WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW / CAL LUTHERAN : Size Could Give La Kose’s Team Regal Look This Year

THOUSAND OAKS — Second-year Coach Tim La Kose has reason to feel optimistic as his Cal Lutheran women’s basketball team heads into Saturday’s opener against Simpson College.

Senior guard Diana Cortez (5-foot-5) and senior center Kelli McCaskill (6-0) are returning second-team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selections.

Cortez finished sixth in the nation among Division III players with 161 assists in 23 games.

McCaskill averaged 15.7 points and 9.9 rebounds last season. The Regals were 8-15 last season, 4-8 and sixth in conference play.

Six players return from last season and five players are 6 feet or taller.

Junior guard Nicole Albert (5-5) has recovered from an abdominal strain that hampered her much of last season, and sophomore guard Melissa Wood (5-9), who averaged three three-pointers a game last season, provides long-range shooting for Cal Lutheran. Rounding out the starting lineup is 6-1 sophomore Evi Orologas.

“Having size and our shooting ability are going to be our strengths this season,” La Kose said. “I think that we will be in the thick of things this year.”