MCCALL KEYS YOUNG BEAR CUB'S SUCCESS

If Bianca McCall's surgically repaired knee can hold up, the Santa Rosa JC

women's basketball team could have a very interesting season.

The 6-1 McCall, one of the Empire's all-time best, originally went to Boise

State, where she red-shirted her first year, but left early in her sophomore

year.

''Bianca wants to get back to Division I, but she would have had to sit out

a year this season, so she decided to come here,'' said veteran SRJC coach

Caren Franci.

''Bianca is an outstanding player and she can really be a force. She's very

quick and very athletic.''

Franci was expecting to have four multi-sport athletes back this season,

but tennis players Stephanie Commisto and Jenny Rogers and volleyball players

Jill Forni and Khankeo Sisavath opted to stick with one sport.

She will have one soccer player, Megan Beckstead.

The lone returner off last year's team (9-17 overall, 3-7 in the BVC) is

5-9 post player Kaitlyn Capella, who played some center last season.

Other players expected to make a difference are 5-6 freshman wing Jen

Mazzotti (Montgomery), 5-9 Dana Margreiter (Sonoma), 5-8 Jennifer Bibler

(Maria Carrillo), 5-3 Stacy Moye (Vallejo), 5-7 Jameelah Hanif (Emeryville),

5-11 Renee Robbins (Standish), 5-9 Caitlin Andrus (Kelseyville), 5-7 Nicole

Cake (Rincon Valley Christian), 5-5 Amy Atkinson (San Rafael) and 5-3 Chiara

Chavez (South Fork).

The Bear Cubs may also get the services of 5-5 sophomore Ann Sostman, a

transfer from Saddleback.

Margreiter played softball for the Bear Cubs last year, but this is her

first year of basketball at SRJC.

''Bianca is the key, offensively and defensively'' said Franci, who will be

assisted by former Stanford star Molly Goodenbour. ''By playing here, she will

be seen (by college recruiters) again, and prove she can get a year under her

belt.''

As far as losing the four multi-sport players, Franci tries to be

philosophical.

''It's nothing new,'' she said. ''A lot of our local athletes play two and

three sports, but when they get here there can be too much overlap.''

The Bear Cubs open the season Saturday at 5 p.m. at Haehl Pavilion with a

non-conference game against Ohlone.

SRJC opens Bay Valley Conference Bay Division play Jan. 8 at home against

Solano.

Franci sees Contra Costa as the team to beat in the Bear Cubs' BVC

division. The Comets made it all the way to the state final, losing to Ventura

by two points.

Call Staff Writer Bruce Meadows at 521-5263 or e-mail

bmeadows@pressdemocrat.com.