Arizona Western Women’s Basketball has developed a reputation of excellence over the course of its existence in 21 seasons. That reputation has made them a constant target, a team that will get the best out of every opponent in fear of what AWC’s team could do. 20 of those seasons have seen Arizona Western finish above .500 and a constant fixture in the postseason. From the outset of the Lady Matador Basketball program, winning has been a product of hard work and a detailed knowledge of the game constantly refreshed with a mix of local talent.
The Matadors posted winning records in the first eighteen seasons, all under the guidance of Head Coach Patrick Cunningham. Cunningham came to Arizona Western from Yavapai College and used his familiarity with Arizona and the ACCAC to recruit a playoff-bound team from year one.
After coming out of the gates with a winning record of 16-15, the Matadors improved each of the first two seasons, earning a 32-3 mark in 2001-2002 and a Region Championship just three seasons into the existence of the program. The ’02 team earned the program’s first NJCAA Tournament win by defeating Ricks College and pushing #1 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to its limit.
In each of the Lady Matadors' first three seasons, they went a step further in the post-season, while simultaneously establishing new benchmarks for a fresh program. The Matadors reached as high as #2 in the NJCAA polls while Krystal Turner became the program’s first two-time ACCAC Player of the Year and NJCAA All-American. Turner also earned ACCAC Freshman of the Year as a Matador.
AWC would snag its second Region I championship in 2003-2004 after its fourth consecutive season of more than 20 wins and less than 10 losses. In fact, AWC has compiled thirteen 20-win seasons, thirteen Region I Playoff Appearances, and eight Region I Finals appearances in nineteen total seasons.
The Lady Matadors have seen many players use successful seasons to continue their careers at the NCAA Division I level while six have been recognized as Kodak/WCA All-Americans. Four former Mats, Sugeiry Monsac, Esmary Vargas, Stephanie Schmid, and Yohanna Morton have played professional basketball on the international level after completing their time at AWC.
On the National level, four different players have garnered NJCAA All-American status; Samatha Wallace, Sugeriy Monsac, and Turner all did it twice, while Kim Etol earned the honor once. The Matadors have been represented by the ACCAC Player of the Year six times; Turner (twice), Nyla Bailey, Jolie Olingende, Schmid and Farah Vazquez (Co-Player of the Year), and the ACCAC Freshman of the Year five times; Turner, Tanisha “T.J.” Manson, Olingende, Lisette Longomo, and Mathilde Diop.
The 2021-22 season would prove to be one for the record books, as the Lady Matadors won 30 games for the third time in program history, going 30-3, winning the Region I and West District championships, earning the program’s second-ever birth in the NJCAA DI Women’s Basketball National Tournament. The Lady Matadors picked up an opening-round win over South Georgia Tech to advance to the second round before falling to the eventual national champion, Tyler Junior College.
Alliance Ndiba burst onto the scene, earning ACCAC Player of the Year honors as well as being a First Team NJCAA All-American honoree. Teresa Da Silva also garnered an honorable mention NJCAA All-American.
In what would be coach Cunningham's final season, the Lady Matadors put together their second consecutive 20-win season, going 21-9, earning a spot in the Region I playoffs before falling to Cochise in the semifinals. For the second straight year, the Lady Matadors were represented on the NJCAA All-American teams with sophomore guard Kristol Ayson earning Honorable Mention All-American, becoming the third Lady Matadors to be named an All-American in the last two seasons. Following the season, Cunningham announced his retirement after 24 seasons, the second longest-tenured head coach in Arizona Western history. A day after the announcement, Chelsea Dewey was named Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach for the 2023-24 season.