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- Kamran Sufi

Coach Kamran Sufi rejoins the Eagles coaching staff as an assistant coach for the varsity team. For the last decade he has served as an assistant coach/ advanced scout for a few NBA teams: New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons. He also served as an assistant coach internationally with the Shanghai Sharks, Guangsha Lions, and the Xinjiang Tigers.

A standout Trinity League alum, Coach Kamran played at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. After high school he was a scholarship athlete at St. Mary’s College and etched his name in the record book as the all-time career assist and steals leader. After St. Mary Coach Kamran played on a few minor-league basketball teams: Southern California Surf, Long Beach Jam, Socal Buzz and Los Angeles Lightning.

Head junior varsity Coach- Nana Gbewonyo

Bio coming soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant varsity & junior varsity Coach- Michelle curry

Prior to joining Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Michelle Curry worked as an assistant women’s basketball coach, director of operations and a skills trainer with Shoot 360.
She spent the 2022-23 academic year as an assistant coach at Sonoma State where she was responsible for individual skill development, team travel, daily calendar in compliance with NCAA rules, recruitment and oversight of team managers, equipment handling and disbursement, video coordination, social media, team nutrition, travel and equipment budgeting, community service  creating scouting reports, and film editing.
During the 2021-22 academic year, Curry was the Director of Operations for Cal State Fullerton. She was responsible for the program’s administration, equipment, creative content for social media, video coordination and many other tasks for a successful program.
Curry was an assistant coach at West Los Angeles College for the 2018-19 season and was responsible for grade checks, scouting reports, film editing, recruiting, individual player development for posts and guards, and fundraising.
Michelle graduated from UC Riverside in 2018 with a degree in public policy. As a member of the women's basketball team, Curry was named 2015 Big West Freshman of the Year. She went on to be named team captain, score more than 1,000 points in her career, win the 2016 Big West Championship and set a school record for points in a game with 40.

Head Frosh-Soph Coach- Bridgett Wilhelm

Bio Coming soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Frosh-Soph 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
• Maddie Leiva- Cal State San Marcos
• Jaya Michel- Biola University
• Brooke Slymen- Colorado Mesa 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
• Maddie Leiva 22/23 96

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%