Berkeley’s basketball program has never really been a powerhouse on either the men’s or women’s side. The Golden Bears reached the women’s NCAA Tournament this past season, but they lost there in the first round to Mississippi State by a final score of 59-46.
They lost a key contributor recently when Marta Suarez, a 6-foot-3 forward, decided to enter the transfer portal. She averaged 12.9 points and 7.2 rebounds a game and shot 45.8% from the field during the 2024-25 campaign.
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But the Golden Bears have now gained an interesting prospect in the backcourt. Mjracle Sheppard, who played for Louisiana State last season, has reportedly committed to come out west and play for Berkeley.
Sheppard averaged 3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 12.5 minutes a game while shooting 43.7% overall this past season as a sophomore. A 5-foot-10 guard who is originally from Washington state, she played for Mississippi State during her freshman year.
She was a four-star recruit out of high school after she had attended Montverde Academy in the greater Orlando area.
Mar 8, 2025; Greenville, SC, USA; LSU Lady Tigers guard Mjracle Sheppard (1) brings the ball up court against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Under head coach Kim Mulkey, LSU made it to the 2025 Elite Eight, where it lost by seven points to UCLA.
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The Bears also gained Sakima Walker, a center who averaged 1.4 points and 0.7 rebounds in 5.5 minutes a game last season, from the transfer portal. Walker previously played two seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Prior to last season, Berkeley hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019. In its program history, it has gotten to the Final Four just once — that was in 2013, when it fell to Louisville by a final score of 64-57.
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