Blazing a Trail on the Road to 1,000 Points

Basketball standout Annika Shah is often asked which players influenced her the most.

But it’s complicated.

“I never really know how to answer that question because it’s a fact that there hasn’t been a player that has ever looked like me or played basketball at this level, that’s Indian or short like me,” she said.

A senior guard for the Cal Poly women’s basketball team, the marketing student led the team in scoring this past season (13.1 ppg) when she joined the coveted 1,000-point club.

The Journey

 

Growing up, Shah’s father would often play basketball with her and her brother.

“We’d go to the local YMCA on weekends, my mom would work out, and he would take us swimming and playing basketball,” she said. “I like to say that I was born playing because I started at such a young age, but my love for basketball grew rapidly at such a young age.”

 

Shah played on the boys’ teams until high school, when she transitioned to the girls’ teams.

“That really pushed me, and I always say that got me to the level that I am at today because if I never really played with boys, I wouldn’t have been pushed,” Shah said. “I obviously had to adapt to their level of athleticism and continue to get better. They are taller and grew more, which made me better and see the game differently.”

In high school, she played on a travel team sponsored by Adidas to improve her college prospects.

“I had an outstanding high school and club season my sophomore year,” she said. “ I also started getting interest from a lot of different schools, but then I ended up tearing my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] a couple of months after that.”

Shah only had one Division 1 scholarship offer, from Cal Poly.

The ACL injury recovery was tough, especially since it was during her junior year, typically the most important year to get recruited — and then COVID-19 hit. She then marketed herself on social media and emailed coaches.

“You know, to this day, I don’t know how Cal Poly found me, but they did, and I’m so happy that they took a chance on me,” Shah said.

The Game and Impact

 

While Division 1 basketball was “next level,” Shah said, she was driven to succeed.

“I’ve always had this chip on my shoulder,” she said. “Like going through the injury, being undersized, and not being a highly recruited athlete has always made me want to prove many people wrong.”

When Shanele Stires became the new head coach during Shah’s sophomore season, Stires told Shah that her 5’3” height was an advantage.

“My initial impression was that she was an underdog, a worker, and someone that I wanted to see succeed and excel on the court,” Stires said. “She has made sure that that impression was enduring, and it is. She has made me a better coach and person, and for that we are forever grateful for her being a Mustang, and she will be missed dearly. However, we will continue to cheer her on and there is no doubt that she will be hugely successful in whatever she does in her future endeavors.”

Stires noted that Shah worked hard to become one of the best shooters in the nation.

“She is a tireless worker, and basketball has great meaning in her life, her ability to utilize the sport to create opportunities for her and her teammates sets her apart as a competitor,” Stires said. “Her reliability, her drive and dedication to prepare and be the best have pushed her into the spotlight at Cal Poly.”

She also wants to inspire others not to let something like their race or height hold them back.

“I have an opportunity to prove that other Indian girls, other shorter girls, can play basketball at this level,” she said. “So I’m blessed to have the opportunity to represent people that look like me.”

This past season, Shah ranked near the top in many statistical categories on the team, in the team’s division and nationally.

Shah is 35th in three-pointers per game in the Division 1 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) rankings (2.53), tied for 31st in three-pointers (81), and 49th in three-point percentage (38.94%).

In the Big West Conference, Shah finished first in three-point field goals (49), second in three-point field percentage (38.6%), and first in three-point field goals per game (2.5).

This season, she led the Mustangs in points per game, three-point percentage, minutes played per game and assists.

Off the Court

 

Even though Shah marketed herself in high school, that is not why she chose business or marketing. She chose it because she likes the creative side of business.

“I also really enjoyed figuring it out and putting myself out there,” she said. “Especially at a mid-major level, where NIL [Name, Image, and Likeness money] doesn’t necessarily come to you, it’s something that you have to create on your own.”

 

Shah loved multiple classes at Cal Poly, like Digital and New Media Marketing (BUS 453) with Orfalea College of Business Professor Catherine Hillman and Athlete Lab, taught by lecturer Randy Rovegno.

“Shah is undoubtedly the most enjoyable student I’ve ever taught,” Rovegno said. “She’s incredibly capable, has a wonderful personality and is highly intelligent. She’s even more impressive than on paper and brings a passion to everything she does.”

Through that class, she created Annika Shah Basketball Camp as a way to give back to the community. Her classmates and team helped with the camp.

“I’ve created a name for myself in this community through basketball and seeing all the younger kids that have looked up to me,” Shah said. “It’s a way to give back and to have fun with these kids.”

Rovegno said Shah is a leader both on her team and in the classroom.

“She’s destined to succeed both on and off the court,” he said. “ I truly admire that she refers to me as ‘Coach.’”

Before taking the Athlete Lab class, she had her own merchandise and had an NIL deal with Jewel of India.

“Obviously, with Jewel of India being on campus, I created a connection with them just walking out of the gym,” Shah said. “When you see fellow Indians at a school that doesn’t have a lot of Indians, I feel like everyone wants to create that sense of community and relationships. They always supported me through basketball, and the owner’s daughter also came to my basketball camp.”

Beyond It All

 

Growing up, Shah and her brother took a lot of music lessons since her parents have always loved music. She can play the piano, drums, guitar (electric and acoustic), and has started singing.

“You listen to music that gets you super hyped, but then maybe after a stressful day, you need to wind down,” Shah said.

Her favorite song is “Blackbird”, but she can play many different kinds of music.

“I like to play ‘Linger’ by The Cranberries, and some One Direction songs are mixed in there,” she said.

Shah did bring her pink and sparkly guitar to Cal Poly and brought it to Media Day.

Getting her first-degree black belt in Taekwondo was another activity she did with her brother, which was no easy journey. It took her seven years to achieve this, one of her proudest accomplishments.

“At first, it’s something that I didn’t really want to do,” said Shah. “It was a super hard experience, but a super rewarding experience at the end.”

Shah says that she would not be able to have the success that she does without her brother and parents.

“They come to basically every single one of my games, whether at Cal Poly or in LA,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family and how much they sacrificed for me. I hope to find a way to repay them for how much they sacrificed for me, but there’s never really going to be enough that I can do.”

She is not ready to say goodbye to basketball, so she would love to play professionally in Europe. She also might pursue an MBA and eventually work in sports.

“I’m trying not to be too caught up on where I’m going to be, just because it’s a hard process, you never know where you’re going to end up,” she said.