By Following the end of the 2024-2025 season, Long Beach State women’s basketball head coach Amy Wright will be tasked with continuing her rebuilding of the program despite losing the Big West Conference’s leading scorer, rebounder and second-leading assister.
Lead guard Savannah Tucker, forward Rachel Loobie and guard Patricia Chung, all statistical leaders in the conference, as well as forward Lovely Sonnier, make up the seniors who have now graduated.
As a former recruiting coordinator at the University of Oklahoma and Texas A&M University, Wright plans for her incoming recruits to help fill the gaps left by these major contributors.
The Beach have already added three freshman recruits for next season:
- Guard Morgan Mack, Hart High School in California
- Guard Brynna Pukis, Glacier Peak High School in Washington
- Forward Rosie Akot, South Australia
Wright also noted there are still roster spots that can be filled through the transfer portal.
“Recruiting is the centerpiece,” Wright said. “We definitely want to bring in players who can be immediate-impact kids and create an environment where you have to compete and get better every day.”
This season, The Beach finished sixth in the conference with a 12-8 record, an improvement from their 8-12 finish the year prior.
LBSU raced out to a hot 7-1 start in the Big West but faltered late in the season with an eventual four-game losing streak.
Wright’s second season with the team ended prematurely as the No. 6 seed LBSU was upset 54-40 by No. 7 UC Riverside in the first round of the Big West Tournament on March 12.
“I had a team that had to get used to winning,” Wright said. “Winning was very new to them, and we had to learn together that you can’t just show up, you have to continue to do the work that got you there.”
Despite the results in the latter half of the season, there is a high level of optimism for the future within the program, according to Tucker.
The star shot-making guard was named to the All-Big West First Team after leading the conference in scoring at 16.6 points per game and credits the LBSU coaching staff for her growth as an athlete.
Senior guard Savannah Tucker has played her last game for The Beach but believes the program is in good hands for the future. Photo credit: Mark Siquig
“With coach Amy and [assistant coach Brian Rosario] coming in, I was able to find my love for basketball again,” Tucker said.
Tucker suffered through multiple setbacks at LBSU before Wright arrived.
Unable to practice in the offseason ahead of her junior year due to multiple shin fractures, Tucker developed her relationship with her coach through important conversations about her role on the team.
These conversations continued ahead of her career season in 2024-2025, as Wright provided her with a clear evaluation of what she wanted to see more of out of her star guard, according to Tucker.
“[Wright] knew I was a scorer, and she trusted me to do that,” Tucker said. “She was an easy person to go to and I think most importantly, she cared about me as a person off the court.”
Statistical improvements in players like Tucker are going to be key as The Beach continue to pursue their climb back to the top of the Big West.
While next season will see some fresh faces taking the court for The Beach including younger players in bigger roles and transfers in new colors, Tucker believes in the culture that Wright has set for the program.
“They’re going to be young, but they’re going to have a lot of energy and be able to learn from our mistakes,” Tucker said. “It’s going to be an exciting team and there’s gonna be some fun Beach basketball to watch.”
