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Mike Girardi is entering his 4th season as head women’s basketball coach at Modesto Junior College. For the upcoming 2007-08 season, the pirates will return six sophomores and are welcoming six incoming freshmen who have committed to play. Sophomore Connie Gomes (Hilmar High) returns to action after sitting out last season while recovering from ACL knee surgery. As a Freshman in 2005-06, Connie started all 16 games she played in while leading the team in assists, steals, and rebounds from the point guard position. She helped get the team off to a 12-4 start, the best in several years. From the 2006-07 season, Sophomore Kacey Ball (Escalon High) was a starter at the point guard position and ranked high on the team in assists, steals, and rebounds. Sophomore Stephanie Doerksen (Hughson High) is an excellent athlete at the forward position. She scored 16 points in MJC’s best win of the year over a team with 20 wins. Sophomore Sarah Olson (Ripon High) returns at a forward position where she made a high percentage of her field goal attempts last season. Sophomore Dalisa Waites (Buhach Colony High in Atwater) is returning at a forward position where last season she rebounded over much taller opponents. Sophomore Kelsey Wingo (Summerville High in Tuolumne) returns at the forward position where she missed the last half of the season due to a foot injury. Kelsey is known for her nice shooting touch.

The six incoming freshmen who have committed to MJC are all local student-athletes who have excelled during their high school careers. Beginning in alphabetical order is Sughey Cervantes (Manteca High). Sughey was 1^st Team All Valley Oak League, as she finished her high school career with a 31 point performance against nationally ranked Sacramento High School. Elsa Gutierrez (Livingston High) was 1^st Team All Western Athletic Conference as she led Livingston to their best record in 10 years and were the conference champions. Kristen McClure (Ceres High) brings her versatility to MJC, as she is skilled at playing on the perimeter and closer to the basket. She was 1^st Team All Valley Oak League. Ursyla Mueller (Sonora High) was 1^st Team All Valley Oak League and ranked high in the area in points, steals, and assists. Teneisha Runner (Pitman High in Turlock) was 1^st Team All Central California Conference as she averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds per game. Melissa Zimmer (Pitman High in Turlock) was 2^nd Team All Central California Conference, as she is known for her outside shooting and her all around hustle.

Last season, MJC finished the season with a 15-15 record. Some of the team’s highlights were winning 3^rd place honors at the Solano College Tournament and winning 3^rd place at the Foothill College Tournament. Seven sophomores completed their MJC careers winning a total of 37 games in two years including a record of 16-6 at home. Krystle Brown earned 1^st Team All Central Valley Conference honors. She also was named to the all-tournament team at the Butte College Tournament and at the Foothill College Tournament. Krystle earned a NCAA Athletic Scholarship to San Francisco State University. Kelly Cole was 2^nd Team All Central Valley Conference and was named to the Solano College All-Tournament Team. Britney Borba was 2^nd Team All Central Valley Conference. Amy Russell was Honorable Mention All Central Valley Conference. She earned a NAIA Athletic Scholarship to Cascade University in Portland, Oregon. Larissa Founts is matriculating to University of Pacific where she is in the Sports Medicine Program. Capri Chavez was a two year starter at guard and is planning to transfer. Shinez Waites, who played very well before being sidelined due to injury for most of the season, is also planning to transfer.

Before coming to Modesto Junior College, Coach Girardi was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Gavilan College in Gilroy. At Gavilan, the Team Grade Point Average was 3.56 as each student-athlete on the team earned President’s List or Dean’s List Honors. One of the players graduated from San Jose State University where she earned a Full NCAA Athletic Scholarship to play basketball. Coach Girardi also has been an assistant coach at the NCAA Division One level for both Women’s and Men’s Basketball. It is also believed that Coach Girardi and his father, Chuck Girardi, are the only father and son to have been Head Coaches for both Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams at the California Community College level. As a community college player, Mike Girardi earned 1^st Team All Central Valley Conference Honors while playing for the CVC Conference Champions coached by his father, Chuck. That year, Mike was also named as a Community College Academic All-American. He went on to Rice University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education and played three years for the Owls, while being on a Full NCAA Division One Scholarship. He was 5^th in the Southwest Conference in three point field goal percentage, was team captain, and earned the Team Coach’s Award. Girardi earned his Master’s of Science in Education Degree in Physical Education from The University of Kansas.