The Fairmont State women's basketball team is set to begin their season this weekend and will host the Atlantic Region Women's Basketball Crossover at Joe Retton Arena. The Falcons will open the season on Friday (Nov. 11) versus Winston-Salem State at 4 p.m. The Falcons will conclude the weekend on Saturday (Nov. 12) with a game versus Clarion.
 
Fighting Falcons Facts

• Fairmont State went 15-13 in the 2021-22 season and tallied a 13-9 Mountain East Conference record. The Falcons fell to West Liberty in the opening round of the MEC Tournament.
• Fairmont State's leading scorer, Sierra Kotchman, accounted for over 17 percent of the Falcons' scoring in the 2021-22 season. The Washington, Pa. native graduated last spring and scored 2,556 points during her time at Fairmont State.
• Alyssa DeAngelo returns to the floor for the Fighting Falcons. DeAngelo was selected as the MEC Freshman of the Year for the 2020-21 season and was named to the All-MEC First Team in 2021-22. The junior guard averaged 15.9 points per game and shot 44.5% from the field last season.
• As a junior, Katy Darnell averaged 10.3 points per game and grabbed 184 boards. Darnell was selected as a National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Collegiate All-American and plays on the defending MEC Tournament Champion Fairmont State softball team.
• The Fighting Falcons welcome six newcomers to the program and welcome back nine players.
• Stephanie Anderson begins her fourth year in charge of Fairmont State women's basketball. Anderson played collegiately at California (Pa.) and was the team captain from her sophomore to senior season.

 
Scouting Winston-Salem State
The Rams finished the 2021-22 season with a record of 12-13. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association member defeated Fairmont State in this event last season, 74-69.
 
The Rams' leading scorer from last season, Amaya Tucker, returns to the floor after averaging 13.6 points per game. Tucker dished out a team-high 78 assists. Kendra Ross was Winston-Salem's leading rebounder last season and is back after accumulating 105 rebounds in 17 games.
 
Winston-Salem's L'Tona Lamonte is the leader of the Rams women's basketball team. Lamonte previously served as an assistant coach at Belmont and North Carolina Central.
 
Scouting Clarion
The Golden Eagles were selected ninth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West preseason poll. Clarion returns six players that appeared in more than 11 games last season.

Sierra Bermudez was selected to the All-PSAC West Second Team after averaging 14.2 points per game. The sophomore from Philadelphia, Pa. broke the Clarion school record for points scored in a single game, posting 44 points versus Penn State – Shenango on Nov. 21 last year.
 
The Golden Eagles named Jermaine Cooper as the next head coach of Clarion women's basketball. Cooper was an assistant coach for Clarion women's basketball for seven seasons prior to being handed the head position.
 
Up Next
Fairmont State women's basketball commences MEC play next Saturday (Nov. 19) at Davis & Elkins. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.