Story by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information

College of the Canyons women’s basketball All-American forward Lulu Salloom will continue her career at Whittier College after signing with the Poets program in a brief ceremony last week.

Whittier competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) at the NCAA Division III level. The program is led by head coach Roy Dow in his seventh season.

Salloom received a number of accolades in her two years at COC. She set the pace through confidence. “I more or so found myself at COC,” said Salloom.

“I feel like I know who I am as a player and I know what I expect and I kind of have a blueprint as to what I know I want to do,” added Salloom. “So I have a better chance of setting goals and expectations for myself.”

Salloom topped 800 total career rebounds during her two seasons with the Lady Cougars. During the 2022-23 campaign she averaged 16.4 boards per game to rank second in the state. She reached double-digit rebound totals in all but two games and recorded a season high of 28 on Dec. 2 against Chabot College.

“I always felt if you’re going to have a team that’s going to win, you have to have someone who can get rebounds,” said Canyons head coach John Wissmath, in his first year with the program.

Salloom’s graceful, yet commanding presence on the court brought about 13 points per game, alongside 2.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 2.0 steals.

Her accomplishments on the court earned her 2023 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Two-Year Coaches’ All-American Honorable Mention honors, becoming one of 15 players across the nation to receive the honor. Salloom is just the second player in program history to earn All-American honors.

Salloom also received California Community College Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (CCCWBCA) All-State Second-Team honors to compliment her All-Western State Conference (WSC) First-Team honors. She also earned All-WSC First team honors her freshman year, along with being named the WSC, South Division Player of the Year.

Those accomplishments speak volumes to her game, but it was Salloom’s commitment and dedication that was most impactful to the team.

“Her work ethic was the number one strength she had because the other girls saw what she was doing and were like ‘oh my gosh I have to somewhat keep up with that,'” Wissmath said.

Looking forward to the next chapter, Salloom said, “Although I know who I am as a player, going to a new school, in general, will always be a new experience and I think the best thing you can do is always keep an open mind.”

Salloom is the second member of the Lady Cougars’ program to transfer to a four-year school. Earlier this summer sophomore guard Natalie Satamian committed to continue her basketball career at Life Pacific University in San Dimas, California, and was onhand to take part in the signing ceremony.