Fatimah Sani has come a long way to let her light shine. A 6-foot-3 sophomore center for the Chaffey College women’s basketball team, Sani recently recorded her 500th career collegiate point as part of a 21-point, 20-rebound effort as Chaffey beat Palo Verde 72-53 on Monday, Jan. 13. “She thrives in environments where she can explore and be with friends and family,” Chaffey head coach Kendyl Rizea said. “She genuinely cares about her teammates and has flourished in those relationships.” A native of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and a graduate of the American School of Creative Science, Sani has arrived in Southern California, embraced her role, and outperformed Rizea’s expectations. “In a world where superstars often lean toward selfishness, Sani is the furthest thing from it,” Rizea said. “Every time she receives praise, she immediately returns the favor, always recognizing her teammates for pushing her to improve.” Sani leads Chaffey in several per-game statistical categories including minutes (31.5), points (15.0), offensive rebounds (5.3), defensive rebounds (6.6), and blocks (1.3). She currently ranks second among California Community College Athletic Association players with 11.9 rebounds per game. “We talk about cues to read and give very specific things to try each possession,” Rizea said. “She likes to see what we teach her in action before she tries it herself.” Sani had a season-high 30 points, 26 rebounds, and four blocks in an 89-76 win at Riverside on Nov. 13. She has had at least 20 rebounds in a game three times so far this season. “She has grown a lot since her arrival at Chaffey, and we’re excited to see her excel,” Rizea said. Despite the win over Palo Verde, Chaffey (9-8 overall) has lost two of its last three games and is fifth in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference. The Panthers play at fourth-place Copper Mountain in Joshua Tree on Saturday. LA VERNE’S KRICH RESIGNS Long-time football coach Chris Krich has resigned from the University of La Verne, athletics director Dr. Jenna Panatier announced on Jan. 10. “We are sincerely grateful to Coach Krist for his tireless work, dedication and commitment,” Panatier said in a statement. “(Krich) has positively impacted the lives of countless student-athletes throughout his tenure.” Krich was hired in 2011 and led La Verne’s program to a 40-78 record over 13 seasons. In 2015, he guided the Leopards to an 8-2 overall record, a SCIAC title, and their first NCAA Division III playoff appearance in 20 years. The team was 0-10 last season and 7-31 over the last four seasons. La Verne’s administration is finalizing next steps in its hiring process. UCR BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SCHEDULES The UC Riverside baseball team will play more than half of its 53 regular season games at the Riverside Sports Complex in 2025. The Highlanders begin at home with a four-game series against Utah State on Feb. 14-17. Coach Justin Johnson’s team hosts California Baptist (March 2 and April 28) in two of three ‘Crosstown Showdown’ games this year as well as nonconference games against Loyola Marymount (Feb. 26), Michigan (March 5), UNLV (April 22) and San Diego State (April 29). The UCR softball team hosts a doubleheader at Amy S. Harrison Field against Army on Saturday, Feb. 8 before taking on national powerhouse UCLA at Easton Stadium in Westwood on Sunday, Feb. 9. It’s just part of an aggressive early-season tournament schedule for the Highlanders that includes games against CBU (Feb. 12), nationally-ranked Stanford (Feb. 14-15), Washington (Feb. 20), Rutgers (Feb. 22) and San Diego State (Feb. 22). ODDS & ENDS The University of Redlands will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its women’s athletics programs on Saturday, Feb. 8 with a softball game against Hope International and a women’s basketball game against Cal Lutheran. … CBU sophomore guard Khloe Lemon was selected as Western Athletic Conference women’s player of the week after scoring a career-high 39 points on Saturday, Jan. 11. … CBU has hired Donovan Ellis as associate athletics director for external and corporate relations specializing in sponsorships. … Sophomore forward Laisha Lazu (Vista Murrieta High School) had 30 points and 21 rebounds as the Mt. San Jacinto College women’s basketball team grabbed a 107-63 victory over Desert on Thursday, Jan. 9.