Irvine Valley basketball coach Jason Garey is proud to announce that star players from the 2023-24 season Makena Tomlinson and Emily Freeman have officially signed to move on to four-year schools.
Makena and Emily Signing Photo Gallery
Tomlinson, a star post player at IVC, has signed with NCAA Divsion II St. Edward's in Austin, Tex.
Tomlinson was one of the best players in the Orange Empire Conference this past season and earned MVP honors for the Lasers.
She was also selected second team all-state by the coaches assocation.
Tomlinson averaged 12.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game and shot 51.6 percent from the field on the season.
She helped the Lasers finish with a record of 21-8 overall.
Irvine Valley also finished second in the OEC with a record of 12-2 and made the So. Cal. Regional Playoffs.
Tomlinson, out of Corona del Mar High, scored in double figures in 22 games for the Lasers, including scoring more than 20 points in three contests.
She had a season-high 30 points in IVC's 70-57 win over Fullerton on the road on Jan. 19.
Tomlinson also had at least 10 rebounds in 17 of IVC's contests with a season-best 16 in Irvine Valley's 65-46 conference win over Fullerton at home on Feb. 13.
She is headed to a St. Edwards squad that had a record of 9-19 overall last season. The Hilltoppers compete in the Lone Star Conference.
Freeman signed with NCAA Division II University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Freeman, a star shooting guard, has been a champion on and off the court for Irvine Valley athletics.
She was recently named IVC's Scholar Athlete of the year as well as a Character Champion for the Lasers for the 2023-24 campaign.
Freeman was the latest in a long line of campus leaders from IVC women's basketball. She was a captain, scholar-athlete, honor student and a community servant.
She has been an IVC women's basketball community outreach captain, a host to a basketball clinic/camp with Santiago Elementary School and was a weekly scorekeeper at Ladera Sports Center with youth basketball events.
She peer tutored at IVC in Economics and Accounting, had an internship with the counseling department and was a lead fundraiser for the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.
Freeman earned Magna Cum Laude honors in 2023.
Freeman, a guard from San Juan Hills High, averaged 9.1 points per game and led the team with 69 made three-pointers this past season.
Freeman was a two-year starter at shooting guard, a team captain in 2023-24, named second team all-Orange Empire Conference in 2022-23 and 2023-24 and was a three-time IVC scholar athlete.
With Freeman, IVC finshed with a record of 21-8 overall and was 12-2 for second place in conference this past season. The Lasers were ranked in the top 10 in Southern California all season.
Freeman was named second team all-Orange Empire Conference.
