THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – After securing the outright regular season championship for the first time since 2013, the Cal Lutheran women's basketball team enters the 2026 SCIAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will host a semifinal matchup inside Gilbert Arena on Thursday night.

With Tuesday's first-round result finalized, No. 4 seed Redlands defeated No. 5 Chapman and will travel to Thousand Oaks to face the top-seeded Regals at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, No. 2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps will host No. 3 Pomona-Pitzer in the other semifinal. The championship game is set for Saturday, February 28 at 5 p.m. on the campus of the highest remaining seed.

THE REGALS
Cal Lutheran closed the regular season at 21-4 overall and 13-3 in SCIAC play, capping a tight four-team race with an emphatic Senior Day victory to claim sole possession of the conference crown.

The Regals will make their 14th SCIAC Tournament appearance in program history and enter postseason play looking to secure back-to-back tournament titles. After earning the No. 2 seed a year ago and making a championship run at both the conference and national levels, this year's group holds home-court advantage throughout.

Cal Lutheran's identity has been clear all season: defend, rebound, and share the basketball. The Purple & Gold surrendered a league-low 57.1 points per game during conference play and held opponents to a .342 field-goal percentage, the best mark in the SCIAC. On the glass, CLU boasts a 10.7 rebounding margin and consistently generates second-chance opportunities.

Alline Ballard has powered the Regals with 15.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, emerging as one of the conference's most consistent double-double threats. Kaiya Mack and Natalie Villamor stretch defenses from the perimeter, ranking among the league's top 10 in three-pointers made per game, while CLU's depth has allowed steady production throughout the rotation.

Veteran point guard Janna Holley serves as the Regals' primary playmaker, leading the team and ranking sixth in the SCIAC with 3.3 assists per game. Holley is also fourth in the conference with 2.3 steals per contest.

Cal Lutheran went 5-1 combined against the remaining tournament field during the regular season, sweeping Redlands and Pomona and splitting with CMS.

THE FIELD
#4 Redlands
Redlands (19-6, 11-5 SCIAC) advanced with a first-round win and now turns its attention to the top-seeded Regals. The Bulldogs own the conference's top scoring margin and generate offense through pressure defense and efficient free-throw shooting, ranking first in turnover margin (4.69) and free-throw percentage (.788).

AJ Wick anchors the interior with a stat-stuffing presence, averaging 14.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while Leila Hosn (4.0 apg) and Teagan McIlroy (3.6 apg) facilitate the attack as two of the top assist leaders in the SCIAC.

Cal Lutheran swept the regular-season series with Redlands, with both meetings decided by single digits to set up what projects to be a tightly contested semifinal inside Gilbert Arena. In the most recent matchup, Holley capped a dramatic come-from-behind victory with a layup at the buzzer.

#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
CMS (20-5, 12-4 SCIAC) returns to the tournament field after a two-year absence and earned the right to host a semifinal for the first time since 2019. The Athenas opened conference play 8-0 and feature one of the league's most dynamic duos in Caleigh Edwards and Katie Resendiz, who combine for nearly 29 points per game.

Defensively, CMS leads the conference in steals (10.9) and blocks (4.1) per game, creating transition opportunities and forcing opponents into mistakes.

Cal Lutheran split the regular-season series with CMS, with each team protecting its home court, and the Regals doing so in overtime to claim a share of the SCIAC lead in early February. That loss sparked a bit of a dry spell for the Athenas, who enter the tournament having dropped three of their last five games.

#3 Pomona-Pitzer
Pomona (18-7, 11-5 SCIAC) boasts the conference's most efficient shooting marks, connecting at a .426 clip from the field and .338 from beyond the arc. Jadyn Lee leads the way with 11.2 points per game, while Emily Lee averages 2.1 three-pointers per contest.

The Sagehens swept the Sixth Street rivalry with CMS during the regular season and enter the semifinal round battle-tested.

Cal Lutheran swept the regular-season series against Pomona, using rebounding and defensive pressure to control both matchups. The Regals' most recent victory over the Sagehens clinched at least a share of the regular-season title.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 26 – Semifinals
#1 Cal Lutheran vs. #4 Redlands – 7 p.m.
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps vs. #3 Pomona-Pitzer – 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28 – Final
Highest remaining seed – 5 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for advance online purchase (plus fees) or $10 on-site. SCIAC students, faculty and staff with institutional ID and children under 12 are admitted free.