Fresno State guard Schoonover brings 14-year title legacy to new home

Fresno State is set to open its basketball season with a player who has spent her entire career competing for the Central Valley. Ryleigh Schoonover, a standout guard at Clovis West, will make her collegiate debut for the Bulldogs in less than two weeks.

Schoonover is part of a talented freshman class joining a program that is pursuing a Pac-12 championship. She chose to remain in the area rather than leave the region after high school, a decision she attributes to the unique meaning of representing her hometown.

"To wear that valley 'V' on your chest, it's something different," Schoonover said. "Most people outside the valley do not understand that."

Her high school program has defined itself through sustained success. Clovis West has won consecutive Central Section championships for 14 years, a streak that Coach Craig Campbell described as a core part of the team's identity.

"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."

Fresno State head coach Ryan McCarthy praised Schoonover's immediate impact during her first season with the team. He stated that she proved herself to be the top player in the area for her graduating class.

"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 noted that Schoonover's experience in a winning high school environment has prepared her for the expectations of college basketball. He said her background in a program that "all they did was win" sets a high standard for her performance on the court.

Schoonover credited Campbell for preparing her for the specific demands of McCarthy's system, noting that "Everything is the standard" at both levels of play.

The Bulldogs face UC Merced in their season opener, a game that will mark Schoonover's first appearance at the Save Mart Center. Campbell expressed confidence that Schoonover has only begun to show her full potential for the college program.

"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," Campbell said.