Danelle Bishop enters her 15th season (16th year overall) as the head coach of the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team in 2025-26.
As the fifth head coach in program history, Bishop has guided CPP to nine NCAA Championship appearances, which includes three Sweet Sixteen showings (2011, 2014, 2015), two Elite Eight appearances (2011, 2014) and a Final Four showing (2014). She owns a win-loss record of 271-138 in 13 seasons at the helm of the CPP women's basketball program, and with 21 years of head coaching experience (including four seasons at Azusa Pacific and three at California Baptist), Bishop is 409-223, a .647 winning percentage.
At the conclusion of the 2013-14 regular season, Bishop earned California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Coach of the Year honors after capturing the CCAA regular-season title with an 18-4 record. That year, Bishop and the Broncos won the NCAA Division II West Region title and advanced to the national semifinal.
Cal Poly Pomona is coming off of a successful 2023-24 campaign during which it went 20-10 overall and 15-7 in the CCAA, placing third in the CCAA standings. The Broncos earned an at-large berth into the 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship, marking the program’s eighth NCAA postseason qualification in 13 seasons under Bishop.
Prior to joining the CPP program, Bishop was the head coach at California Baptist University in Riverside for three seasons from 2007-10. She was the first coach in program history to post consecutive winning seasons in 17 years, and she also earned the most wins in a two-year period in that span. In her first season (2007-08), the Lancers were just one win away from making their first trip to the national tournament since 1982.
In 2003-04, Bishop got her head coaching start at Azusa Pacific University at the age of 26, leading the Cougars to unprecedented heights with four straight 20-win seasons and four consecutive NAIA National Tournament berths. APU went 92-41 (a .692 winning percentage) during Bishop’s run and finished with two “Sweet Sixteen’’ finishes at the national tournament – a first for APU.
Prior to her time at APU, Bishop spent three seasons as an assistant coach at San Joaquin Delta Junior College in Stockton and served as a graduate assistant at her alma mater, Tarleton State, in 2000.
Bishop played two seasons at Tarleton State (from 1997-99) and was an All-Lone Star Conference selection both seasons. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science in 1999 and earned her master’s in education.
She played one season at the University of Florida (1994-95) and then transferred to Delta College, where she was named team MVP, All-Bay Valley Conference and participated in the California State Junior College All-Star game in 1997.
Bishop resides in Eastvale with her husband Walter, daughter Marissa Reagan, and son Walter IV.
Bishop Through the Years
| SEASON |
INSTITUTION |
OVERALL |
CONF |
PLACE |
| 2003-04 |
Azusa Pacific |
20-12 |
13-7 |
|
| 2004-05 |
Azusa Pacific |
24-11 |
14-6 |
|
| 2005-06 |
Azusa Pacific |
24-10 |
14-6 |
|
| 2006-07 |
Azusa Pacific |
24-8 |
15-5 |
|
| 4 Years |
Azusa Pacific |
92-41 (.692) |
56-24 |
|
| 2007-08 |
California Baptist |
17-12 |
10-10 |
|
| 2008-09 |
California Baptist |
17-14 |
9-11 |
|
| 2009-10 |
California Baptist |
12-18 |
5-15 |
|
| 3 Years |
California Baptist |
46-44 (.511) |
24-36 |
|
| 2010-11 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
28-5 |
19-3 |
2nd |
| 2011-12 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
19-9 |
15-7 |
2nd |
| 2012-13 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
14-13 |
12-10 |
6th |
| 2013-14 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
26-7 |
18-4 |
1st |
| 2014-15 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
21-9 |
17-5 |
3rd |
| 2015-16 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
11-17 |
9-11 |
7th |
| 2016-17 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
17-11 |
14-6 |
3rd |
| 2017-18 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
20-9 |
16-6 |
2nd |
| 2018-19 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
25-6 |
19-3 |
2nd |
| 2019-20 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
19-10 |
15-7 |
3rd |
| 2020-21 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
COVID-19 |
| 2021-22 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
8-15 |
7-12 |
9th |
| 2022-23 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
18-11 |
14-8 |
4th |
| 2023-24 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
20-10 |
15-7 |
3rd |
| 2024-25 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
25-6 |
19-3 |
2nd |
| 15 Years |
Cal Poly Pomona |
271-138 (.663) |
209-92 |
|
| OVERALL (21 seasons) |
409-223 (.647) |
289-152 |
|
|
NCAA Tournament Appearance |
