The California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) is an NAIA DII league that features nine teams from California, and Arizona.
Antelope Valley (CA) won the Cal Pac regular season and tournament titles this past season. They were the lone representitive from the Cal Pac at the NAIA DII National Tournament, where they lost in the first round to National runner-up Oregon Tech.
Top Players Returning
Nick Johnson 6’5
School: Embry-Riddle (AZ)
Class: SR
Position: G
Hometown: Anthem, AZ
HM ALL-AMERICAN, 2x – 1st Team All-CAL PAC, CAL PAC Defensive Player of the Year
1st Team All-Cal Pac Returners
Henry Galinato | Benedictine-Mesa | SR | F | Delano, Calif. |
Josh Hauser | Cal Maritime | SR | G | Thousand Oaks, Calif. |
Ryan Haywood* | UC Merced | SR | G | Chino, Calif. |
Nick Johnson* | Embry-Riddle | SR | G | Anthem, Ariz. |
Kane Keil | Antelope Valley | SR | F | Auckland, New Zealand |
Zavier Lucero* | Cal Maritime | JR | F | Vallejo, Calif. |
Blake Trent | Simpson | SR | G | Redding, Calif. |
2nd Team All-Cal Pac Returners
Kamal Holden | Antelope Valley | SR | G | Los Angeles, Calif. |
Gilbert Ibarra | Embry-Riddle | SR | G | Prescott Valley, Ariz. |
Mason Westlake** | UC Merced | SO | G | Riverside Calif. |
** Freshan of the Yr |
Key Players Lost
Christian Drayton 6’9
School: Antelope Valley (CA)
Position: F
Hometown: Lufkin, TX
HM ALL-AMERICAN, Cal Pac Player and Newcomer of the Year
Aaron Berry | Simpson | G | Brentwood, Calif. |
Christian Drayton | Antelope Valley | F | Lufkin, Tex. |
Jordan Mitchell | Benedictine-Mesa | G | Yuma, Ariz. |
Jalen Cooper | Simpson | G | Fairfield, Calif. |
Aaron Laflin | UC Merced | F | Santa Maria, Calif. |
Miles Nolen-Webb | Antelope Valley | G | San Diego, Calif. |
New Program Joining the Cal Pac
In April, the University of Saint Katherine officially became full time members of the NAIA, and in June they were accepted into the California Pacific Conference. While they have had Cal Pac teams on the schedule for awhile now, this will be their first official year in the league.
New Coaches
Kevin Williamson comes to Saint Katherine after being an assistant coach at NCAA D2 Cal State San Marcos. He was also a head coach prior at Grays Harbor College.