ATLANTA - Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball standout Sydney Nelson has been named a Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) First Team All-American, capping a historic 2025-26 campaign in which she emerged as one of the top players in NCAA Division II.
 
Nelson becomes the first CPP player since Jada Blackwell in 2014-15 to be named to the All-America First Team, and the 35^th total in program history. The junior built a lengthy and decorated resume this season, earning NCAA West Regional MVP, D2CCA All-West Region First Team, All-CCAA First Team, and a spot on the CCAA All-Tournament Team, in addition to being named CSC Academic All-District for her efforts in the classroom. Nelson was also twice selected as the CCAA Player of the Week during the season.
 
A relentless offensive force, Nelson averaged 18.7 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 76.0 percent from the free throw line across 30 starts. She added 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, finishing the year with 562 total points. Nelson now has 1,532 total points in her career, placing her ninth all-time in program history.
 
Nelson opened the season in dominant fashion, scoring 30 points in the Nov. 14 opener against Point Loma to become the 29th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points in a Bronco uniform. She delivered several notable performances throughout the year, including a 31-point effort at San Francisco State on January 2nd and most notably a 29-point, 15-rebound performance at Central Washington on March 16^th to lead the Broncos to their first NCAA West Region Title since 2014.
 
The six-foot guard recorded 16 games of 20 or more points and scored at least 25 points five times, including a 27-point outing against Cal State LA in the CCAA Tournament Championship and a 25-point performance against Cal State East Bay on January 29th. Her ability to impact the game on both ends helped carry Cal Poly Pomona to their first CCAA regular season title since 2014, and the team's 29 wins is the most since the 1989-90 season.
 
To Bronco fans, this recognition comes as no surprise. Nelson has been one of the elite scorers in the region since she came to campus as a freshman. And with this year's consistency, there was little doubt that she would be recognized as one of Division II's very best.