When Elizabeth Pimentel (‘00, Spanish, Business Administration) walks onto the court at Chase Center where more than 18,000  fans cheer on the Golden State Warriors, she feels electrified. The loud cheering and applause cover the sound of the music and her nerves peak, using only her memory she performs a dance routine for the Warriors’ Hardwood Classics, an official dance team for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors made up of members who are 55 years and older. 

“It’s a wonderful experience. It is an incredible craft that we can execute, thanks to our coaches. It’s such a joyful way of bringing cheers to the stadium because people don’t expect to see these 55 to 80-year-olds bring this much energy. They can shine through in exciting ways. Everyone there is genuinely happy, loves to dance, and we all love the Golden State Warriors,” Pimentel says. 

As a member of the Golden State Warriors Hardwood Classics dance team, Liz Pimentel has blended her love of dance and the Golden State Warriors.

Pimentel’s road to the Golden State Warriors Hardwood Classics dance team began at Cal Poly Humboldt, where, with the helpof faculty, mentors, and her friends, she discovered her inner strength to persevere through anything she set her mind to. 

Born in the United States but raised in Mexico, Pimentel grew up believing she was Mexican by birth. Her world changed when, at 18, the U.S. government summoned her to return to her birthplace within two weeks, drastically disrupting her plans to study civil engineering and leaving behind her family and friends in Mexico. With fear and uncertainty, she moved to Eureka, where her father worked in the lumber industry. 

Arriving in Eureka with very limited knowledge of the English language, she enrolled at College of the Redwoods, and with the help of a counselor at Humboldt’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), she attended Humboldt a year later. Initially drawn to mathematics, she found solace in numbers, which allowed her to focus on science without the need to fully master English. However, life threw her another curveball—she became pregnant and happily stepped away from college to become a mother. 

Years later, Pimentel returned to Humboldt working for the University in Admissions and Student Recruitment. In her new role, Pimentel worked full-time while pursuing her education part-time. Though mentally and physically exhausted, she persisted, encouraged by the kindness of colleagues and professors who supported her English-language journey. Discovering evening classes in the Spanish department became a game-changer. 

During her time at Humboldt, Pimentel thrived not only as a student but also as a staff member. Her work in admissions eventually evolved into a leadership role in international student recruitment. She soon proposed expanding international student recruitment. With the backing of the University's leadership, Pimentel played a key role in establishing partnerships with universities abroad, which included exchange programs in Oaxaca and China.

“I became the University’s first international students’ recruiter,” she says. “That’s when I truly realized the beauty of Humboldt. Traveling the world on behalf of the university gave me a new appreciation for the campus—it’s a hidden gem with an incredible community.”

Through her work, Pimentel formed long-lasting friendships with faculty members who became her mentors. Professors like Lilianet Brintrup and Rosamel Benavides-Garb played pivotal roles in her journey. Professor Brintrup, in particular, became a lifelong mentor and close friend. Together, they organized Humboldt’s first International Conference, which gathered experts on Alexander von Humboldt and Travel Literature, a significant event that showcased the University’s academic strengths.

“I remember inviting Professor Brintrup for ice cream one day at the quad, and we talked about the idea of hosting an international conference. That moment grew into a two-year project, with faculty and staff working tirelessly to make it happen. It was a transformative experience—not just for the university but also for me,” Pimentel says. 

While Pimentel’s professional achievements were significant, some of her most cherished memories come from personal connections she made on campus. One of these connections was with her friend, Karolina Lemus, a fellow adult student from Nicaragua. 

“We became best friends and gave each other the space to be students. We’d walk to the quad, go to the farmers market, and share frustrations over grades. She allowed me to feel like a student, something I didn’t always experience because I was a staff member,” Pimentel says.

It was also at Humboldt that Pimentel met her husband Anand, an international student from India who later worked at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Schatz Energy Research Center and presently is an advisory board member. 

She continued balancing her career growth with her passion for dance—a lifelong hobby that provided a much-needed outlet.

“Dance was my therapy,” Pimentel says. “While at Humboldt, I took Middle Eastern dance and Folklorico ballet. Dance allowed me to be myself, beyond my roles as a mother, daughter, assistant director, or student.”

In 2006, after 10 years, Pimentel left her role at Humboldt as her daughter Jessica Ayala  (‘12, Business Administration, Spanish, ‘15, MBA) began college and her husband pursued a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley. Eager to continue her own academic journey, Pimentel began working as Associate Director of Admissions at Mills College while studying for an M.A. in International and Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco. 

While living in the Bay Area, her love for sports, especially basketball, blossomed. Though soccer was the dominant sport in her childhood, basketball and the Golden State Warriors became a passion. Her passion for the Warriors and dance beautifully merged when she auditioned for the Hardwood Classics dance team in 2023. For two seasons now, Pimentel has poured her heart into every performance, dancing alongside her team at Chase Center.

This diverse blend of academic, professional, and personal interests shaped Pimentel’s outlook on life. Pimentel remains grateful for the mentors and friends she found along the way at Humboldt.

“Humboldt is a place where you can sit on the lawn, go for a hike in the redwoods, and build friendships that last a lifetime. It’s more than just a university—it’s a community that fosters deep connections,” she says.