The women’s basketball team finished it’s season March 22 in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament, suffering a 81-86 loss against Virginia Union University.
Kamille Diaz, senior sociology major and guard, finished the season as the all-time career leader in assists with 688, averaging 5.8 assists per game for the 2016-17 season.
Diaz, who has impacted the season significantly, set a California Baptist University single-game record with 43 points in 42 minutes Feb. 25 in a 94-85 overtime win against Point Loma Nazarene University. Diaz said the team had a great win against PLNU.
“Cassidy Mihalko, senior business administration major and guard, was out with an injury and Courtney Nelson, (senior business administration major and guard), was out with fouls,” Diaz said. “It was senior night and I was in my groove.”
Diaz said she is keeping her post-graduate options open and has not decided a career path.
“I might continue to play basketball overseas or I might become a graduate assistant at a college somewhere while I get my master’s degree,” Diaz said. “Or I might get a job in my social work field.”
Diaz said she values her memories with the team more than her accomplishments.
“These accomplishments I have do not measure up to the memories I have with the team,” Diaz said.
Jarrod Olson, head coach, said the game against PLNU was a high-stakes game for senior night.
“Kamille is a great player and it was senior night,” Olson said. “It was against the second-best team in our conference, so the stakes were pretty high.”
Olson said Diaz’s best attribute was her determination to win.
“She has been the driving force for our team as far as winning games,” Olson said. “A lot of people will remember the deep three-pointers she shot.”
Olson said he wishes Diaz could keep playing for the Lancers after graduation.
“She’s going to graduate and we’re going to miss her as a player and a person,” Olson said. “She’s become a good friend and a fun person to hang around and talk with whom.”
Mihalko said she felt proud watching Diaz play and win against PLNU.
“I came out with a sprained ankle so I had to sit on the bench and watch the game,” Mihalko said. “She just put her mind to this game and had a lot of confidence in this game.”
Mihalko also commented on Diaz’s playing career.
“(Diaz) has done a lot and I don’t think she has gotten enough awards,” Mihalko said. “I always tell her, ‘I couldn’t do this without you.’”
Mihalko said it has been a fun experience playing with Diaz the past four years.
“Four years ago, we were young and different players and people than we are now,” Mihalko said. “We are better friends than we thought.”
