College basketball | Roster begins to form for ‘Jacks women with three new signings

The Cal Poly Humboldt women’s basketball team stands in unison before a game on Jan. 11 against Monterey Bay. Humboldt added three new players this past week as they look to get back into the CCAA conference tournament in 2024-2025. (Photo: Mark Larson)

Three new recruits were announced this past week for the Cal Poly Humboldt women’s basketball team with the 2024-25 season just a few months away.

The ‘Jacks just missed out on an entry to the CCAA conference tournament last March, going 10-12 in conference play (12-14 overall), finishing only a game out of the tournament spot. Humboldt graduated two seniors so much of the ‘Jacks core from a season ago will remain in the picture.

That picture has added a few new faces over the past week, with the school announcing its first three signings of the off-season. The first came on Monday, with incoming freshman Riley Sanz, a 5’8” guard from Camas High School in Washington state.

Sanz helped the Papermakers to a 22-6 record last season that ended with a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association 4A state championship win, with Sanz scoring 10 points in the championship game.

On Tuesday, the team announced the signing of guard Dylan Lovett, out of Walla Walla Community College in Washington where she spent two seasons after graduating from Post Falls High School in Idaho. As a sophomore, Lovett averaged 12.8 points per game to highlight a packed stat sheet, adding 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.4 steals in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

Lovett’s height is listed at 5’6” and should be an option in the backcourt for ‘Jacks head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson with both graduating seniors, Sara Ahmadpour and Jayci Bayne being guards as well.

Humboldt’s third signing of the week was the addition of Madalyn Kanazawa, a 5’3” point guard, on Wednesday. Kanazawa comes to the ‘Jacks from Salesian College Prep High School in Richmond. Kanazawa averaged 12.3 points per game in her senior season and added just under four assists and three steals a game.

Salesian College Prep and Kanazawa enjoyed a 21-11 season before eventually getting bounced in the first round of the Division 1 California Interscholastic Federation tournament after Kanazawa and the Pride won the Division 1 North Coast Section title.

The three new ‘Jacks have a clear knack for playing winning basketball, which would be a plus for any team but especially for Humboldt.

While the ‘Jacks have yet to release an official 2024-25 roster, it’s a safe bet that two-sport star Emilia Long, who’s entering her senior season, will remain a focal point for the offense after she averaged a team-high 15.2 points per game a season ago. Guard Kenya Edelhart is also heading into her senior season after she put up 9.8 points a game in her first season with Humboldt.

In the frontcourt, Humboldt will have three-point specialist Marley Johnson back for her senior year after she hit 68 threes a year ago. Junior Madison Rubino will look to take another step after she averaged over seven points and over five rebounds a game as a sophomore.

The ‘Jacks depth will feature senior Jadis Watson in the post and junior Kacie Slover on the wing, with both players averaging just over four points a game last season.

Humboldt’s season begins on Nov. 30 at home against Chico State, providing the ‘Jacks with an early test at home after the Wildcats finished CCAA play in 2023-2024 16-6 which was good for second in the conference.

Dylan McNeill can be reached at 707-441-0526.