POMONA – Danelle Bishop, who has spent each of the last seven seasons as head women's basketball coach at Azusa Pacific and California Baptist, has been named interim head coach for the Broncos' women's basketball program, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Brian Swanson announced today. 

"I appreciate the opportunity to become a part of a program with such rich tradition,'' Bishop said. “ I am very excited about the team and this upcoming season. A great foundation is in place and I look forward to building upon that success." 

Bishop becomes only the fifth coach in Cal Poly Pomona's history. CPP won three NCAA titles under the late Darlene May (1982, 1985 and 1986) in her 20 years as coach and won consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002 under former coach Paul Thomas. No other current NCAA Division II program has won as many national championships. 

“Danelle has been successful as a standout student-athlete and head coach,'' Swanson said. “Her coaching experience and familiarity with the CCAA is an asset in moving our program forward.'' 

Success has been Bishop's calling card during her two head coaching stints. In her seven seasons as a head coach, four at Azusa Pacific (2003-07) and the last three at California Baptist University (2007-10), the Manteca, Calif., native owns an overall record of 138-85. She has taken four teams to the NAIA National Tournament – all at APU – and has coached six All-Americans. 

In 2007, she took over a CBU program that had five head coaches in a 10-year period and immediately produced results. Bishop became the first CBU coach to post consecutive winning seasons in 17 years and she also earned the most wins in a two-year period in that span. In her first season (2007-08), the Lancers were just one victory from their first national tournament berth since 1982. 

Under Bishop's direction, CBU earned its first women's basketball All-American first-team selection (Nicole Davis) in 2008 and Davis was again honored first team in 2009. 

At the age of 26, Bishop was granted her first head coaching position and that decision paid off handsomely for APU. She led the Cougars to unprecedented heights with four straight 20-win seasons and four consecutive NAIA National Tournament berths. APU enjoyed a 92-41 overall record (.692 winning percentage) during Bishop's run and finished with two “Sweet Sixteen'' finishes at the national tourney – a first for APU. 

In her initial season, Bishop inherited a team that went 11-21 and led virtually that same team to a 20-12 finish, a final NAIA ranking of No. 24 and an NAIA Tourney berth. 

The following year, the Cougars were 24-11 and won their first national tournament game since 1981 and advanced to the first of two consecutive “Round of 16” appearances. The season included victories over NCAA Division I UC Davis, eventual NAIA finalist Oklahoma City and then No. 1-ranked Vanguard.
In 2006, the Cougars were 24-10 and again reached the Sweet 16. The Cougars averaged a school-record 81 points per game. 

APU earned its third-straight 24-win season in her final season and finished 2006-07 ranked 13th in the country. 

Prior to her time at APU, Bishop spent three seasons as an assistant coach at San Joaquin Delta Junior College in Stockton and served as a graduate assistant at her alma mater, Tarleton State, in 2000. 

Bishop played two seasons at Tarleton State (1998 and 1999) and was an All-Lone Star Conference selection both seasons. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science in 1999 and earned her master's in education. 

She played one season at the University of Florida (1995) and then transferred to Delta College, where she was named team MVP, All-Bay Valley Conference and participated in the California State Junior College All-Star game in 1997. 

Bishop was a standout at East Union High School in Manteca and became the first female student-athlete to have her jersey retired. She is one of only three athletes in school history to be so honored, joining the likes of current NBA head coach Scott Brooks of the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Bishop and her husband Walter and daughter Marissa Reagan reside in Corona. 

The Broncos were 22-7 and finished second in the CCAA regular season this past year for coach Scott Davis and earned an NCAA Tourney berth for the first time in five years. Davis resigned in May after three seasons.