Built for the Moment: How Chloe Yan Earned Her Path to UC Merced Basketball
3 Minute read
By: Andrea Aruino
From her freshman year to senior year of high school at Riordan, Chloe Yan has shown why she is ready to play basketball at the collegiate level. Just this past season she played a crucial role in Riordan’s achievement of finishing second in the West Catholic league with a 19-9 record. The 5’5 shooting guard finished last season averaging 6.2 PPG and hopes to bring that energy into her final season before continuing her career at UC Merced.
Yan began playing basketball competitively for the Ardenettes in the Asian League from fifth to eighth grade until she switched over to Bay City. Being a part of a competitive basketball program at Riordan High School came as a shock for Yan her freshman year as everyone seemed to be faster, more skilled, and overall better at basketball. This realization prompted reflection on whether or not basketball was something she wanted to continue pursuing. Despite getting little to no playing time during her freshman and sophomore seasons, she decided that her love for basketball was enough to continue working as hard as possible. Sophomore year she was taking every chance she could to train outside of AAU and high school practices, with her friends, coaches, or brother. She set her mind on outworking everyone.
As she improved her game, she found herself receiving more time on the court and starting in more games, and Yan’s confidence grew exponentially. She started training at UPB in May of 2023 and since then has consistently attended the high school Skills Sessions and Train and Plays. The support from her coaches and teammates motivated her to perform at an even higher level.
“UPB really helped me with being more comfortable in my skills. I still struggle with things like dribbling and my mid-range but attending group sessions helps me to see progress in real time. I have also gained more confidence while playing against more skilled players,” Yan said.
She found her footing during her junior year of high school which was also when she began to receive more attention from college coaches. In her 24 games played, she amassed 148 points which helped Riordan 8-4 within the West Catholic League. Her highest scoring game was against Archbishop Mitty High School with 14 points, and although they fell short of the win, she learned that she has the ability to use her offensive skills to create space and make plays for her teammates. It was also during last season that she ranked #27 in points within Division III and #9 in the West Catholic League.
After showcasing her skills she met with several coaches and programs, and ultimately decided that the University of California Merced was the best fit for her. Yan knew she wanted to join a great basketball program, but what made them great was more than just their talent. Seeing the way Bernard facilitated strength in community amongst the women on the team made Yan’s decision to commit easier than ever.
“I practiced with the team and I saw how they played together and how the coaches encouraged them…” Yan said. “I could sense the family bond and that was really important to me because of how I feel about my high school team. A strong bond is really what makes a good team great.”
Now entering her senior year at Riordan, Yan steps into the role of team captain—an accomplishment she is proud to have earned. Yan is excited about stepping up as a leader and using her confidence to help push others on her team. One thing that she is especially focused on during her last season is to use defense as a way to create offense. Whether it is through a defensive stop or steal, she wants to facilitate offensive runs as much as possible.
Being committed to UC Merced serves as an additional push to give it her all during her final season of high school basketball. Yan wants to be prepared coming in as a freshman, and looks forward to building her IQ and strength training.
Yan and the Crusaders are currently sitting at a 3-2 record and will travel across the bridge on Saturday to take on Oakland Tech. We are very proud of Yan and excited to see all that she will accomplish in her senior season and her collegiate career.
