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2023-24 Women's Basketball Season Preview: Coaching Changes, Schedules Announcements, Season Pass Info, & More!
Posted: Oct 17, 2023

2023-24 Women's Basketball Season Preview: Coaching Changes, Schedules Announcements, Season Pass Info, & More!

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The official start of the 2023-24 campaign for the women's basketball program at Allan Hancock College is just over three weeks away and the Bulldogs will look to build on last season's success with a strong group of returners and a group of key newcomers.  

SNAPSHOT

  • 2022-23 record: 21-9 (8-4 WSC North, 2nd)
  • Starters returning/lost: 2/3
  • Participants returning/lost: 4/5 
  • Notable losses: 
    • Alexandria Paquet (13.3 PPG, 3.1 APG, 78.6 FT%, Third Team All-State, two-time All-Conference)
    • Kayla Taylor (9.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.5 BPG, First Team All-Conference)
    • Mya Mendoza (8.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG)
    • Chloe Blankenship (10.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG)

THE COACHES

Danah Smith will begin her first stint at the helm of the women's basketball program this season after being named to the Director of Women's Basketball Operations/Event Manager post in April. Prior to becoming the head coach, Smith had spent two seasons on the sideline for the women's program in the assistant coaching role. During that time, the program made back-to-back playoff appearances while amassing an overall record of 39-21 and placing two athletes on the All-State list. 

Connor Dodd is set to join Smith as an assistant coach this season and will pull double duty as a member of both the men's and women's coaching staff crews. Dodd is also heading into his third overall season as an assistant, and first as the recruiting coordinator, for the men's program. 

KEY RETURNERS

Giselle Calderon averaged 9.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game after starting in 15 of her 27 appearances last season. She notched 10+ points in 13 games as a freshman while hitting a career-high mark of 20 points against Gavilan, despite playing a limited role due to a midseason injury.

Mallory Branum stretched the floor as a solid three-point shooter last season. The Lompoc native averaged 9.8 points per game with 40 made shots from distance while appearing in all 29 contests. Branum played a key role in the team's milestone victory over Ventura after sparking an 11-0 run with a trio of shots from long distance.  

India Dowling-Green, a native of South Carolina, also appeared in all 29 contests last season. She hit a career-high mark of 15 points in three separate contests during her freshman campaign en route to an average of 7.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest.  

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS

Katy Mathews will bring length and athleticism to the Bulldogs program and is expected to bring versatility to this year's team as a solid two-way athlete on the court. The Nevada native has the ability to stretch the floor with her three-point range and has shown solid fundamentals on the defensive end. 

Maggie Perez is anticipated to bring in a solid dose of energy and excitement to the court this season. The St. Joe alum, who brings a wealth of winning experience to the squad, has solidified her role as a vocal leader for the team throughout the preseason thus far. 

THE SCHEDULE

The upcoming schedule features action against 16 non-conference opponents and 12 Western State Conference (WSC) foes. Hancock's schedule features a number of highly competitive matchups, including four teams that were ranked in the final edition of the CCCMBA Coaches' Top 30 Poll at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.

The Bulldogs are set to host two tournaments at home this season, beginning with the Home Motors Tournament on Nov. 17-19. The AHC Holiday Classic, which dates back to 1955, will take place on Dec. 29-30.

Conference action is slated to begin after the holiday break with a road test at Oxnard on January 13th and will come to a close on February 23rd on the road against Ventura. The program will be holding a number of special events throughout the season such as Hometown Heroes (1/31), Coaches vs Cancer (2/7), and Sophomore Night (2/21). 

Basketball season pass packages, which are offered in three different tiers and grant access to all men's and women's home basketball events during the regular season, are now available for purchase at ahcbulldogs.com/ticketing. Single-game tickets will also be available for purchase prior to the start of the season. As a reminder, cash will not be accepted at the ticketing gate or the concession stand. Fans who are not purchasing a season pass are strongly encouraged to purchase single-game tickets prior to arrival, but will also have the opportunity to pay for a ticket on-site with a credit or debit card at the gate.