Standing at 5 feet 5 inches tall, senior Alle Moreno had been considered an underdog since she was in grade school, but the label did not phase her – she embraced it.

The shooting guard for the Sacramento State women’s basketball team made a name for herself with tenacity on the court and sharp-shooting abilities.

Moreno now holds the Sac State all-time record for 3-pointers made with 177 after making six against San Diego State, passing Kim Sheehy’s mark of 176.

Moreno was born in Concord and grew up around a sports family, catching onto basketball when she was in the fourth grade.

“My sisters played basketball,” Moreno said. “Around fourth grade, one of my friends put me on an eighth-grade team for experience.”

Playing against older and taller players motivated Moreno to try hard, even if she did not play significant minutes.

“I did not get to play that much in big tournaments, but I got to be an underdog and I think that is a big thing for me,” Moreno said. “It gave me a lot of motivation and I had something to play off of.”

After continuing to develop her skills at the middle school level, she began to have on-court success while attending St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.

“I played on a great team with two All-Americans and five Division I players,” Moreno said. “That really helped me too in developing my game.”

During her junior year, Moreno played a key role in her high school’s NorCal and California State Championships averaging 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and three steals per game.

Entering her senior season at St. Mary’s, Moreno was ranked 177 of the top-200 guards in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz.

After graduating in 2010, Moreno had some uncertainties when it came to deciding on what university she wanted to play for. Those concerns were put to rest when Jamie Craighead, who at the time was the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Sac State, showed significant interest in Moreno.

“She never missed one of my games in the summer. She called me and had her assistants calling me,” Moreno said of Craighead. “She was an amazing recruiter who made me fall in love with this program.”

Moreno wanted to start her career at Sac State on a positive note and was excited to be playing for a Division I university.

“When I accepted my offer here, it all became a reality to me,” Moreno said. “It was an opportunity for me to grow as a person and a player, and reach my full potential in life.”

Moreno came off the bench in her freshman season, but with senior guards Jasmine Cannady, Emily Christensen and Tika Koshiyama-Diaz graduating, Moreno’s prospects of starting in her sophomore season increased significantly. 

Moreno was inserted into the starting rotation and averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game.

During her junior season, Moreno established herself as a 3-point threat by tying for the second most 3-point shots made in a season in program history with 77.  

Hornets’ head coach Bunky Harkleroad could tell right away Moreno was a special player.

“From my first meeting with the team, to the first practice, it was obvious that her teammates look up to her and respect her,” Harkleroad said. “[Moreno] is one of the true leaders on this team and it is clear that she has a big heart.”

Fellow teammate for the past three seasons and junior point guard, Fantasia Hilliard, sees Moreno’s playmaking abilities as a big asset.

“She is a game changer and it can be a night where we are not shooting well, and her one shot makes the difference,” Hilliard said. “That is what she brings to the team and she is a leader on both offense and defense.”  

Just two games into her senior year, Moreno is averaging 19 points per game and is shooting 60 percent from 3-point range.