The end of the season can be bittersweet for any college sports team, especially if they come close to qualifying for the postseason. However, the season is still considered a success when the team shared a significant passion to win and succeed throughout the season. The California State University, East Bay 2022-23 Women’s Basketball season, was full of marked success. While they narrowly missed out on a postseason berth, their hard work, resilience, and team spirit allowed them to achieve some impressive feats and establish themselves as a team to watch throughout this past season. 

First-season head coach, Jenny Thigpin, led the team to a 14-12 record and just missed postseason play. With ups and downs throughout, the Pioneers finished the season 6-2 in their last eight games, highlighted by stellar individual performances and senior day.

Senior Delia Moore was named CCAA Player of the Week from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. She had a career-high 28 points and a game-winning layup that helped jumpstart the end-of-season success. She finished the week with 44 points, six rebounds, three assists, and four steals. 

Delia also got honored as All-CCAA Second Team, finishing her collegiate career remarkably memorable, leaving her stamp on the Pioneer’s basketball program. 

A week later, Jaela Richardson achieved the same honor. She had a season-high 30 points and 10 rebounds, while finishing with a double-double to help secure the third straight win for the Pioneers. Later in the week she had another double-double, her fourth straight one, and finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in a tough overtime loss. “[Jaela and I were honored as player of the week] and it was great for our program. It’s also a huge credit to our whole team and coaches for creating opportunities for us to be successful,” Delia Moore stated.

Richardson was also honored with All-CCAA Second Team, as she dominated on the court with several outstanding performances.

Grace Campbell was All-CCAA Honorable Mention as she averaged 11.1 points per-game and  6.5 rebounds per-game, along with 39 steals and 17 blocks.

“It’s always great to see that our players are individually recognized for their accomplishments both on and off the court this season” stated Thigpin. “Each one of them worked extremely hard and had a huge impact on our team’s success this year.”

As the 2022-23 college basketball season comes to an end, three senior players on the CSUEB Pioneers Women’s Basketball team are bidding farewell to their collegiate careers. Over the past few years, these players have been instrumental in the team’s success, providing leadership, skill, and experience to their younger teammates. As they move on to new chapters in their lives, their contributions to the team and their legacy will be remembered and celebrated.

The seniors for the Pioneer’s include: Grace Campbell, Michaella Dean, and Delia Moore. They were honored Feb. 19 at Pioneer Gymnasium. Campbell finished the game with four points and five rebounds. Dean had a season-high 10 points, and Moore finished with eight points and two assists. “This program and school mean so much to me. I have experienced so much growth as both a person and as a student-athlete,” Delia Moore recognized.

“This team is full of incredible people, talented players, and they are led by phenomenal coaches,” Moore stated. The end of the season, and the end of a career is the worst part for student-athletes, but recognizing the journey and the relationships that were created during, make it that bittersweet ending that it is. “Everyone I’ve come across has inspired and influenced me in some way. I am excited for the future of this program. East Bay always has my heart,” Moore concluded with a smile.