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Lauren Zuniga
Coen Anderson

Women's basketball hosts Cougars and Mountain Lions, celebrates Nike N7

1/21/2026 9:43:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – Skyhawks women's basketball opens up back-to-back weeks at home on Thursday with the annual Nike N7 contest against Colorado Christian University, followed by a Saturday matchup with UCCS.

Nike N7 Celebration
Thursday will be the annual Nike N7 game for the squad, celebrating and honoring Native American heritage on the roster, on campus, and in the community.

Since its creation in 2009, the Nike N7 Fund has awarded more than $7.5 million in grants to 259 Native American and Aboriginal communities and organizations, reaching more than 500,000 youths. The N7 Fund supports organizations that provide sports and physical activity programming to youth in these communities.

This season is the seventh time overall that Fort Lewis College has been selected as one of only 11 institutions nationwide — Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Gonzaga, Florida State, Marquette, University of New Mexico, San Diego State, Stanford, Haskell Indian Nations, Mesa Community College, and Fort Lewis College — to participate in the games which have regularly been participated in by the basketball programs.

The FLC women's basketball team has four members with Native American heritage,  Alemaualii Fonoti, Ashten Martinez, Quintrelle Curley (Manager), and Nevaeh Lomavaya (Manager).

Hot Start to 2026
The Skyhawks own an 11-5 overall record heading into this week's slate, sitting one win shy of the team's total from the 2023-24 season. In her second season at the helm, head coach Lauren Zuniga has already surpassed her win total from year one (six victories), with 12 regular-season games remaining.

Strength in Balance
Balance on both ends of the floor has defined Fort Lewis' success this season. Offensively, seven Skyhawks are averaging at least six points per game, including three players scoring in double figures. This production has come despite the limited availability of returning All-Conference selection Deniece Ryan, who has appeared in just five games due to a lingering injury.

That balance extends to the defensive end as well. Five players average five or more rebounds per game, including two freshmen and two first-year Skyhawks. Fort Lewis' defensive pressure has also translated into strong ball control, as the team averages 14.1 steals per game—ranking first in the RMAC and 14th nationally in NCAA Division II. Makaya Porter (2.4), Katie Lamb (2.1), and Josie Davis (2.1) pace the team in steals, while Porter also leads the conference with 1.3 blocks per game.

Top Moments (So Far…)
The season has already produced several standout performances, including:
  • Nov. 22 – 62-61 win at Angelo State
    • Fort Lewis outscored the Belles 26-17 in the fourth quarter, capped by Katie Lamb's game-winning three-pointer with eight seconds remaining.
  • Dec. 9 – 74-71 win over New Mexico Highlands
    • The Skyhawks closed the game on a 25-12 fourth-quarter run and received double-digit scoring from six players.
  • Dec. 18 – 60-53 win over UT Tyler
    • Freshman Josie Davis recorded an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead Fort Lewis to its first win over UT Tyler in program history.

Scouting Colorado Christian University
The Cougars are 4-12 this season and 1-7 in conference play with an 0-6 record on the road. CCU is coming off losses to MSU Denver (65-60) and Mines (77-68) last week.

As a team, CCU averages 57.3 points per game compared to 62.8 for its opponents. The Cougars shoot .358 from the floor, .288 from three, and .721 at the stripe. Defensively, CCU is outrebounded at a -4.4 margin while totaling 14.9 turnovers, 9.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.

Jordon Heckert is the leading scorer at 11.3 points per game, followed by Hayley Luther and Ja'Shelle Johnson at 8.5 points per game each. Heckert is the leading rebounder as well, averaging 5.1 per game. Elise Grosdidier averages 4.7 points per game, while former Skyhawks player Samantha Wattawa averages 3.6 points per game.

Fort Lewis leads the all-time series 16-13 with a 10-4 advantage in Whalen Gymnasium. Despite leading the series, the Skyhawks lost both matchups last season and are 1-4 in the last five meetings.

Scouting UCCS
The Mountain Lions own a 10-6 record with a 6-2 record in the conference thanks to four-straight victories. Last week, UCCS picked up wins over Regis (79-60) and MSU Denver (72-55) at home. The Mountain Lions were 19-12 last season,12-8 in conference play, and advanced to the opening round of the NCAA Tournament after winning the RMAC Tournament as the No. 6-seed.

As a team, UCCS averages 69.6 points per game while holding the opposition to 62.89 per game. The Mountain Lions slash .441/.296/.683 while pulling down 33.4 rebounds per game. They force nearly 20 turnovers per game while racking up 9.9 steals and handing out 10.8 assists.

Amyah Moore Allen leads the team by averaging 17.5 points per game, followed by Ayianna Johnson at 14.5 per game. Johnson is shooting .529 from the field to rank third in the conference. Jayla Jackson-Allen is the third player in double-digit scoring at 11.8 points per game. Johnson leads the way in rebounding at 6.4 per game and has 13 blocks on the year.

Fort Lewis is 13-12 all-time against UCCS with a 9-3 record at home. The Skyhawks have stumbled as of late, losing the last six meetings dating back to the 2018-19 season. Fort Lewis was on the losing end of a tightly contested 74-71 final last season that featured a 21-point fourth quarter for UCCS.

Up Next
Fort Lewis remains home next week when it faces Colorado School of Mines and MSU Denver. It will be the first meeting with Mines this season and the second versus MSU Denver after opening the RMAC portion of the season with a 95-81 loss to the Roadrunners.
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