Cal Signs Grad Transfer Forward Natalia Ackerman

BERKELEY – The California women's basketball team has added graduate transfer Natalia Ackerman to its roster for the 2024-25 season, head coach Charmin Smith announced Monday.

Ackerman, a 6-foot-1 forward from Watsonville, California, transferred to Cal from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“Natalia is going to give us great depth in our front court,” Smith said. “She is a proven force in the paint and will help us tremendously on the defensive end with her endless motor and knack for getting to the ball as a rebounder and shot blocker.”

Ackerman appeared in 27 games with 24 starts as a senior with the Mustangs last season and led the team in scoring (12.1 points per game), rebounding (8.9 rebounds per game), blocks (2.1 blocks per game) and field goal percentage (58.1%) on her way to being named First Team All-Big West. Her blocks per game broke Cal Poly’s single-season record, led the Big West and ranked 27th in the country while she was second in the Big West in rebounding, 10th in scoring and led in field goal percentage. Ackerman scored in double figures 20 times that season and had 11 double-doubles, which included career highs of 29 points against Cal State Bakersfield and 16 rebounds against UC Davis.

During her junior season in 2022-23, Ackerman played in 25 games with 12 starts, leading the team and ranking in the top 10 in the Big West in rebounding (6.1 rpg). She also led the team and was fourth in the Big West in blocks at 1.2 per game and had a career-high seven blocks in a game against UC Riverside – just two shy of the Mustangs’ single-game record.

Ackerman missed the 2021-22 season due to injury. Prior to that as a freshman in 2020-21, she appeared in nine games, averaging 1.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game. She recorded a double-double against UC Irvine with a season-high 15 points and 10 rebounds on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting from the field.

“I am beyond blessed to join the Cal women’s basketball team and to play for Charmin,” Ackerman said. “Her passion for the program is inspiring and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success.”

Following her senior season at Aptos High School, Ackerman was selected by Cal-Hi Sports as the Division III California State Player of the Year as well as Prep2Prep’s Central Coast Section MVP after averaging 19.1 points (on 64% shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. Ackerman was named to the Central Coast Section All-First-Team as a junior and sophomore after averaging 16.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 1.9 blocks in 2018-19 and 15.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in 2017-18. She graduated with career totals of 1,782 points (establishing a school record) and 1,143 rebounds.