California State University, Chico Women's Basketball

Brian Fogel is entering his 18th season as Head Coach of the Chico State women’s basketball program. Since taking over in 2008–09, Fogel has built a consistent and competitive program, compiling a 273–181 record, winning one California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title, making 14 postseason appearances, and earning six NCAA Championship Tournament berths. Entering the 2025–26 season, Fogel boasts a career record of 359–233 in 21 years as an NCAA head coach. The 2024–25 season proved to be the most successful of Fogel’s Chico State tenure. The Wildcats went 24–8—marking the program’s first back-to-back 20-win seasons since 2012–13—and advanced to the semifinal round of both the CCAA Tournament and the NCAA West Regional. The 24 wins were the most by a Chico State team since 2007–08 and marked the fourth time under Fogel that the ’Cats have reached the 20-win plateau. Fogel guided three Wildcats—Jordan Allred, Meadow Aragon, and Makenzi Laporte—to First Team All-CCAA honors, with Jadence Clifton receiving honorable mention. Chico State led the conference in multiple statistical categories, including field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and free throw percentage during CCAA play. Laporte capped her career ranked among the program’s top 10 in points, rebounds, and free throws made. The 2023–24 season marked the Wildcats’ return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade. Chico State finished 21–10, with Zhane Duckett earning First Team All-CCAA honors, becoming the first Wildcat to record a triple-double in over 30 years, and winning the program’s first CCAA Defensive Player of the Year award. Allred, Huffhines, and Laporte were each named Second Team All-CCAA, with Huffhines going on to sign a professional contract in Malta. The 2022–23 campaign saw the Wildcats finish 18–11 overall and 14–8 in conference, placing fifth in the CCAA and qualifying for the tournament for the fifth time in six seasons. Duckett and Huffhines earned Second Team All-CCAA accolades, with Huffhines also being named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. Seniors Haley Ison and Myli Martinez earned All-CCAA Honorable Mention. After sitting out the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fogel’s 2021–22 squad posted a 14–11 record and finished fifth in the CCAA. During the season, Fogel recorded his 200th win as Chico State head coach (Dec. 4, 2021), and moved into second place on the program’s all-time coaching victories list. Fogel led Chico State to an 18–11 record in 2019–20, highlighted by senior Maddy Wong setting new single-season (87) and career (226) 3-point records. The 2018–19 ’Cats went 12–13, narrowly missing a postseason berth, with forward McKena Barker earning Chico Enterprise-Record Female Senior Athlete of the Year honors. The 2017–18 team went 17–11, reached the CCAA Tournament semifinals, and saw senior guard Whitney Branham lead the CCAA in scoring and free throw percentage. Chico State earned back-to-back 10–16 records in 2014–15 and 2015–16, before returning to the postseason with a 15–12 mark in 2016–17. Fogel’s 2013–14 squad went 19–10, finished second in the CCAA, and advanced to the NCAA West Region semifinals. The year prior, in 2012–13, the Wildcats posted a 23–6 record, claimed the CCAA regular-season title, and reached the NCAA Tournament—earning Fogel CCAA Coach of the Year honors. Fogel guided the ’Cats to a 23–10 record and NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2009–10, highlighted by a 10-game win streak to close the regular season. His first Chico State team, in 2008–09, went 16–13 and reached the CCAA Tournament semifinals despite featuring just two returning starters. Before taking over the program, Fogel spent one year as Chico State’s assistant coach during the record-tying 28-win 2007–08 campaign. He was officially named head coach on August 4, 2008. Prior to Chico State, Fogel served as head coach of the UC Davis men’s basketball program, compiling an 89–49 record over five seasons and making two trips to the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament. His 1999–2000 Aggies squad advanced to the Sweet 16. Fogel began his coaching career at his alma mater, Sonoma State, in 1989–90, and also held assistant coaching positions at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State. He was head coach at Skyline Community College in 1994–95 before joining the UC Davis staff for a nine-year run. An All-NCAC player at Sonoma State, Fogel still ranks sixth in career 3-pointers (141) and fourth in 3-point shooting percentage (.429). He played his first two collegiate seasons at Santa Monica College. Fogel holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Sonoma State and a master’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation from Saint Mary’s College. He and his wife, Kerry, have two daughters, Katrina and Brooke. Brooke is a former member of the Chico State volleyball team.

Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Chico State

Chico State women's basketball alumna Annie Ward begins her first season as assistant coach. Ward, who played for head coach Brian Fogel from 2011–15, rejoins her alma mater after five successful seasons coaching at the junior college level—four at nearby Butte College and most recently at College of the Sequoias. In both stints, she served under head coach Tyler Newton. During her one season at College of the Sequoias, the Giants posted an impressive 31–1 record, with their only loss coming in the 3C2A State semifinals to eventual champions Mt. San Antonio College. The team led the state in scoring (85.7 points per game) and field goal percentage (.481), while ranking second in free throw percentage (.728) and third in three-point field goal percentage (.347). Ward and Newton first teamed up at Butte College, where over four seasons they guided the Roadrunners to an 81–13 record. The program made back-to-back 3C2A State semifinal appearances, including a trip to the championship game in 2023. Butte also captured four consecutive Golden Valley Conference titles and reached the state quarterfinals three straight years. Following her graduation from Chico State, Ward began her coaching career at Pleasant Valley High School as an assistant varsity coach. In her lone season, the Vikings finished 22–7 and won the Northern Section championship. In addition to coaching, Ward has worked as an education specialist. She served in that role for Bellevue Union School District (2017–20), Chico Unified School District (2020–24), and most recently with RCM Technologies. As a player, Ward helped the Wildcats to a 70–43 record over four seasons. She was part of the 2012–13 team that went 23-6 en route to a CCAA Championship run and an NCAA Regional appearance. Ward was also the recipient of the Betty Lou Raker Scholarship and served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a senior. A native of Lafayette, California, Ward earned all her degrees from Chico State, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology in 2015, an Education Specialist Credential in 2017, and a Master of Arts in Education in 2020.