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Women's Basketball Season Preview

Season Preview: 2025-26 Women's Basketball

11/10/2025 4:35:00 PM

DURANGO, Colo. – The leaves have fallen, frost is forming, and that can only mean one thing—it's basketball season.

The Schedule
The Fort Lewis College women's basketball team has gotten its feet wet with a trio of scrimmage/exhibition contests, all leaving up to the season opener on Friday. The Skyhawks kick off the official 2025-26 season in Las Vegas, N.M. with the South Central Regional Challenge—hosted by New Mexico Highlands. There, Fort Lewis will face Western New Mexico and Cameron University in an RMAC/LSC showdown. The nonconference schedule continues into the following week with a home game against St. Edward's University on Tuesday, November 18.

The team plays three additional nonconference games before hitting the ground running with RMAC play on December 4 in Denver. The Skyhawks play four conference matches and then head to the home of UT Tyler for mid-season nonconference matchups with Maryville University and UT Tyler. January begins league play once again, and conference competition carries all the way through the end of February.

In total, Fort Lewis plays 11 regular-season games inside of Whalen Gymnasium. The RMAC Tournament begins in the first week of March with high seeds hosting the opening round.

Looking Back
Fort Lewis put together a 6-22 record last season, losing its final eight games and going 3-17 in conference play. Four of the team's wins came on their home court. Deniece Ryan earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC nods after scoring in double figures in 16 games and averaging 11 points per game. Her numbers in conference play were even better with a points per game average of 12.8 and a field goal percentage that ranked ninth in the conference (.447).

The Skyhawks' top four scorers were new to the program, including graduating senior Darla Hernandez who led the team at 11.2 points per game. She was followed by another graduate, Livia Knapp, at 11 points per game. Hernandez was also the leading rebounder at 7.3 per outing.

Who's Back?
Fort Lewis returns seven players from the 2024-25 roster, including three of the top five scorers for the squad. Ryan is the leading scorer that returns to play for the Skyhawks, coming off a season where she averaged 11 points, 2.6 rebounds, two assists, and over one steal per game. Joining her as a scoring threat is sophomore Katie Lamb who put up 9.1 points per game in her inaugural season. Lamb shot .359 from the field and .338 from three while pulling down 3.8 rebounds per game.

Juniors Natalie Guanella and Sarah Chick provide veteran leadership in their third season in blue and gold, Guanella averaging 6.5 points and Chick totaling 13 rebounds last season. Sophomore Claudia Palacio Gámez totaled 47 assists in her freshman campaign to go along with 117 points.

New to the Nest
Joining a solid core of returners is seven new faces, four freshmen and three transfer players. Freshman Alemaualii Fonoti is the tallest player on the roster, checking in at 6-2, followed by freshman Savanna Dotray who provides additional height at 6-1. Fort Lewis has another player joining the roster from Spain this season, freshman Antia González Docampo, who is a fiery guard that moves the ball. The final freshman is Josie Davis, an Idaho product who was an All-Conference and All-State performer in high school.

Junior Malia Ulery transferred into the program from Glendale Community College where she averaged 12.9 points per game and shot .408 through two seasons. Makaya Porter is another junior transfer coming from Wabasha Valley College. Porter averaged 8.4 points per game while shooting .510 in her sophomore season. Senior Ashten Martinez is the final transfer for the Skyhawks, coming in after a career at Scottsdale Community College and Delta State University. She was an All-State player in her prep career and played four sports.

Around the RMAC
Fort Lewis was predicted to finish 12th amongst the 15th teams in the conference, announced by the league in its preseason poll. The Skyhawks garnered 54 points, coming in ahead of Westminster (47 points) and just behind South Dakota Mines (56 points). Colorado Mesa was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title, garnering nine first-place votes. UCCS trailed with six first place votes.
 
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