Girls Basketball

Santa Margarita Catholic High School announces the hiring of Seyram Bell as the head girls basketball coach. Bell comes to Santa Margarita from UC Riverside, where she coached the women’s basketball team since 2010. While starting as an assistant coach in 2010, Bell worked her way up to associate head coach in 2017 before being named the interim head coach in 2019. She steps in for Christina Wear-Marinacci, who was hired last spring. Wear-Marinacci is stepping down from her head coaching responsibilities to pursue a career opportunity but will remain on the coaching staff as a varsity assistant coach. If the last name sounds familiar for Eagle basketball fans, Seyram is the wife of SMCHS boys head basketball coach, Justin Bell. "I want to thank Coach Wear-Marinacci for her dedication and commitment to the girls basketball program and athletes,” SMCHS Athletic Director Annie Garrett said. “We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors and are grateful she will remain on staff. Our program is blessed to have such wonderful female mentors with outstanding pedigrees and character. Coach Bell brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role, and I look forward to the continued growth of the program under her leadership. It is a blessing to have a husband and wife duo at the helm of our basketball programs serving as role models for our student-athletes.”

Bell played for Sylmar High School, where she was a two-time league MVP and a team captain for the basketball and track and field teams. She then played collegiately at UC Riverside, where she earned Big West All-Conference honors several times. After college, she played professionally in Greece for one season before beginning her coaching career.

“It’s a blessing to be joining the Santa Margarita Eagle family,” Seyram Bell said. “SMCHS has a respected academic and sports tradition, and I’m excited that I get to lead the girls basketball program. I am looking forward to building relationships with the girls and getting to work.”

 

Assistant Varsity Coach - Simone De Coud

Coach Simone De Coud enters her 3^rd year of coaching at SMCHS and will serve as the Assistant Varsity Coach. Coach Simone attended J.W. North High School where she helped lead the team to CIF Southern section State championship in 2013. She was named All league, and received McDonald All-American nomination. Upon graduating high school, she earned a Full Athletic Scholarship to the University of California Riverside playing for their NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Team. While at UCR she played all 4 years and helped lead the team to a historical undefeated Big West Regular Season Conference Championship. Coach De Coud set a number of records during her tenure at UCR. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Media and Cultural Studies.

After graduating Coach Simone played with NetScouts Basketball USA All- Stars. She along with other professional athletes went on to play across Asia, competing against other countries all-star teams. They were crowned Champions, and brought the 1^st place medal home. Shortly after Coach De Coud began her coaching career. She started as an assistant coach at Cal State San Bernardino for 2 seasons. She served as the Interim Head Coach before accepting the Women’s Basketball Head coach position at Community Christian College- Redlands. She is currently working on her masters in Social Work.

 

 

Assistant varsity Coach- Nana Gbewonyo

Bio coming soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Varsity Coach - Lisa Montoya

Coach Lisa Montoya enters her 1^st season coaching at SMCHS. She comes to SM with a wealthy of knowledge. During her high school career, she earned a number of awards and helped lead Los Alamitos to successful seasons. She was selected to play for the USA 16u All- Star team. She traveled to New Zealand and Australia and played against other countries 16u programs. Upon graduating she went on to Georgia State to earn her bachelors in Early Childhood education with a concentration in special education.

After graduating she began coaching competitive AAU programs. She is currently a counselor here at SMCHS.

 

 

 

 

 

Head Junior Varsity Coach - Steve Averill

Steve Averill has served as a coach and director for numerous youth, middle school and high school basketball programs in Orange County for the past 12 years. He played an instrumental role in the startup and development of 14-year NBA player Corey Maggette’s youth basketball program in Newport Beach. He was Head Coach of the 2017 gold medal winning 14U Maccabi Orange County team and the former Head Coach of the Tarbut V'Torah (TVT) Middle School program. 

Coach Steve is a familiar face to the SMCHS family. He was Head Coach of the Girls JV team last season. In 2019 he was the Boys Freshman Gold Head Coach and served in the same capacity at Foothill the season prior. Both teams finished with 21-4 records. He is a USA Basketball gold level certified coach and works with individual players as a shooting instructor. 

Steve is married to Belinda Averill, principal of South Lake Middle School in Irvine. They have a daughter, Olivia, who is a sophomore at SDSU and a son, Toby, who is a junior at SM. Steve played college basketball and football at Bowdoin College.

 

Head Freshman Coach- Natalie San Roman

Natalie San Roman has been around the game of basketball almost all of her life. She started playing at the age of 9 and continued throughout high school. Natalie has also played softball and Volleyball both on club and travel teams as well.  Natalie attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School and played basketball all 4 years there. She played Junior Varsity Freshman year where her team was undefeated and were the Sea View League Champions. She was also awarded the Coach’s award. She played Varsity her last 3 years. While attending college she continued playing in a few women’s adult leagues. During college she coached at Trinity Lutheran School and also taught Physical Education. 

Natalie has 3 little girls ages 8, 6 and 3 that keep her busy when she’s not coaching. She just recently coached her 6 year old daughter’s NJB team along with Coach Sey’s daughter. Natalie is grateful to be back at her old Alma Mater around her favorite sport and is very excited to bring her knowledge and love of the game to all the new and returning players. She wants to continue to grow the Santa Margarita Girl’s basketball program while emphasizing the positive team culture. 

• Melissa Zornig - UC Santa Barbara
• Madison McKenney - UC Irvine
• Elise Lorenz - Sacred Heart
• Kiley Berlinski - Dominican University
• Lauren Oosdyke - Northern Colorado
• Georgia Follmer - Indiana University
• Whitney Wood - Seton Hall
• Brittany Taylor - Waldorf University
• Lauren Powers - Sonoma State
• Annie Mai - UC Irvine
• Lauren Frazee - University of Idaho
• Kristen Lynch - Princeton University
• Vanessa Ferragamo - Vanderbilt University
• Zaire Williams - New Mexico State
• Caitlin Heinly - Seattle Pacific University

CIF Titles

• 2014
• 2010
• 2005

State Regional Runner Up

• 2014

Points

• Career - Melissa Zornig 07-10 2,447
• Season - Melissa Zornig 09/10 782
• Game - Melissa Zornig 12/15/07 49

Rebounds

• Career Whitney Wood 04-07 944
• Season Whitney Wood 06/07 279

Assists

• Career - Gillian Gipe 05-08 600
• Season Madison McKinney 09/10 177

Steals

• Career Gillian Gipe 05-08 469
• Season - Gillian Gipe 06/07 130

Blocked Shots

• Career Georgia Follmer 04-07 412
• Season Georgia Follmer 06/07 128

3's made

• Career Melissa Zornig 06-10 242
• Season Melissa Zornig 06/07 & 09/10 67

FT's made

• Season - Whitney Wood 06/07 145

FT %

• Career (based on a minimum of 50 attempts) Melissa Zornig 07-10 (417 out of 522) = 79.9%
• Season (based on a minimum of 25 attempts) Melissa Zornig 07/08 (95 out of 113) = 84.1%