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Jan 14
0

‘Dogs blow out Aggies in milestone performance

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Fresno State Head Coach Ryan McCarthy had a heart-to-conversation earlier this week with  guard Emilia Long regarding consistency and playing with pace. The senior responded with an all-around performance totaling 21 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds; the kind of performance McCarthy has come to expect out of Long over the past several years coaching her at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and now at Fresno State. 

“[Emilia] kind of embodies what we want our program to be about. Three girls on this team out of high school had division one offers, and she was not one of those players. And she just plays with that ultimate chip on her shoulder,” McCarthy said. 

Long, who surpassed the 1,000 points career milestone with an all-around performance, wasn’t the only one who had it going. The Bulldogs put together one of its best games of the season, defeating Utah State 86-56 while 35-73 (47.9%) from the field and outrebounding the Aggies 47-29. 

Key players

  • Emilia Long (FS): 21 points (8-13 FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
  • Ava Marr (FS): 16 points (6-11 FG), 2 rebounds
  • Ellie Livingston (USU): 16 points (5-8 FG)
  • Jamisyn Heaton (USU): 15 points, 4 rebounds

What happened 

Utah State came out hot in the opening minute of the game, winning the tip and getting the ball to Jamisyn Heaton down low who scored over the top of Fresno State guard Indiya Clarke. After a Danae Powell triple, Aggies guard Elise Livingston answered with a three of her own. 

The Bulldogs fought back and a few minutes later, Jaisa Gamble stepped back for a 15-foot mid range jumper, forcing an Aggies timeout. After the break, the Bulldog defense forced a bad pass leading to another timeout. The Bulldogs kept the pressure, going on a 21-9 run to end the first quarter, leading 24-14. 

Two minutes into the second quarter, a three from Ava Marr and layups from Powell (2) and Gamble gave the ‘Dogs a 33-14 lead and forced the fourth and final Aggies timeout of the game. 

“I’m not sure what we were doing that necessarily caused that, but it was good for us in the second half, because they couldn’t stop any momentum for us,” McCarthy said. 

Fresno State went into halftime with a commanding 42-25 lead, led by guard Emilia Long (12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds. Livingston had 12 first half points for the Aggies, who struggled to shoot overall besides Livingston (5-20 FG).

After not scoring for the first 3-and-a-half minutes of the second half, the Bulldogs scored on back-to-back-to-back possessions with threes from Marr and Long as well as a Powell-and-one layup. Two possessions later, Marr nailed another trey in front of the Fresno State bench giving the ‘Dogs a 54-31 lead with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. 

Fresno State went into the fourth with a 68-42 lead, a lead that only continued to grow. Fresno State finished the night with five players (Long, Powell, Gamble, Marr, and Djessira Diawara) scoring in double figures en route to a 86-56 win. 

It was an especially impressive night for Diawara, who scored 12 points (5-7 FG) in addition to grabbing five rebounds and two steals. Clarke and Avery Watkins were also key contributors on the glass, each grabbing 10 rebounds.

What’s next

The win improves the team to 5-2 at home (2-0 neutral) but the Bulldogs still have yet to find their footing away from the Save Mart Center with a 1-7 road record, something McCarthy is keen on changing. He recalled after his first game at UAA in 2012 when his athletic director brought him into his office and told him “home games don’t really matter, because you ain’t a four letter word until you go out and beat somebody on the road.” 

“I’ve told our team that, ‘this is cute, this is cool. But if we’re going to get any respect in this league, [on the road] is where it’s going to be, every road game in this conference is difficult,’” McCarthy said. 

The Bulldogs will have two opportunities to improve on that road record in the coming week, playing at Nevada this Saturday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. and then at Boise State next Wednesday (1/21). The ‘Dogs return to the Save Mart Center on Jan. 24 to host Colorado State at 2 p.m. for Heroes Day and Greek Night. 

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 13
0

Bulldogs topple Rams in 2nd conference win

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (8-9) secured their second conference win in a 79-69 victory over Colorado State University (11-6) at the Save Mart Center on Jan. 13.

The Bulldogs shot well above their season average from three-point range (31.5%), going 8-20 (40%) in the win, which was sparked by guard Jake Heidbreder and David Douglas Jr.—who earned his first start of the season.

 “I expected [Douglas Jr.] to start from the beginning of the year, but his knee injury put him behind—little-by-little, he’s been getting back to it.” Head Coach Vance Walberg said. “I would have loved to leave him in, but you could see him just huffing and puffing down the court.”

Despite the Rams inching closer in the final minutes, Walberg was pleased with the late game performance. 

“As long as the ball gets to [Heidbreder] and he gets fouled, I’m very happy with the execution,” Wahlberg said.

Key players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 21 points, 2 steals.

Deshawn Gory (FS): 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals.

Brandon Rechsteiner (CSU): 18 points, 2 steals.

Carey Booth (CSU): 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block.

What happened

Both teams opened the game hot on offense, trading buckets. Douglas Jr. started things off for the Bulldogs, draining his first three-point shot attempt of the game, which ignited the ‘Dogs’ offense as five different players contributed to the scoring column. 

However, guard Brandon Rechsteiner kept the Rams within reach scoring 10 of the Ram’s 12 points to chip at the early 18-12 Bulldog lead.

To close out the half, the Rams struggled to find scoring elsewhere, as the Bulldogs began to pile on to their early lead. With well-balanced scoring, seven different Bulldogs added to the total score. With guard Jake Heidbreder leading the way (nine points), and Douglas Jr. trailing him (8 points), the Bulldogs enjoyed a 36-22 lead at halftime.

After one half of basketball, the Bulldogs—who rank number one in opponent three-point percentage—held the Rams to 2-13 (11.1%) from beyond-the-arch, which is no easy feat as the Rams are one of the premier three-point shooting teams in the conference (41% from three-point range, first in the Mountain West).

To open the second half, the Rams found their groove from three-point range to trim the 41-37 Bulldog lead, but forward Jac Mani offered some scoring relief—which Walberg valued.

“[Mani] is a very good offensive player, he knows I’ve been on his tail. If he becomes a better defensive player. He’s going to play a lot more,” Walberg said. “He gives us a weapon that helps when you can stretch somebody out.”

After the Rams tied the game 41-41 with a 19-3 run, the Bulldogs responded with a 7-2 run of their own sparked by the play of Mani, who scored 6 of the ‘Dogs’ 12 second half points to give them the 48-43 cushion.

Following the run, the Bulldogs continued to ride the wave on offense, generated by the steady scoring contributions from their rotation players. But, the Rams returned to their in-season form, draining shots from the three-point line to inch closer to the Bulldogs’ 63-55 lead with three minutes remaining.

To close out the game, the Bulldogs’ late game execution was textbook, as they took care of the ball and drained their free-throws en route to the 79-69 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs welcome Wyoming State University (11-5)—who rank second in the Mountain West in scoring (84 points per game)—at the Save Mart Center on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. 


Story and cover photo via Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 13
0

Season Preview: Fresno State Water Polo looking to raise the standard in 2026

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In 24 seasons of women’s water polo in collegiate athletics, only three programs (UCLA, USC, Stanford) have won a National Championship. Loyola Marymount University (2004) and California (2024) are the only other schools to even appear in the championship. The lack of parity in the sport is not something lost on Fresno State Head Coach Natalie Benson.

“That is the reason I am here,” Benson said. “The fact that there’s only been three teams that have ever won a championship? To me, it’s just not right. Obviously those teams deserve to win, but I think that other teams should, and could be able to come in and break that open. And I think that’s what would make the sport exciting.”

Benson, a 3-time National Champion (2001, 03-05) with UCLA has seen both sides of it and wants to be a part of the tide shift. The 9th year Bulldog head coach referenced Cinderellas in March Madness (college basketball) as an example of how parity in college athletics can be a great thing. 

“You can have a little Cinderella come in and take care of business, and that’s what makes the sport exciting. That is definitely something our sport lacks, having a team that can come in and do some really great things and challenge the status quo,” Benson said. “That’s why I love being here at Fresno State, and it’s what we try to sell to our kids. Like here, you have an opportunity. There’s no guarantees, but you have an opportunity to make history and do something great.” 

The Bulldogs have seen themselves just on the outside of that upper echelon of elite water polo schools, ranking in the top 10 in each of the last five seasons, including as high as #3 in 2024. This run of success includes back-to-back-back-to-back Golden Coast Conference (GCC) championships from 2021-24 before losing in the GCC title game last season to LMU.

The Water Dogs will look to take that loss and flip the script in 2026.

“They were on the bus saying how they didn’t want to go through that again. I think that was a really good wake up call for everybody, myself included,” Benson said. 

Hailey Houdini

Benson and her coaching staff will lean heavily on the play and leadership of senior attacker Hailey Andress, who has 191 career goals to her name, only 26 shy of the school record set by Brooke Ochoa last season. Like Ochoa, Andress is a three-time All-American including a “down year” by her standards in 2025 in which she finished with 65 goals, 26 steals and 6 steals. 

“Last season was tough for her. Coming up and being a freshman and starting off so strong, having a good sophomore campaign, and then having all those expectations kind of weighed on her a little bit last year. I think this year, she’s letting go of some stuff, but also kind of turning on her own personal engine to be the best she’s capable of,” Benson said. 

Benson referred to Haley as a magician, for her ability to create opportunities out of nowhere. 

“I like to call her Haley Houdini. She does some really magical things that are impossible to teach, but just come from her soul, which is super fun to watch,” Benson said. 

Taking on a leadership role now as an upperclassmen, Andress has prioritized reinforcing the culture and the standards that they have as a program with her teammates.

“If you come to Fresno State, we have an expectation, and you’re aware of that coming into it,” Andress said. “Our biggest thing for this year is our grit. That [LMU] loss last year was rough, but I think we’re ready to come back and get another title.”

New blood in the water

Roster turnover is something coaches have to deal with every season, Benson is no exception as the Bulldogs will have to replace the production of several key contributors including Abbey Simhauser and Ochoa. Despite the turnover, Benson sees it as a fun challenge. 

“We can’t regret the things that we’ve lost. We have to move forward and be excited about what we have right now and I think it’s a really deep, talented group,” Benson said. “Without challenge, there is no change. I think that the change does produce a challenge for us, but I think that’s just like any year in any team, and it helps me get better, keeps me sharp.”

Benson has high confidence going into the season with her new group, one she says will give them more versatility than in years past, easing the pressure on Andress. 

“With the depth that we have, we can have certain people do certain things, and I think it gives us a little bit more leeway where not one person doesn’t have to do everything. We can have people who have a certain role and responsibility, which makes it a little bit more exciting for us,” Benson said. 

In addition to Andress, Fresno State returns all-conference selections in junior goalkeeper Ida Tully-Giles, senior center Ashley Williams and sophomore defender Marit van der Kolk. Junior attacker Kira Anderson (73 career points) and sophomore transfer center Georgia Daly (22 goals in 2025 with UC Davis) figure to play key roles as well. The Bulldogs brought in seven newcomers as well, a few of which could see some playing time early in the season, including Katelyn Mobley who is in competition for the starting goalie spot. 

“We have a lot of depth in our team,” Andress said. “It’s been awesome having people we can run through. It’s awesome having so many people we can rely on in the water. One thing I love about our team is we have really high standards for each other and for the team in general.”

Polopalooza

The new season begins at home this weekend (January 16-18) as the Water Dogs host the 2026 Polopalooza Tournament at the Fresno State Aquatics Center, featuring some of the highest competition in the nation.

The ‘Dogs will play Michigan under the lights on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. They will play Indiana University (11 a.m.) and UC Irvine (5 p.m) on Saturday and wrap it up against San Jose State on Sunday at 11 a.m. California Berkely and the University of Hawaii (both finished top nationally in 2025) are playing in the tournament as well. Click here for the full tournament schedule.

“It’s one of the best tournaments in collegiate water polo. I’m super happy to be a part of it, and super happy to help host it,” Andress said. 

In addition to some of the best water polo schools in the country, the tournament will have several food vendors, a tie-dye station and a splatter paint room (Saturday and Sunday). Fans will have an opportunity to meet the team on Saturday following its match with the Anteaters. There will also be arts and crafts available after the match on Sunday. 

“It’s a really great community builder for us. We want to show off how great Fresno is, that we’re great hosts, that we can put on a great show and that we’re a desirable place to be,” Benson said.

Parking is free and tickets will be available at the gate.

The rest of the way

After Polapalooza, Fresno State will play four games in the Cal Cup (1/24-25) and four more in the ASU Invitational (2/6-8). From there, they will play three games at UC Irvine as part of the Kalbus Invite (2/13-15). The ‘Dogs will return home for its annual match with Fresno Pacific on Friday, Feb. 20. 

Following a 16-game non-conference schedule, the Bulldogs will begin GCC play the next day at Santa Clara on Saturday, Feb. 21. They will play at LMU the following Saturday. After a week off, they will play at Azusa Pacific (3/14) with a stand alone game at UCLA the next day (3/15), its second back-to-back. 

The Bulldogs will wrap up the regular season with home games against Cal Baptist University (3/20), San Diego State (3/22) and the University of Pacific (3/28) to end the month of March. Fresno State is also the host site for this year’s GCC tournament (4/10-12), for the first time since 2019. 

“It’d be nice to win in our own pool, right? Isn’t that everybody’s dream? To win on your home turf. One thing at a time, obviously, but that’s the end goal,” Benson said. 

The Bulldogs have been picked as the favorite to take back the GCC with 35 points (5 first place votes), with the Lions 31 points (2 first place votes). The polls followed with Pacific (26 points) picked to finish 3rd in the seven-team GCC. 

The winner of that tournament will receive a bid into the NCAA tournament at La Jolla (4/24-26).

Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Fresno State Athletics.

Jan 07
0

‘Dogs take care of business against Spartans

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The Fresno State women’s basketball team (8-8) earned their second conference win of the season, beating San Jose State University (2-14) 67-52 on Jan. 7 at the Save Mart Center.

The name of the game for the Spartans was their 2-3 zone, which they stayed in for the majority of the game. As a result, the Bulldogs shot 30% from the field, 10% less than their season average (41%). Head Coach Ryan McCarthy saw this game as a lesson to learn from.

“They did a good job of making us guess what were good shots and bad shots,” McCarthy said. “From a maturity stand-point, this will really help us as we’re able to watch film and show [the players], ‘Hey, you had this opportunity here, and we didn’t take it, and this was the result of you not taking the shot you’ve practiced.”

Despite the performance from guards Emilia Long and Danae Powell, a performance that fwas forward Indiya Clark, who displayed grit and confidence in her shot throughout the game—something that didn’t go unnoticed by McCarthy.

“A casual basketball guy will look at this and be like, ‘[Indiya] was 1-11, but she led us in rebounding, she led us in offensive rebounding, and she got fouled the most,’ so she did a lot of things that impact winning,” McCarthy said. “Indiya should have been 1-20 because she probably passed on nine shots because she was feeling bad.”

McCarthy added that this effort is a common trend in practice which led to her back-to-back starting nods.

“She’s been very consistent in practice for us, and she’s just a big, strong woman,” McCarthy said. “That’s not somebody you want to get run over by, so she just gives us that edge that I felt we needed the last couple of games.”

Key players

Emilia Long (FS): 22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Danae Powell (FS): 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals.

Indiya Clark (FS): 11 points (8-10 on free-throws), 9 rebounds, 2 steals.

What happened

Powell opened the game with a solo scoring run, scoring the ‘Dogs’ first eight points of the game. The rest of the team pitched in on the defensive end, forcing the Spartans to seven early turnovers, converting them to seven points to earn the early 8-3 lead.

In the final minutes, the Spartans’ found their footing on both ends of the court, giving the Bulldogs problems on defense with their 2-3 zone and chasing after loose balls to trim the ‘Dogs’ lead to 19-14.

In the second quarter, the duo of Long and Clark powered the Bulldogs through the quarter, scoring a combined 18 of the ‘Dogs’ 27 second quarter points. 

Clark started things off with getting to the free throw line, attempting all of the Bulldogs’ six second quarter free throws, going four of six from the line. Clark handed the scoring baton to Long, who went five-for-five from the field to contribute to the Bulldogs’ 46-23 lead heading into halftime. 

After one half of basketball, Long leads all scorers with 18 points, followed by Powell with 13. The Spartans have yet to have a player reach double-digit points, with their highest scoring players being forward Gabriela Pato and guard Maya Anderson with five points each. The Spartans also turned the ball over 18 times, which the Bulldogs converted into 10 points.

In the second quarter, both teams had a lid on the basket. The Bulldogs went 2-15 (13.3%) from the field and 0-2 from beyond-the-arch, whereas the Spartans went 2-12 (16.7%) from the field and 2-11 (18.2%) from the three-point line. As a result, the score didn’t budge too much with the Bulldogs entering the final quarter up 54-33.

To close out the game, the lid remained on the basket for the two teams, mostly due to the strong defense. However, the Spartans would edge out the Bulldogs in the scoring column, outscoring the ‘Dogs 19-13—but, it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs pulled away with the 67-52 victory.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play on the road, facing a familiar face in former Bulldog Holly Griffiths and Mountain West newcomer Grand Canyon University (3-12) on Jan. 10 at 12 p.m.

Recap/cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 03
0

Price’s return to Fresno spoils Bulldogs quest for first conference win

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Elijah Price made his return to the Save Mart Center on Saturday afternoon and showed the Bulldogs exactly what they were missing, leading the Nevada Wolfpack to a 66-65 victory over Fresno State. 

The former Bulldog big man scored 15 points (5-10 FG) and grabbed 9 rebounds. His biggest impact came on the defensive end where he had four blocks and four steals, causing havoc in the interior. Fresno State Head Coach Vance Walberg had high praise for Price after the game. 

“He’s not a fantastic offensive player, but he’s going to find a way to score, he’s going to find a way to get to the free throw line. He’s going to rebound for you. He’s going to defend. He does all the intangibles that it takes to win games,” Walberg said. “That’s why we recruited him.”

The 6’9” forward averaged 10.5 PPG and 8.3 RPG and over two-and-a-half blocks plus steals per game as a redshirt freshman last season before transferring to Nevada. Price has put up similar results this season for the Wolfpack, though with increased efficiency from beyond the arc. 

For Fresno State, Jake Heidbreder scored 25 points on 9-of-19 from the field, including five threes. It wasn’t enough though as the loss marked six straight dropping the ‘Dogs to 6-8 on the season and 0-3 in the Mountain West after a 6-2 start. 

The close losses have been piling up but Walberg still believes in his team.

“We’re right there. I think we’re good enough to play with every team in this conference. I’m not saying we’re good enough to beat them all the time. But we’re good enough, and if we do want to beat them, we’ve got to do all the little things.”

Walberg added that offensive rebounding and protecting the basketball are two key areas of concern as the season progresses. 

“We’ve had a problem all year with taking care of the ball, and again, it came back and bit us today with 15 turnovers. We’ve got to keep our turnovers in that eight to 10 range, and we just didn’t do that,” Walberg said. 

Key players

  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
  • Wilson Jacques (FS): 8 points, 12 rebounds
  • Elijah Price (NEV): 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals
  • Tyler Rolison (NEV): 16 points (6-11 FG)

What happened 

Price made his return to the Save Mart Center and made his mark early with a pair of early layups. It was the Jake Heidbreder show on Saturday though. Cameron Faas found the senior marksman open in the corner for his third three of the game. A Wilson Jacques dunk and a pullup jumper from Zaon Collins capped off a quick 8-3 run to give the Bulldogs an 18-15 lead (8:06 remaining in first half).

Collins found Deshawn Gory in the final minute of the half for an open three to give Fresno State a 26-21 lead heading into halftime. Neither team shot particularly well, making a combined 32 percent of its shots. 

After a rough first offensively, Nevada opened the second half with a pair of baskets from Tayshawn Comer and Kaleb Lowery. The Bulldogs answered back with a layup from Collins and a pair of fastbreak layups from Deshawn Gory. The Wolfpack responded though with a trio of threes from Vaughn Weems (two) and Lowery to cut Fresno State’s lead to 35-34. 

Wolfpack guard Tyler Rolison scored on three consecutive possessions, capping off a 15-6 run for Nevada. Heidbreder ended the run by nailing a three from the wing in front of the Fresno State bench to give the Bulldogs a 42-40 lead with 12 minutes remaining in the game. 

Neither team was able to establish much of a lead throughout the game. A pair of free throws from Rolison was answered by a Collins layup. An and-one from Price was sandwiched in between a pair of Gory layups (14 points). A couple minutes later, Price made it back to the basket for another three only for Heidbreder to nail another three from the corner to give the ‘Dogs a 57-53 lead with five minutes to go. 

Hiedbreder drove to the layup to give the Bulldogs a 65-64 lead with 25 seconds remaining in the game but Fresno State had no answer for Rolison who had 14 second half points including a layup with 10 seconds to go. Fresno State had one more opportunity to go down the court but couldn’t find anything open. 

“I wanted to try and set up a screen at midcourt and see what we get, but it got stuck. I tried to call the time out there, and [the refs] didn’t recognize it until it got tipped,” Walberg said. 

Walberg thought the team played 39 minutes of “pretty good” basketball, but the inability to finish it off “feels like a waste.” 

What’s next

The Bulldogs hit the road again next week for a pair of in-state matchups beginning with San Jose State at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. They will end the week on Saturday playing the San Diego State Aztecs at 8 p.m. from Viejas Arena.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

Dec 30
0

‘Dogs come up short despite big night from Jacques

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (6-7) have yet to earn their first conference win in a 72-63 loss to Utah State University (11-1) on Dec. 30 at the Save Mart Center.

In a game that started off slow for the Bulldogs, guard Bastien Rieber was an immediate spark off the bench as well as throughout the game, a trend head Coach Vance Walberg sees everyday in practice.

“Even when you don’t play, I want you to understand you’re still valuable,” Walberg said. “There’s times when basketball players play three to six minutes, but every practice, [Rieber] still comes out and busts his tail.”

Another highlight for the Bulldogs was center Wilson Jacques, who recorded his sixth double-double of the season and extended his double-double streak to five straight games. 

Jacques made a living in the post, where he created most of his points, and crashed the boards on both ends of the floor—something Walberg values. 

“Wilson probably jumps that high, his heart’s this big,” Walberg said. “He’s a stud, he’s a force inside—it’s a big load for people to have to carry. We just got to get some more help around and knock a few more outside shots and I think we’ll open up the inside.”

Key players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 21 points, 3 steals, 38 minutes.

Wilson Jacques (FS): 15 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal.

MJ Collins Jr. (USU): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals.

Mason Falslev (USU): 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals.

What happened

The Aggies opened the game with a full-court press, which gave the Bulldogs fits on offense, causing five early turnovers and forcing the ‘Dogs into poor shot selection. The Aggies also used this intensity on offense, generating points off paint touches and kickouts to gain the early 16-8 lead.

10 minutes into the game, Rieber checked in and provided an immediate spark, forcing two turnovers and timely cuts to the basket. His effort was contagious as Jacques crashed the boards on both ends of the floor to help cut into the Aggies’ 18-13 lead.

But the Aggies continued to play through the number one scorer in the Mountain West, guard MJ Collins Jr. (20.1 ppg), who bloomed the Aggies lead to 35-26 heading into halftime. 

Through one half, Collins Jr. leads all scorers with 10 points followed by Rieber’s 8 points—the lone bench scorer for the Bulldogs. For the Aggies, they showed a well balanced two-way effort, with eight players contributing to the scoring column and five players contributing to the team’s nine steals. The Bulldogs were spearheaded by Rieber and his ability to get to the line, shooting five of the team’s nine free-throws. 

Aggies start the second half hot with the help of backcourt duo Collins Jr and Mason Falslev, but with some off-ball movement, the Bulldogs get some threes to fall from guards Jake Hiedbreder and Cameron Faas to cut the lead down to 48-40 six minutes into the quarter.

Despite the momentum and getting stops on defense, the Bulldogs struggled to capitalize on offense as they went five minutes without a made field goal—which was put to an end after a Heidbreder layup and a Jacques hook shot to trim the Aggies’ lead to 64-55.

Following the field goal drought, the Bulldogs made a late-game push led by the post play of Jacques—who was one of the lone shot-makers in the final minutes—but it wasn’t enough to halt the Aggies’ late game execution en route to their 72-63 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play at home against former Bulldog Elijah Price and the University of Nevada, Reno (9-3), which eliminated the ‘Dogs in the first round of the 2025 Mountain West Tournament, on Jan. 3 at 4 p.m.

Recap written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

Dec 27
0

‘Doggs Go Out With a Bang in Arizona Bowl Win

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Led by a relentless defense, Fresno State finishes the 2025 season at 9-4 with an 18-3 win over the RedHawks of Miami (OH) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. With the win, Head Coach Matt Entz joins Jeff Tedford as the only first year coaches with a bowl win in program history. 

Senior corner Jakari Embry said via Instagram on Friday he “wanted that feeling again” after watching a highlight of his week two Pick-6 at Oregon State. Well he got that feeling back on Saturday, picking up an his second interception of the season and a key second-quarter fumble recovery that shifted the momentum of the game.

“I needed that interception. Just once I seen that video, it just brought back the feeling that I got from that moment. And I just was telling myself all yesterday that, like when I step on this field. I’m not leaving without anything,” Embry said.

That joy was evident in the final minutes of the game as he and teammate Deijon Laffitte were seen dancing on the sidelines.

While the victory and partying it up with Snoop Dogg was a great, Embry noted that his favorite moment of the weekend was the bonding that was shared.

“This was my first time spending the holidays without my family. At first, I didn’t know what to expect,” Embry said. “When you’re not with your family, you want to be with the football team.”

Wide receiver Josiah Freeman concurred with Embry, pointing to the brotherhood shared as something he’ll never forget.

“Just the memories you create. We weren’t home for the holidays, but we’re with some of our best friends, our close friends that went on for the rest of our life in the whole town, cracking jokes, all activities we’ve done. So we all never take it for granted, because we know this opportunity is real special for us,” Freeman said.

Entz made sure to give the two seniors praise after the game, “These guys are what’s right about college football right now,” Entz said. “These two young men up here are great representatives of what we have in a locker room full of tremendous competitors, great character, people you want to be around.”

Entz said that he was pleased with the season’s results but admits there is always room for improvement.

“Like I said, nine wins isn’t easy. Probably thought I should we should have won a couple more,” Entz said. “But we’re gonna enjoy this one.”

He added that he’s grateful for the experiences he’s made in his first year leading the Bulldogs.

“Sometimes I think I needed Fresno more than it needed me,” Entz said.

Key Players 

  • Jakari Embry (FS): 2 tackles, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery
  • Josiah Freeman (FS): 7 catches, 152 total yards
  • E.J. Warner (FS): 16-for-23, 214 passing yards, 1 TD
  • Dylan Lynch (FS): 4-for-5 field goals
  • Eli Blakey (Miami): 13 tackles, 1 forced fumble
  • Malcolm McClain (Miami): 13 tackles, 1 TFL

What Happened 

After getting a stop, Miami (OH) quickly moved up the field with a pair of runs from running back Keith Reynolds for 32 and 9 yards apiece. The drive was cut short thanks to a Julius Gandy sack and a wild throw from RedHawks quarterback Thomas Gotkowski. Lou Groza award semifinalist Dom Dzioban nailed a 33-yard field goal. 

After another three-and-out by the Bulldogs offense, Gotkowski took a shot down the left side of the field for Kam Perry, only to be intercepted by Fresno State cornerback Jakari Embry. 

The Bulldogs best drive in the first half came early in the second quarter, spanning 15 plays for 82 yards, but resulted in a Dylan Lynch field goal after falling short in the red zone. The following drive had the same result, with the Bulldogs ending up inside the RedHawks 10 yard line, only to have to settle for a Lynch field goal. 

Miami (OH) got the ball down to the Fresno State 25 yard line, threatening to take a lead before linebacker Jadon Pearson knocked the football loose from RedHawks running back Jordan Brunson, picked up by Embry. 

E.J. Warner immediately found Josiah Freeman over the middle for a long 47-yard completion. Warner then found Ezekiel Avit open down the right side of the field for a 20 yard gain, giving the ‘Dogs the ball on the Miami (OH) 16-yard line with a minute remaining. Freeman finished with seven catches for 143 yards in his final game as a Bulldog. He spoke after the game on what it meant to come back.

“Coming off injury last year. I know what I wanted to do this season,” Freeman said. “I really liked how {Coach} embraced the tradition of Bulldog football. He didn’t shy away from it.”

After a pair of four yard gains, Fresno State opted to run the clock down and settle again for a Lynch field goal instead of going for six, taking a 9-3 lead into halftime. 

The Bulldogs defense opened the second half with a stop, leading to a drive that looked very familiar to the three second quarter drives. Warner rolled out and found Freeman open on the right side, who swerved through the RedHawks defense for a 51-yard gain. The Bulldogs offense fell flat again in the red zone though. Lynch’s 28-yard field goal attempt missed just left though, giving Miami (OH) the ball back on Fresno State’s 20-yard line. 

Fresno State took over again late in the third quarter. Facing a third-and-short, Warner scrambled up the middle for a first down. He began the fourth quarter connecting with true freshman Harold Duvall for a 17-yard gain. On the goal line later in the drive, Warner rolled out to his right to find a wide open Richie Anderson for a touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 15-3 lead (missed 2-PT conversion) with 11:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

The defense held on in the fourth quarter and limited the RedHawks defense to just 192 yards of total offense. Fresno State also forced two turnovers in addition to a blocked punt on special teams to win 18-3. 

“We’re family. We all know that we got each others back,” Embry said. “Once you know that the person next to you is like, ‘you’re better,’ you’re gonna do everything you can to not let them down.”

Transfer Portal 

The following players have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, which opens on Jan. 2 and runs for two weeks (last updated Dec. 27): 

What’s Next 

Fresno State football returns next season with four non-conference games in September of 2026, beginning with a road matchup at USC on Sept. 5th. 

They will also host Sacramento State (9/12), play at San Jose State (9/19) and welcome Rice (9/26) to Valley Children’s Stadium before beginning PAC-12 play.

For more coverage of all Fresno State sports, follow Al Scott or Fresno Sports Magazine on Twitter (X). You can also follow on Instagram. 

Game recap written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Fresno State.

Dec 24
0

Arizona Bowl Preview: ‘Dogs ready to ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ in Tucson

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The Fresno State football team (8-4, 5-3 MW) has one more game left before it calls a wrap on the 2025 season. The Bulldogs under first year head coach Matt Entz will play against Miami (OH) (7-6, 6-2 MAC) on Saturday, December 27 in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Ginn & Juice by Dre & Snoop. Kickoff at Casino Del Sol Stadium in Tucson, AZ is set for 1:30 p.m. PT. The game will also be televised on The CW Network. 

Head Coach Matt Entz said earlier this month that the team is looking forward to the change of scenery.

“Playing in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl just seems fitting…I’ve heard through the grapevine that everyone is looking forward to it. It’s something different, something new,” Entz said. “We’re excited to represent the Central Valley, the Green V and the Red Wave as we come down there.”

Fresno State will be competing in its fifth consecutive bowl game, going 3-1 the last four years. The program is 17-16 all-time in bowl games, including a 4-3 record against MAC opponents. 

Saturday’s matchup will be the first ever meeting between the two programs. The RedHawks are also participating in its 5th straight bowl (2-2) and are 9-7 overall in bowls. They are 3-5 against the Mountain West all-time with all three wins coming against Colorado State, including a 43-17 win over the Rams in last year’s Arizona Bowl. 

Welcome Miami 

After an 0-3 start to the year, the RedHawks rallied together under Head Coach Chuck Martin (72-73 record in 12 seasons) to win seven of its final nine games in the regular season before falling 23-13 to Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference championship game on Dec. 6. 

Offensively, the RedHawks present a balanced attack (25.1 PPG) averaging 196.2 yards per game through air and 152.6 per game on the ground.

The RedHawks began the season with Dequan Finn at quarterback, but he left the team in November to prepare for the NFL draft. They are expected to go with redshirt freshman quarterback Thomas Gotkowski under center on Saturday, who completed 50% of his 64 pass attempts for 503 yards and 4 TD in 4 games played (3 starts). He’s also ran 25 times for 99 yards and a score. 

Miami (OH) had nine players earn All-MAC accolades this season, including 5th-year safety Eli Blakey (105 total tackles, 2 INT’s) and kicker Dom Dzioban (19-22 FG, 51 LFGM). Dzioban was named a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award for the second straight year. 

In addition to Blakey, linebackers Corban Hondru, Jackson Kuwatch and strong safety Silas Walters also helped lead a stout defense that had 40 sacks, 50 quarterback hurries and a MAC-leading 14 interceptions (15th in the FBS) while allowing 22 points per game (43rd in FBS). That defense will be missing a few key pieces though. 

Transfer portal

Edge linebacker Adam Trick (MAC first-team, who had 59 tackles, a FBS-leading 72 pressures and a team-leading 8.5 sacks, will not be playing on Saturday, along with a few other Redhawks that have expressed their intentions of entering the transfer portal, including defensive end Joshua Lukusa and starting cornerbacks Luke Evans and Mychal Yharbrough.

MAC first-team wide receiver Kam Perry (42 rec, 966 yards 6 TD) and second-team right tackle Drew Terrill also have opted out and entered the portal. Perry’s 23.0 yards per reception ranked second in the FBS this season. He had four games with 100+ receiving yards this season, including 122 against UNLV. 6 ‘5 ” sophomore wideout Cole Weaver (43 rec, 599 yards, 1 TD) should receive the largest share of targets with Perry gone. 

Fresno State saw a sleuth of players enter the portal last season, which wasn’t a big surprise given the change in head coaches from Jeff Tedford to Tim Skipper to now Entz. This time around, there are still a few names (but no starters) that have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal, which officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026, and runs for two weeks. 

Linebacker Tim Thomas only played in two games this season before leaving the team due to personal reasons. Wideout Josiah Ayon, safety RL Miller and edge/defensive linemen Damarrion White and Isiah Chala Jr. have all suited up in minimal capacity, and will be looking for opportunities elsewhere next year as well. Backup quarterback Brayden Turner and defensive lineman Jack Metzler also have entered. 

Arguably the biggest notable of the players leaving is safety Jayden Davis. The Fresno native (Bullard HS) suited up 33 times for the Bulldogs with several starts the last two seasons. He also had an interception at San Jose State to finish the regular season. Davis saw his playing time dip in the second half of the year though, due to the rise of Ethan Tierney. He will have one year of eligibility remaining. 

Keys to victory

Speeding things up — Former Arizona Wildcat Rayshon “Speedy” Luke returns to his old stadium on Saturday. Luke began his football journey in the Snoop Dogg Youth Football League, a non-profit organization Snoop Dogg founded in 2005 to provide inner-city kids a chance to play football, teaching discipline and teamwork while bringing communities together.

Getting Luke going, both in the running and receiving game and will be paramount to offensive success for the Bulldogs. One of the most explosive players in the country, Speedy had 916 yards from scrimmage and 8 total touchdowns during the 2025 season. He added 341 kick return yards as well. 

Holding Brunson under 60 — Fresno State possesses one of the more well-balanced defenses in the country, allowing just 20.1 PPG (24th in FBS) and 293.5 yards per game (14th in FBS), marking the fewest yards allowed per game in a season since 1976 (269.64). The Bulldogs are 5-0 this season when allowing under 300 total yards of offense. 

Doing that again on Saturday will require stopping the run. The most consistent performer for the RedHawks has been senior running back Jordan Brunson (155 carries, 724 yards, 4 TD), who carried the ball 11 times for 34 yards and a pair of 4th quarter touchdowns in last year’s Arizona Bowl. Miami (OH) is a perfect 8-0 when Brunson has rushed for at least 60 yards in his career, including a 5-0 mark this season.

Brunson shares the backfield with 245-pound freshman short-yardage specialist D’Shawntae Jones (7 TD) who carried the ball 58 times for 262 yards this season. 

Limiting the RedHawks rushing attack and forcing Miami (OH) to air it out with a passing attack that is short-handed and not seem consistent results to end the season could be the key to victory. 

Forcing the issue — Neither team consistently sustains drives and moving the ball down the field will be difficult against solid defenses. The team that gets to the quarterback more and wins the turnover battle will have a better chance to score with short field position. 

The Fresno State defense excels in this department, having forced 24 turnovers (10th in FBS), including 19 interceptions (t-4th in FBS). Nickelback Simeon Harris led the Mountain West with five interceptions. Corner Al’zillion Hamilton had four himself, for the second straight year. Eight other Bulldog defenders had picks in 2025, including two from safety Camryn Bracha and linebacker K’vion Thunderbird. 

The ‘Dogs also recovered five fumbles, four of which fell in the hands of defensive lineman Jahzon Jacks (1st in FBS). 

Score prediction: Fresno State 24, Miami (OH) 16

With how hard the portal hit the RedHawks, I would give Fresno State the advantage with Luke finding the end zone at least once and kicker Dylan Lynch redeeming himself after a poor bowl game performance a year ago.

Preview written by Al Scott, cover photo of Rayshon “Speedy” Luke taken by Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

Dec 20
0

Powell, Watkins power ‘Dogs to first conference win

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The Fresno State women’s basketball team earned their first conference win of the season in a 53-36 victory over the University of Wyoming in a Mountain West Tournament rematch on Dec. 20 at the Save Mart Center.

Last season, the Bulldogs entered the Mountain West Tournament as the sixth seed and made a deep run, but their run was cut short by the Cowgirls in the semi-final round. However, Head Coach Ryan McCarthy treated this game like any other. 

“Most girls on the team, I don’t think they’ve been to Laramie or could point it out on a map, so I think for a lot of them they didn’t know any better,” McCarthy said. “Sometimes that’s a good thing when you kind of play with a little bit of naivety.”

For guard Danae Powell, her motivation stems from the season ahead and her new teammates.

“I didn’t get to finish out last season playing against them, but I feel like my motivation was just about this year as a new team,” Powell said. “Especially earlier in the week we didn’t play how we know we can, so this was important for us to come out and win.”

Key players

Danae Powell (FS): 17 points, 7 assists, 2 steals.

Avery Watkins (FS): 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal.

Malene Pedersen (WYO): 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists.

What happened

In the first quarter, both teams were plagued by turnovers, with a combined 12 turnovers partly due to the stout defense played by both teams. However, the Cowgirls would gain the 11-6 edge over the Bulldogs to close out the quarter as a result of their strong passing game—with 4 assists to the ’Dogs’ one.

The Bulldogs opened the second quarter 12-2 scoring run generated by their physicality in the paint with eight paint points and five free throws attempted to earn an 18-13 lead seven minutes into the quarter. 

The ‘Dogs end the second quarter with a strong defensive showing, forcing the Cowgirls to operate late into the shot clock, a trend present throughout the second quarter as the Cowgirls were held to two second quarter points en route to the ‘Dogs’ 20-13 halftime lead. 

After one half, the Cowgirls were held to 5-20 (25%) from the field, but excelled beyond the arc, going 3-7 (42.9%).  The Bulldogs weren’t much better, going 7-23 (30.4%) from the field and 0-6 from three-point range, but they did go 6-9 (66.7%). 

The Cowgirls responded in the third quarter with a 12-4 run of their own, sparked by their balanced scoring effort, with four different players contributing to their run and thus gaining the 27-24 lead midway through the quarter.

The Bulldogs find their footing in the late minutes of the quarter to make the game competitive as they survive the Cowgirls’ scoring run with a 31-30 lead heading to the fourth quarter. 

The Bulldogs rode the third quarter momentum in the early minutes of the fourth quarter with help from Powell and Watkins, who combined for eight points to give the ‘Dogs the 41-30 lead.

To close out the game, the Bulldogs didn’t take their foot off the gas, as they pulled away with the 53-36 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play with two road games: Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. against former Bulldog Mariah Elohim and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Jan. 3 against Colorado State University at noon.

The ‘Dogs return to the Save Mart Center on Jan. 7 in a matchup against San Jose State University at 6:30 p.m.

Story written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda.

Dec 13
0

Fresno State crawls over Cougars in blowout win

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Behind lights out performances from freshman Ava Marr and sophomore Danae Powell, the Fresno State women’s basketball snapped a two-game losing skid to defeat Chicago State 81-62. 

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 6-5 on the season to finish above .500 in non-conference play. Fresno State made the most of its opportunities beyond the arc, shooting 12-of-27 from three as a team. They made 47.6% of their shots overall and outrebounded the Cougars 46-26.

Key players 

Danae Powell (FS): 15 points, 7 assists, 3 steals

Ava Marr (FS): 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals 

Natalia Williams (CSU): 11 points, 6 rebounds

What happened 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter thanks to threes from Ava Marr (2), Danae Powell and Emilia Long. They also held a 12-3 rebounding advantage over the Cougars, who made just 1-of-13 first quarter field goal attempts. 

Powell opened the second period still with a hot hand, draining a three from the top of the kep before going in for an and-one layup a minute later. The next possession, Powell found forward Avery Watkins open under the basket off the in bounds for another easy basket. 

Forward Jaisa Gamble followed it up with a pair of layups herself, giving Fresno State a 32-10 lead and forcing a Cougars timeout. Out of the break, Bulldog forward Morelia Chavez banked a three off the right wing to give the ‘Dogs a 26-4 run across eight minutes of play. 

Ending the half, Marr nailed a three from the right corner, the 8th-of-14 first half makes from beyond the arc for Fresno State to give them a 45-18 lead at half. The Cougars were held to 4-of-22 (0-4 from 3) from the field in the first half. 

Marr opened the second half with another three, her fourth of the game. The Cougars finally showed some life, going on a 13-9 run led by Keona McGee. They had the quarter tied at 19 points apiece until the final possession when Powell found Long open for a layup to give Fresno State a 66-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Cougars fought back in the fourth quarter but it was too late as Fresno State went on to win 81-62. Marr finished the night with six threes and a career-high of 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field. Powell, Gamble and Long also scored in double figures.

Injury bug

Star forward Ashlyn Rean (leg) is doubtful to return this season. Indiya Clarke (concussion) is considered day-to-day and questionable to play next week.

What’s next 

The Bulldogs will host San Diego State to begin Mountain West Conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at the Save Mart Center with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. The homestand will wrap up next Saturday (Dec. 20) versus Wyoming at 2 p.m.

Fresno State was picked to finish 9th in the conference before the season.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)