Brownfield becomes the 11th recruit of the year for CR coaches

By barstoolfanatics on May 31, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

Submitted photo – Emmerson Brownfield at her letter signing ceremony this week.

By Ray Hamill — It’s been a very busy and productive offseason for College of the Redwoods women’s basketball head coach Bree Northern.

This week, Arcata senior Emmerson Brownfield signed her letter of intent to play for the team, becoming the 11th recruit of the year for Northern and assistant coach DJ Snowton, giving Redwoods an impressive 15 players for next season.

And after playing much of last season with just seven players on an injury-ravaged roster, that will be a big boost for the program.

Of the 11 recruits, nine are H-DNL players, which will give the CR women a big local contingent as they look to get back to the playoffs and challenge for a conference title.

Brownfield will give the CR women a presence in the paint, but that’s not all she brings to the team.

“I love her attitude,” Northern said. “She has a great attitude and she works really hard.

“She’s a great defender — she can block shots — and on offense she sees the court very well. She has really good court vision.”

Brownfield says she chose CR in part because of the coaches.

“I really like the coaches. They focus a lot on (building) a stronger bond,” she said. “And I think they really care.”

Brownfield was a three-sport athlete at Arcata, also playing two years of volleyball and running cross country for two years.

But she admits basketball is her favorite sport and a game she has been playing “since forever.”

The Tigers standout played a key role this past winter in bringing the Big 5 championship back to Arcata High after a seven-year wait.

But continuing her playing career at the next level wasn’t always on the agenda.

Submitted photo

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Emmerson Brownfield in action for the Tigers.

“I was not planning on it at all,” Brownfield said. “But CR reached out and I wanted to stay local, so it all worked out.”

Her high school head coach Charlie Espinoza believes it’s a good fit for both the player and the local community college team.

“Emmerson was one of the best shot blockers in the program and always causing havoc to other teams in the paint,” the Arcata coach said. “She will be a great addition to CR.”

Brownfield, who wants to major in nursing, thanked some people who have helped her on the path to success, including some family members.

Asked who have been the biggest influences on her career, she responded, “My parents. I would not have been able to do any of it without my mom and dad (Quincy and Luke).

“And my (grandparents, Bill and Leslie Hawkins). They transported me to my practices before I got my license.”

Brownfield will be joined at CR by some of her Arcata teammates from this year’s Big 5 championship winning team, as well as two former Tigers who are among the four returning CR players.

Submitted photo – Emmerson Brownfield with her new coaches, Bree Northern (left) and DJ Snowton (right)

Addison Wingate at her letter signing ceremony earlier this year.

In March of this year, Addison Wingate announced that she will play for the local college team, while Mayleah Jackson signed her letter of intent to play basketball and compete in track and field at CR.

Arcata’s Cayenne Pruter also has committed to play for Redwoods and will play guard/forward for the team.

Pruter is another player Northern is excited to bring on board and has similar traits to Brownfield.

“She has great court vision and easily finds her teammates and is able to get them easy looks,” the CR coach said. “She is a great teammate. Very positive and uplifting.”

The Arcata players will be joined at CR by three St. Bernard’s graduates, including senior Aliyah Vigil, who has been one of the best defensive players in the H-DNL over the past few seasons.

Vigil, who played a key role on the Crusaders’ march to a state championship last year, signed her letter of intent in October and will bring an added dimension to her new team.

Mayleah Jackson at Wednesday’s letter signing ceremony.

Submitted photo – Aliyah Vigil at her letter signing ceremony in the fall of 2024.

The one thing perhaps more than anything else that all of the new players bring to the table is an outstanding attitude and work ethic.

Two other former St. Bernard’s players will also play at CR next winter.

Maddie Costa, who graduated from SB in 2019, will return to the basketball court after a standout collegiate career in soccer playing goalkeeper at Menlo College.

Amaiyah Her also will play for the CR women next season after a impressive three-sport career at St. Bernard’s in soccer, volleyball and basketball.

And the speedy Her, who graduated from St. Bernard’s in 2024, will also bring a different dimension to her new team.

“Amaiyah is very quick and uses her speed to her advantage,” Northern said. “She is really good at attacking the rim and Amaiyah is really good at rebounding the ball.”

Two Fortuna Huskies will also be a part of Northern’s new-look roster for 2025/26.

Guard Kalie Chittenden committed her future to the program back in December and will be joined on next year’s team by her Fortuna teammate Jorlynn Villalvazo.

Submitted photo – Kalie Chittenden at her letter signing.

Cayenne Pruter in action for the Tigers.

Villalvazo will play forward/post for her new team, and like many of her new teammates she brings a strong work ethic and plenty of talent.

“She works extremely hard,” Northern said. “She battles inside, she’s got good touch on the rim, she never gives up inside, and I love that energy about her.”

Northern and Snowton have also added two out-of-area recruits for next season, including Lake County Player of the Year Mia Hoogendoorn from Middletown High School.

The shooting guard/small forward, who is the Mustangs’ all-time leading scorer, played with some of her new CR teammates on a Humboldt Wild Senior All-Star team this offseason.

Rounding out a very impressive class of new recruits, Paityn Erlenbush from Eugene will join the CR women.

Erlenbush is a post player from Churchill High School in Eugene.

Those 11 new players, along with a strong sophomore class of returning players that includes former Arcata Tigers Nora Talty and Olivia Railsback and former South Fork Cubs Cadence Young and Macy Yarbrough, gives the CR coaches plenty of options going into the summer classes.

Young was named to the all-conference freshmen team this past season.