CMS recovers from injuries to return to form in 2024-25
Athenas once again challenge for conference title
 
After dealing with one injury after another during the 2023-24 season, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas basketball team came back to more than double its win output in 2024-25.  While the team had its share of injuries again this season, the core of the roster stayed healthy for most of the year and the program returned to a sense of normalcy as it battled for contention in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to the end.

Along the way, CMS continues maintain the top statistic of being the winningest team among SCIAC members since the Athenas joined the conference back in 1976. The Athenas opened 2024-25 in fine fashion with two wins – one over UC Santa Cruz at home and then at the Emmanuel Tournament back east with 71-67 over Lebanon Valley (PA).  This was the team's fourth venture to the East Coast to take on the finest from the New York/Pennsylvania area.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, CMS once again hosted the annual David Wells Classic.  This is the premier Division III tournament that brings to Claremont the combination of strong academic institutions coupled with the finest representatives of small college basketball for an exemplary weekend of basketball played at Roberts Pavilion, the finest Division III arena in the nation today.  The Athenas split over the weekend finishing with a 50-44 win over Carleton.

The roster for 2024-25 season grew to sixteen made up of four seniors, two juniors, five sophomores, and five first year players.  This youth movement paid dividends for the Athenas this year and will continue to do so into the future.

Kayla Ishibashi (Sr., CMC, Cypress) returned to once again lead the team as one of the starting guards and responded with 4.7 points per game. 

Ava Grey (Sr., CMC, San Francisco) missed most of last season but came back ready to play and started at the other guard spot.  She added 3.3 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game to the CMS attack. 

Ruva Kiara (Sr., CMC, Fairfax, VA) maintained her starting role as a small forward for the third straight season while scoring 6.3 points per game and pulling down 5.2 rebounds per game. 

Grace Florendo (Sr., CMC, Fremont) earned her four-year letter for CMS and was team's first player off the bench playing the wing spot.  She scored 5.8 points per game and was the team's most proficient three-point shooter at 35% from the long distance. 

Renee Chong (Jr., CMC, San Diego) was another player who missed most of the prior year due to injury.  She came back to show why she was missed as she led the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and in assists at 2.1 assists per game. 

Katie Resendiz (Jr., CMC, Andover, MA) returned to the starting lineup at forward and led the team in rebounding at 7.3 per game and was the team's top free throw shooter. 

Tanya Ghai (So., HMC, Saratoga) once again was a starting guard and brought 5.5 points per game and 1.8 assists per game to the CMS offense. 

Cate Shingler (So., CMC, Chicago, IL) was part of the inside game for the Athenas at the post position coming off the bench with 2.3 rebounds per game. 

Syona Mandyam (So., CMC, Austin, TX) was another forward and came off the bench to both scoring and defense.

Marley Ragsdale (So., CMC, Los Angeles) added to the deep guard corps for CMS and strengthened the defense with 1.8 rebounds per game. 

Georganna Dempsey (So., CMC, Rome, GA) was a back-up post player who scored 2.8 points per game and shot 70% from the free throw line.

Amanda Kerner (FY., CMC, Danville) had a strong debut season for the Athenas coming off the bench and scoring 7.8 points per game while leading the team with 44 three pointers. 

Kylie Wang (FY, CMC, Cerritos) was another guard reserve player who brought strong defense to the floor and came away with 9 steals during the seasons.

Naima Joseph (FY, CMC, Seattle, WA) added more depth at the center spot as he contributed 1.9 rebounds per game off the bench. 

Lauren Dex (FY, CMC, Bellevue, WA) played the forward spot and saw limited action on her rookie season.  

Emma Liedke (FY., CMC, New Haven, CT) also joined the team as a forward but could not play due to medical reasons.

Before leaving for winter break, the Athenas picked up its first SCIAC win on the road upsetting La Verne 67-58.   A strong 34-11 halftime lead paved the way for this victory.  Coming back after the semester recess, CMS picked up where it left off with a 69-43 win over Wheaton (MA). 

The Athenas then were ready for the remainder of the intense SCIAC schedule.  Intense it was as CMS captured five more wins on the journey with victories at home against Redlands, Caltech, and Pomona-Pitzer and wins on the road at Occidental and Chapman.  The Chapman win closed out the season and was as exciting as it could be as the Athenas came back from a 9-point halftime deficit to win in overtime 70-62.

We used the word "intense" in describing play within the SCIAC.  CMS was living testimony to that claim as the Athenas lost five conference games by a total of 10 points.  That swing would have catapulted CMS into second place in the final SCIAC standings.

After the season ended, the conference coaches met to choose the all-conference teams.  Renee Chong was selected second-team All-SCIAC.  In other post-season awards, Grace Florendo, Ava Grey, Kayla Ishibashi, and Ruva Kiara were chosen to the Academic All-District team.

About a month later, the team gathered for its end of season team banquet. Kayla Ishibashi was honored with the Lockdown Award as the best defensive player.  The Athena Wisdom and War Award went to Renee Chong and Ava Grey.  This recognition goes to the player who embodies what it means to be an Athena: who shows up and does the work and is willing to go to battle for the team and to do whatever it takes.  It also encompasses being the best of a teammate as a leader to all and a mentor to new members to the program. 

The team captains also were celebrated for their leadership – Renee Chong, Ava Grey, and Ruva Kiara were those leading the team on and off the court.

The Sixth Person Award which is given to a person who supports the team in a positive way above and beyond.  The honor this year went to Emma Liedke – which says a lot about her character, particularly as Emma was on the roster and then had to retire due to medical reasons.  She stepped us a teammate extraordinaire with her on-gong support for the team.

Head coach Chanel Murchison and her coaching staff along are looking forward to 2025-26 with the returning players and a new recruiting class.  They all are building from the growth and success of this past season to move the program to the elite status is has enjoyed over the past 50 years.

As always, we thank you for your support of CMS Athenas basketball.  Please watch for new developments at cms.claremont.edu.  In addition, the website has archives of great Athenas basketball memories.  And all CMS games are available for streaming during the season along with live stats.