Women's basketball opens season at Conference Challenge

11/13/2025 10:47:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD - Communications

DURANGO, Colo. – Skyhawks women's basketball gets the season underway this week with games against Western New Mexico and Cameron University in Las Vegas, N.M.

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.

Scouting Western New Mexico
The Mustangs are coming off a 4-22 season that featured a 4-18 mark in Lone Star Conference play. Fort Lewis was responsible for one of the losses thanks to a 53-47 victory at home to kick off the year. The team was picked to finish 16^th in the conference in the preseason poll.

Natalie Magallanes was picked as a preseason player to watch after averaging 6.4 points per game and leading the team with 37 steals in 2024. As a team, the Mustangs averaged 53.7 points per game while allowing 70.5 from their opponents. They pulled down 33.9 rebounds per game and averaged 21.8 steals per game.

Scouting Cameron University
The Aggies put together an 8-18 record last season while going 6-16 in LSC play. Cameron ended the year on a five game winning streak but did not advance to the conference tournament. Cameron was tabbed to finish 13^th in the conference preseason poll, and Madison Griggs was selected as a player to watch.

In her freshman season, Griggs put up 9.1 points per game and 3.7 rebounds to go along with 11 blocks. The Aggies graduated their top scorers from a season ago and boast a roster with nine freshmen.

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.

Print Friendly Version