For a women’s basketball team that went from zero wins in 2001-02 to a single win in 2003-04, this season’s Hornet team proved that last year’s eight-win campaign wasn’t a fluke.

The Hornets finished 9-17 overall, their best overall record since 1995-96, and suffered no major injuries along the way.

“On the bright side, we did win one more game than last year,” senior forward Ashley Cadotte said. “All our games, for the most part, were pretty close and we built the reputation that Sacramento State can’t be overlooked.”

In Saturday’s 79-58 loss to Eastern Washington, senior Cindy Alldrin finished with 15 points and six rebounds in her last game as a Hornet. Alldrin was first in the team in points per game (11.2) and went 85 for 97 from the free-throw line this season. Her .867 free-throw percentage is now second all-time in Sac State history in a single season.

Junior Kim Sheehy’s 60 made 3-pointers this season placed her second all-time behind former Hornet Michelle St. Clair’s 2000-01 performance of 77 made from beyond the arc. Last season Sheehy dropped in 55 3-pointers, which is now third all time.

With four Sac State programs losing scholarships because of low academic progress reports from the NCAA, the women’s team had one of the better APR scores on campus at 958.

“One thing to be proud of are the five graduating seniors on the team; they are leaving us with a good foundation and that’s what we’re trying to build here,” head coach Dan Muscatell said. He added that the Hornets try to only recruit ‘A’ students who can succeed well at balancing the demands on student-athletes.

With much to be proud of, there were also the setbacks for the team. Last year’s eight-win season was enough to get the team into the Big Sky Tournament. That wasn’t the case this season as the Hornets finished seventh, one spot out of the conference tournament field.

“There is disappointment in what we weren’t able to accomplish,” Muscatell said. “We just weren’t able to win the close ones.”The Hornets lost six games by six points or less this season.

“We did pretty good, but we didn’t want the season to end the way it did,” junior guard Stephanie Cherry said. “We didn’t really bond as a team.

“Next season is going to be interesting because we don’t have a lot of size.”

The Hornets are losing forwards Katelyn Ciampi (6-foot-2) Lindsey Heard (6-foot-1) and Cadotte (6-feet) to graduation.

The 2006-07 Hornet squad will feature Cherry and guard Kim Sheehy as the starting backcourt, a duo that Muscatell believes provides a very good situation. “I’m expecting all of our players to step up next season and play into their roll on the team.”

Armando Botello II can be reached at [email protected]