PORTLAND, Ore. – Three Central Washington University Women's Basketball student-athletes were honored by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tuesday afternoon, being named to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Asher Cai, Annalee Coronado, and Capri Sims were all announced as members of the GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team. Cai was selected by the coaches of the GNAC as the Preseason Player of the Year.
 
"I feel so grateful to coach the caliber of player each Asher, Capri, and Anna are but more importantly that gratitude runs even deeper because of the phenomenal young women they are and their unwavering commitment to our program and their teammates," CWU Head Women's Basketball Coach Randi Richardson said. "We are so proud of each of them and how they represent CWU WBB."
 
Cai, a senior guard, currently has 1,547 career points and is on pace to break the CWU scoring record set by Sunny Huerta last season and could very well surpass the GNAC record of 2,001 points set by Alisha Breen of Montana State Billings in 2018. She finished last season averaging 16.8 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, and added 12 blocks and 53 steals. She shot 43.7 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from three, and 82.2 percent at the free-throw line. This is her third-straight GNAC Preseason All-Conference honor after earning GNAC Freshman of the Year in 2022-23.
 
"Asher has impacted our program immensely from the time she's been a freshman," Richardson said. "She's on pace to have one of the most storied statistical careers in a Wildcat uniform but it has always never been about that for her. She has always been about the team first and her priority is winning and doing the things necessary to move our team forward toward our goals. She has always set the standard within our program from an academic, leadership, character and unconditional investment standpoint during her time here. She is a truly gifted basketball player who is so fun to watch and coach however her work ethic and team first and growth mindset makes her so special. We are so excited about the opportunity Asher, and her teammates have as she steps into her senior year."
 
Coronado, a junior guard, is earning her first GNAC Preseason All-Conference recognition after playing a pivotal role down the stretch and into the playoffs for the 'Cats. In her sophomore campaign a season ago she improved in almost every aspect of the game averaging 7.2 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, and 2.6 assists per game while adding 10 blocks and 19 steals. She finished the season shooting 45.9 percent from the floor, 33.8 percent from three, and 84.3 percent at the free-throw line. She was key during the NCAA Tournament where she tallied 32 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, and 2 steals while shooting 55 percent from the floor, 83.3 percent from the floor and a perfect 5/5 at the free-throw line during the three-game span to help the 'Cats to their first ever Sweet 16.
 
"Anna's size, skill set, and versatility to play multiple positions is an amazing thing to have in our program. With that, she is willing to stretch and play any position necessary to help the team win and has made major impacts on our team especially down the stretch in each of her last two seasons, which was vital to our team playing our best down the stretch in each of the last two years. Beyond the court, Anna's energy and attitude is infectious and so important to the culture of our program. I am so happy for her that she is getting recognized by the league as one of the top players this preseason and it is well deserved."
 
Sims, a junior forward, now can claim back-to-back GNAC Preseason All-GNAC distinction to her resume after proving to be a force in the paint once again during her sophomore season leading the crimson and black with 8.7 rebounds per game while adding 10 points per game and finishing with seven double-doubles a season ago. She added 1.5 assists per game, 26 steals, and a team-high 21 blocks while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor, 35.3 percent from three, and 67.6 percent at the free-throw line. She posted a career-high 21 points against Simon Fraser as part of a four-game double-double streak and a seven-game double digit point game streak. She played a pivotal role in the NCAA Tournament for the 'Cats dropping back-to-back double-doubles in the first and second rounds and tallying 31 points, 32 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 2 steals while shooting 48 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three, and 75 percent from the free-throw line in the three games enroute to the Sweet 16.
 
"Capri has been so impactful to our program in both her freshman and sophomore seasons. She has had to play out of position and battle great post players every night in our conference while being undersized. She has always been about the team and doing what is necessary in order for us to be successful. Her daily effort is inspiring as she empties her tank every time she steps onto the floor in practices and games. Her growth, mindset, and eagerness to improve has been top notch and she has developed herself into one of the top players in our league. She is so fun to watch and coach. I am excited for the opportunity that she and her teammates have in front of them."
 
The Wildcats will begin their season in Arcata, California for the annual CCAA-GNAC Crossover where they will face Cal State East Bay on Friday, November 14 at 5:30 p.m. followed by the host Cal Poly Humboldt on Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. with all the action happening inside Lumberjack Arena.
 
You can view the full GNAC release HERE
 

NAME	SCHOOL	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.	Hometown (Previous School)
Elaina Mack	Alaska Anchorage	G	5-8	Sr.	King Cove, AK (King Cove HS)
Asher Cai	Central Washington	G	5-9	Sr.	Colfax, WA (Colfax HS)
Annalee Coronado	Central Washington	G	5-9	Jr.	Othello, WA (Othello HS)
Capri Sims	Central Washington	F	6-0	Jr.	Post Falls, ID (Post Falls HS)
Layla Baumann	Montana State Billings	G	5-8	Jr.	Billings, MT (Billings West HS)
Kaitlin Grossman	Montana State Billings	F	5-11	Sr.	Billings, MT (Billings West HS)
Kendall Clark	Northwest Nazarene	G/F	5-10	Jr.	Melba, ID (Melba HS)
Chloe Deharo	Northwest Nazarene	G	5-9	So.	Spokane, WA (West Valley HS)
Kiana Rios	Saint Martin's	G	5-9	Sr.	Warden, WA (Warden HS)
Jada Travis	Saint Martin's	G	5-5	So.	Tacoma, WA (Bellarmine Prep HS)
Layne Kearns	Seattle Pacific	G	5-7	Jr.	Hamilton, MT (Hamilton HS)
Rachel Loukes	Simon Fraser	G	5-10	Jr.	Prince George, BC (College Heights School)
Demi Dykstra	Western Washington	G	5-9	Jr.	Lynden, WA (Lynden Christian HS)
Aspen Garrison	Western Washington	F	6-3	Sr.	Bellingham, WA (Saint Mary's (CA))
Libby Stump	Western Washington	G	5-8	Jr.	Ferndale, WA (Montana)