Schoonover joins Fresno State program with 14 straight Clovis West titles behind her

Ryleigh Schoonover helped Clovis West win the Central Section championship every year she was there, and now she carries that record into her first college season at Fresno State. The Bulldogs' roster lists her as a freshman.

Clovis West has won 14 consecutive Central Section titles. Coach Craig Campbell said the program aims to compete for those titles annually. "We want to be good every year," Campbell said. "We're not going to win it every year, but we want to be knocking on the door every year."

Schoonover chose to stay near home rather than leave the region as other standout players departed Clovis West. She said wearing the Fresno State uniform carries local weight. "To wear that valley 'V' on your chest, it's something different," Schoonover said, adding that most people outside the valley do not understand that.

Fresno State coach Ryan McCarthy evaluated her against other players from the area. "In my opinion, Riley was the best player in the area for her class of 2026," McCarthy said. "Riley came in and proved that right away." McCarthy also said her high school background readied her for college expectations: "She played with a very good high school basketball program here, and all they did was win."

Schoonover credited Campbell for preparing her for McCarthy's program, saying that at both levels, "Everything is the standard." She joins a Fresno State team pursuing a Pac-12 championship.

Fresno State's season opener against UC Merced is scheduled in less than two weeks at the Save Mart Center. Campbell said Schoonover is still developing as a player: "I think that's one of the things that's so exciting for Coach McCarthy and the staff is she's just scratching the surface on what a gifted player she could be for them."

McCarthy's assessment of her readiness rests on the program's record during her time there. "She played with a very good high school basketball program here, and all they did to win," he said. "And so, that's the expectation when she sets out on the floor."