IRVINE, Calif. – Senior forward Natalie Diaz was named Preseason Pacific West Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year in a vote by conference coaches Tuesday.
 
Last season Diaz finished the year with the No. 3 scoring average in the country at 24.1 points per game to lead the Penguins to an appearance in the semifinals at the PacWest Championships. She was named a Division II Conference Commissioner's Association Second Team All-American and a Women's Basketball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American.
 
Dominican was picked to finish third in the conference. They are also ranked seventh in the preseason West Region poll as voted by the D2 Sports Information Directors of America.
 
Alanna Scott joins Diaz as a returning starter for the Penguins after leading the NCAA Division II in 3-point shooting percentage in 2017-18 at 50.4 percent. Vanessa Cruz and Anjelica Collins rounds out the four returning starters for Dominican. Collins average 5.0 points and 5.3 rebounds, while leading the Penguins with 54 assists. Cruz finished averaging 5.4 points and 4.7 assists for the Penguins.
 
Dominican will open its season November 9 against Chico State at 4 p.m. PDT as it hosts the CCAA/PacWest Tip-off Challenge at the Conlan Center.
 
Full PacWest Release