Lobo WBB Adds Cacia Antonio
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos have signed guard Cacia Antonio for the upcoming season as announced by head coach Mike Bradbury and staff.
“We’re really excited to add Cacia to our program,” commented Bradbury. “She’s an athletic guard who can really get downhill, knock down the three, and defend at a high level. Her ability to handle the ball and impact both ends of the floor makes her a fantastic addition to our team.”
From Luanda, Angola, the 5-11 new Lobo spent the last two seasons at New Mexico Junior College, where she most recently averaged 13.9 points per game, starting in 33 of the 34 games for the Thunderbirds. Antonio shot 47.5% from the floor, 29.2% from three-point range and averaged 6.4 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game and 1.9 steals per game as a sophomore.
She reached double figures in 28 games with five games of 20 points or more that included a season-high 26 against Garden City Community College. Antonio recorded five double-doubles last season with a season-best 12 rebounds against Clarendon College to go with 19 points.
Antonio was also a facilitator, credited with five or more assists in nine games and twice finishing with seven assists for her season high.
Following her sophomore season, Antonio was named the WBCA Player of the Year, a NJCAA Second Team All-American, All-Region V, and to the Region V All-Tournament and WJCAC All-Conference teams, as well as the Female Athlete of the Year at NMJC.
In her first season at NMJC, Antonio earned NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American, Newcomer of the Year, All-Region V, WJCAC All-Conference, WBCA Honorable Mention All-American after averaging 14.8 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game and 2.7 steals per game.
Antonio registered eight double-doubles with 27 games in double figures and 11 games of 20 or more points including a season-high 29 points. She finished with double-digit rebounds in 10 games with a season-high 15 rebounds and had 17 games with five or more assists with a season-best nine assists in a game.
In addition to her success at NMJC, Antonio brings to UNM international experience with the Angola National Team, where she played on the national team at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in 2023, the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2018 and FIBA U16 Women’s African Championship in 2017 and also competed in the FIBA Africa Champions Cup in 2022.
Angola finished second in the 2017 FIBA U16 Women’s African Championship, where Antonio finished fourth in assists per game at 1.8, seventh in points per game at 9.4 and ninth in rebounds per game at 4.2. Antonio followed that up by averaging 10.3 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game at the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2018. Her club team Inter Clube finished fourth at the 2022 FIBA Africa Champions Cup, where she averaged 6.1 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game and 1.6 assists per game.
Most recently, Antonio averaged 8.3 points per game, 6.0 assists per game and 3.3 rebounds per game at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2023, with her assists per game leading the 12-team competition.
Antonio is the second Lobo to sign this offseason, joining Jessie Joaquim.