STOCKTON, Calif. - After graduating three of the top-ten scorers in program history at the end of last season, the Pacific women's basketball team reloads the roster with its sights set on another deep run in the West Coast Conference Tournament.

For just the second time in Head Coach Bradley Davis' tenure, the Tigers enter the season without a returnee averaging ten or more points – leaving opportunities for the returning student-athletes to step into new roles and the incoming freshmen and transfers to carve out their own identities.

"It's fun to see players take on new roles that have been here for awhile and it's fun to see the new players and start to fit in. It's going to be a season of coming together," Davis said.

One of the players Davis mentioned transitioning into a new role is sophomore Daria Nestorov, who appears primed to take over one of the two backcourt positions vacated by Liz Smith and Anaya James. As a freshman, Nestorov appeared in 29 games as a source of consistent offense after shooting 41.5% from the floor and 40.9% from beyond the arc.

Beyond the numbers, however, the Serbia native was able to absorb knowledge from Smith and James on what it meant to play and lead at the collegiate level,

"I was so lucky that I had them my first year, I think they helped me a lot. They showed me how to be a leader on and off the court and they inspire me by their competitiveness, their work ethic, they helped me a lot. And I think I just need to step up and take their role on the court and off the court," she said.

What will not be transitioning, though, is the identity of the Pacific front court. Senior Sydney Ward and junior Marina Radocaj return for a second campaign together after leading a Tigers defense that set a school record 148 blocks last season.

Ward specifically excelled on the block, netting a top ten program single season mark and Pacific's highest ranked student-athlete conference wide since Valerie Higgins ranked third in the WCC during the 2018-19 season. If Ward were to repeat her 41 blocks in the upcoming season, she would finish with the third most career blocks in Pacific history.

And while Ward is aware of her individual accolades, she stressed a team mentality to her approach defensively,

"I'm not super stat oriented, I just go out there and do what I can, and I usually get most of my blocks helping out my teammates. So, I think my goal is to be the best teammate that I can be, and that title might come, it might not, but hopefully it does," she said.

The Tigers welcomed six newcomers to the program over the summer – three transfers and three freshmen. Sophomore Winner Bartholomew comes to Pacific via Rider University while senior Mali Ennis lands in Stockton after a season at Saint Mary's and senior Hannah Burg made the jump to Pacific from Augustana in the Division two ranks. Freshmen Liv Yergensen, Sophia Mindermann and LaMiracle Lebon all remained in-state to join Pacific.

"This group has been the most fun to show up to practice with every single day. This group, they just keep getting up, getting up and competing like crazy. And I think they're in each other's corner, and it's fun to be around them," Davis said.

The 2025-26 season tips off for Pacific women's basketball tonight, November 3, at 6 p.m. against future WCC foe UC San Diego at the Alex G. Spanos Center. Tickets will be $2.09 to commemorate "209" night celebrating all-things Stockton.

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