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Torero Family,
As we close out non-conference play and head into the heart of our season, I couldn't be prouder of the growth this group continues to show. This stretch has been all about the process — improving game to game, learning through adversity and committing to who we are becoming together.
We've seen so many players step up in meaningful ways. While we've battled injuries along the way, our collective group has rallied, stayed connected, and continued to believe and buy into our process. That belief — in each other and in the work — has been constant.
One of the highlights of the month was hosting Future Toreros Day, where we welcomed nearly 1,000 students from our Linda Vista community to campus for a field trip. It was a powerful reminder of who we are and how important it is for us to continue engaging, serving and inspiring our community beyond the court. We loved seeing the energy in the building — and that same energy makes a real difference for our team on game days.
We also want to extend a special thank you to the incredible groups we've hosted at our games this season — Heartlight Dance San Diego, Autism Tree and our very special Team IMPACT guest player, Sofia Jones. Sofia delivered an outstanding pregame speech that fired up the team before our win against Cal State Fullerton, and her presence was truly inspiring. This is what Torero Basketball is about — community, connection and impact — and we're excited to continue welcoming groups and families to the JCP all season long.
On the court, December was a strong month as we wrapped up non-conference play with an overall record of 6–7, highlighted by wins over Mountain West opponent Utah State and California schools UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton. We've seen some special individual performances along the way.
As a team, we're beginning to find our identity. Rebounding has been an awesome strength — we currently rank 18th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate — and that effort shows every time we step on the floor. Our post group of Ayla, Eva, Dresha Moore and Helen Holley has been outstanding on the glass, and our guards — Kylie, Olivia and Hallie — rebound at a high level as well. That's the kind of toughness and togetherness that comes alive when Torero Nation fills the stands.
One of our core focuses has been to "control the controllables," and I couldn't be more proud of this group for continuing to believe, buy in and stay growth-driven while locking into what we can control.
We open WCC play on December 28th at Santa Clara and return home on January 2nd against San Francisco — and we would love to see you at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Your presence, your energy and your support matter. Bring your family, your co-workers, your teammates — and be part of the atmosphere as we kick off conference play at home.
This is an exciting team to watch, and Torero Time is better when you're in the building. We hope you'll join us soon.
Happy Holidays, and Go Toreros!
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