Four Broncos Earn All-CCAA Honors for the First Time Since 2000, Nelson Named CCAA Freshman of the Year
By: Alex Kline, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – For the first time since the 1999-00 season, four Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball student-athletes have earned All-CCAA honors. Kalaya Buggs was named All-CCAA First Team, Sydney Nelson was named All-CCAA Second Team, while both Jeanette Fine and Breanne Ha were named All-CCAA Honorable Mention.
In addition to earning second team honors, Sydney Nelson was named CCAA Freshman of the Year, becoming the fourth player in school history to win the award. She is the first Bronco to win since Jordyn Shane in the 2015-16 season, while Cydnie Jones won it in 2012-13 and Reyana Colson won in 2007-08. Nelson was the only freshman to receive All-CCAA honors in the entire conference, having scored double figures in 23 of her first 26 collegiate games. She ranks second on the team and ninth in the CCAA in scoring with 409 points, while leading the team in rebounds with 175 on the season. Her 91 offensive rebounds ranks 11th in a season in school history, and with just five more, she will crack the Top 10.
Buggs was named CCAA Player of the Week twice this season, during the weeks of Jan. 22-28 and Feb. 12-18. She currently leads the Broncos with 412 points scored, which also ranks eight in the CCAA this season. Buggs has accumulated the most minutes on the court of any Bronco with 861 and averaging 31.9 per game – both of which rank Top 10 in the conference. The Compton native also ranks second on the team in rebounds with 147 and first in steals with 56.
Jeanette Fine and Breanne Ha rounded out the selections with Honorable Mentions, each having contributed in a big way to the Broncos' 19-8 season thus far. Ha has cemented herself as one of the best three-point shooters in school history, making 66 on the season and 164 in her career. With just six more, she will break both the single season record (Anna James with 71 in 2000-01) and move into sole possession of second place on the career list (Ariel Marsh currently in second with 169 from 2011-15).
Despite missing a month of the season due to an injury, Fine's performance was still worthy of All-CCAA recognition with 209 points scored and 111 rebounds. The junior is shooting .437 from the field, while averaging 10.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game in her first season as a Bronco. Fine also has four 20-point performances on the year, as well as two double-doubles.
The women's basketball program has now had at least one student-athlete earn All-CCAA recognition in every single season since 1981-82 (excluding COVID). In fact, they have had at least two in every single season in all but one season (2006-07).
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