY
• Monday, Long Beach State returns home to host Toledo in a non-conference matchup as the Beach look to build momentum and continue measuring growth through a challenging early-season schedule. The all-time series is tied at 1–1.
• Through 10 games, Long Beach State is averaging 49.6 points per game, shooting .330 from the field and .254 from three-point range, while continuing to prioritize shot quality and spacing within the half court.
• Defensively, LBSU is generating 5.9 steals and 2.4 blocks per game, anchored by disciplined half-court positioning and interior rim protection.
• JaQuoia Jones-Brown leads the team in scoring (16.5 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg), and assists (2.3 apg) while logging 35.5 minutes per game. She is shooting .396 FG / .333 3FG / .826 FT and has reached double figures in nine of 10 games, with a season high of 29 points vs. Sacramento State.
• Judit Oliva Fernandez is averaging 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds while ranking top three in the Big West in rim protection at 1.4 blocks per game. She leads the team with 14 total blocks and is shooting .833 from the free-throw line.
• Kennan Ka contributes 5.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, shooting .364 from the field while providing interior versatility and secondary playmaking.
• Brynna Pukis continues to serve as the team's primary perimeter shooter, leading LBSU with 14 made three-pointers (nearly 30 percent of the team total) while averaging 5.3 points per game. She is shooting .304 from three and has posted multiple high-efficiency outings from beyond the arc.
• Khylee Pepe is averaging 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds, ranking second on the team in rebounding while leading LBSU in steals (1.6 per game) and offensive rebounds (1.8 per game).
ABOUT THE BEACH
• Judit Oliva Fernandez 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.
