AZUSA, Calif. -- Six years ago, after nearly two decades as a non-scholarship NAIA program, Cal State East Bay Athletics re-joined NCAA Division II and gained membership in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). An athletics department with a long history of success in Division II throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s was forced to rebuild itself from the ground up while competing in one of the nation's toughest conferences.

Head coach Suzy Barcomb came to CSUEB in 2010 for the team's first season of eligibility in the CCAA. After going 4-22 that first year, Barcomb has built the women's basketball program into a perennial contender in its league and positioned it at the forefront of establishing East Bay as a formidable Division II institution once again. Her teams have made the CCAA postseason five straight years, and last season the Pioneers posted the program's first 20-win season at the Division II level en route to the CCAA championship game.

But until this year, the Pioneers had never raised a CCAA banner. Until this year, the Pioneers had not been selected to compete in an NCAA Division II Tournament in any sport other than golf. Until this year -- when the 2015-16 women's basketball team arrived on campus in the Hayward hills and set a new standard for excellence.

"We have been working towards winning a CCAA regular season title and tournament title for the last six years," said Barcomb. What this group has accomplished this season began several years ago."

Led by a remarkably experienced group, the Pioneers have re-written the records books this season. They captured CCAA regular season and tournament championships, and set new program records for victories and winning percentage in a single season. Now the squad enters the NCAA West Regionals on a 14-game win streak.

East Bay's opponent in the first round of the eight-team tournament, which is comprised of the best teams from the CCAA, Pacific West Conference, and Great Northwest Athletic Conference, is one they know all too well. UC San Diego shared the regular season conference title with the Pioneers with a matching 18-2 record. The Tritons picked up a narrow 56-54 victory in Pioneer Gym back in January, but CSUEB got its revenge with a 79-77 overtime win in an extremely well-played CCAA tournament semifinal.

The rubber match between the two schools occurs on the biggest stage yet, as both squads have their sights set on a West Region title and a trip to the NCAA national championships next week in Sioux Falls, S.D. Once again, the Pioneers will have to find a way to slow down Jamie Katuna (18.2 ppg, 47.1 FG%) and CCAA Player of the Year Farrah Shokoor (15.7 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 54.1 FG%). 

But if there's a team equipped to do it, it's Cal State East Bay. Paced by their six seniors, the Pioneers had the best defense in the CCAA all year. They enter the Regional ranked No. 3 in the nation in scoring defense (53.2 ppg allowed), 19th in field goal percentage defense (.356 allowed) and 22nd in rebounding margin (+6.9). 

"The last two games between UCSD and East Bay have been well played, incredibly intense, and a great brand of basketball," Barcomb added. "I expect nothing less in what will be our third matchup this year."

CSUEB had another program first this season with four players earning All-CCAA honors, including three on the First Team. Tori Breshers, the team's leading scorer and rebounder this season and the school's all-time leading scorer for her career, was named CCAA tournament MVP after scoring 23 points in the championship game against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Laci Effenberger was also an All-Tournament team selection, facilitating the East Bay offense with averages of 11.5 points and 7.0 assists in the two games at Stockton Arena. Effenberger has made 94 three-pointers this year, shattering the single-season program record and ranking 10th in the nation heading into the Regional. She has now made at least one three in 46 straight games dating back to last season. 

"These seniors have really been the backbone of this team," Barcomb noted. And that sentiment is true. The Pioneers have gotten tremendous contributions from all six individuals. Shannon Bland turned in the signature moment of the season with a buzzer-beater to defeat CSUDH on Homecoming, Ashleigh Anderson grabbed 11 rebounds in the CCAA title game, and Madison Craig and Bianca Littleton posted 16 and 12 points, respectively, in the semifinal win over UCSD.

No matter what happens Friday night at Felix Event Center, 2015-16 is already the best season in the history of East Bay women's basketball. But with a little luck and a lot of effort, the Pioneers will hope to make this storybook season last just a little longer.