DURANGO, Colo. – Coming off one of the program's most significant turnarounds in recent history, the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team enters the 2026-27 season with experience, momentum, and heightened expectations.
After improving its win total by 12 games last season, the Skyhawks return a talented group of contributors, including a pair of Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) selections. Under the direction of third-year head coach Lauren Zuniga, Fort Lewis will look to build on last year's success when the season officially tips off on Monday, November 9, against Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.
Looking Back
Fort Lewis put together an impressive turnaround in 2025-26, finishing with an 18-11 overall record and an 11-9 mark in RMAC play. The Skyhawks improved from a 6-22 finish the previous season, making a 12-win jump while increasing their conference win total by eight.
The Skyhawks averaged 69.3 points per game while holding opponents to 66.7. Fort Lewis made its presence felt defensively, averaging 13.1 steals per game and forcing opponents into 22 turnovers per contest. The team also averaged 20.9 points off turnovers, creating additional scoring opportunities through its defensive pressure.
Offensively, Fort Lewis averaged 13.2 assists and 37.8 rebounds per game while connecting on 174 three-pointers throughout the season.
The team's success was reflected in postseason recognition, with Katie Lamb and Makaya Porter each earning Second Team All-RMAC honors following productive campaigns.
Who's Back?
Fort Lewis returns an experienced core, led by Preseason All-RMAC selections Katie Lamb and Makaya Porter.
Lamb, a junior guard from Parker, Colorado, started all 29 games last season and led the Skyhawks with 343 points, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. Lamb connected on a team-high 68 three-pointers while shooting 80.4 percent from the free-throw line. She also collected 64 steals and averaged 28.3 minutes per contest.
Porter, a senior guard/forward from Elkhart, Indiana, provided a versatile presence in her first season with the Skyhawks. She averaged 11.8 points and four rebounds per game while shooting 42.5 percent from the field. Porter was particularly effective on the defensive end, recording a team-high 73 steals and 36 blocks. She appeared in all 29 games and made 11 starts.
Sophomore Alemaualii Fonoti returns after making an immediate impact during her freshman campaign. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field. Fonoti appeared in all 29 contests and gives the Skyhawks additional size and scoring ability.
Senior Natalie Guanella also returns following a productive junior season in which she averaged 8.4 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field. Guanella appeared in 27 games with 22 starts and added 1.7 steals per outing. Junior Claudia Palacio Gámez provides another experienced option in the backcourt after starting all 29 games last season. The Malaga, Spain, native averaged 7.8 points and four rebounds per game while leading the team with 2.9 assists per contest.
Sophomore Josie Davis is back after averaging eight points and 4.7 rebounds per game in her first collegiate season. Davis started 22 of her 27 appearances and averaged 1.9 steals per game.The Skyhawks also welcome back sophomore Savanna Dotray, who averaged 5.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, along with sophomore Antia González Docampo and senior Sarah Chick. Fifth-year guard Deniece Ryan returns to the roster after appearing in five games last season. Ryan earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC recognition in 2024-25 after averaging 11 points per game.
New to the Nest
Fort Lewis adds five newcomers to the roster for the 2026-27 campaign, including three freshmen and two transfers.
Senior guard Brielle Magnuson joins the Skyhawks after spending time at NCAA Division I Eastern Washington University. The Meridian, Idaho, native stands at 5-foot-10 and adds collegiate experience to the backcourt. Sophomore forward Tariah Carter transfers to Fort Lewis from NCAA Division I Idaho State University. The 6-foot Carter, a native of Melba, Idaho, adds depth to the Skyhawks' frontcourt.
Three freshmen round out the newcomers, including Colorado natives Shay Vigil and Elena Gomez. Vigil, a 5-foot-5 guard from Ignacio, Colorado, joins the program following her prep career at Riverdale Ridge High School. Gomez, a 5-foot-9 guard from Mead, Colorado, arrives after competing at Mead High School. Tiana Fa, a 6-foot guard from West Valley City, Utah, rounds out the freshman class after attending West High School.
Around the RMAC
Expectations have risen considerably for Fort Lewis entering the 2026-27 season. After being selected 12th in last year's preseason poll, the Skyhawks climbed seven spots and were picked to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Fort Lewis received 143 points, including two second-place and two third-place votes, and was one of just three conference programs to earn multiple Preseason All-RMAC selections.
Lamb and Porter were both named to the 10-member preseason team after earning Second Team All-RMAC recognition last season.
Colorado Mesa was selected as the preseason favorite with 192 points and 11 first-place votes. MSU Denver followed in second with 166 points, while UCCS (157) and Black Hills State (155) rounded out the top four. Fort Lewis (143) narrowly edged Colorado School of Mines (133) for fifth.
CSU Pueblo (129), New Mexico Highlands (99), Adams State (87), and Colorado Christian (74) completed the top 10.
The Schedule
Fort Lewis opens the 2026-27 season on the road against Eastern New Mexico on Monday, November 9, before returning to Durango for its home opener on Thursday, November 19, against Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
The Skyhawks will host Angelo State University the following evening, November 20, before traveling to Texas for four consecutive nonconference contests. The trip includes matchups against Texas A&M International, St. Edward's, and UT Tyler.
RMAC play begins on Thursday, December 3, when Fort Lewis travels to CSU Pueblo, followed by a road matchup with UCCS on Saturday, December 5.
The Skyhawks will play their first conference home contests against Regis University on December 10 and MSU Denver on December 12. The Regis matchup is scheduled to take place at the Sun Ute Community Center in Ignacio, Colorado.
Fort Lewis will close out the calendar year with nonconference road games against Lubbock Christian and UT Permian Basin before returning to RMAC competition in January.
The conference schedule continues through February 27, concluding with road contests against South Dakota Mines and Chadron State. The RMAC Tournament is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 2, with the higher seeds hosting the opening round.
Scouting Eastern New Mexico
The Skyhawks will face an early test when they travel to Portales, New Mexico, to take on Eastern New Mexico University on Monday, November 9, at 5:00 p.m. inside Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena.
The Greyhounds are coming off a successful 2025-26 campaign in which they finished 20-11 overall and 15-5 in Lone Star Conference play.
Eastern New Mexico averaged 69.1 points per game last season while limiting opponents to 60.6 points per contest, producing an average scoring margin of 8.4 points. The Greyhounds shot 41.3 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc while averaging 38.5 rebounds and 10.6 steals per game. The Greyhounds also proved effective at creating turnovers, forcing opponents into an average of 20 per contest and generating 19.6 points off turnovers per game.
Last season's leading scorer was Chloe Dallas, who averaged 13.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. Aaliyah Smith followed with 10.7 points per contest and a team-high 76 assists, while Julieta Ceja contributed 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per outing.
The matchup features two programs that relied heavily on defensive pressure last season. Fort Lewis averaged 13.1 steals per game compared to Eastern New Mexico's 10.6, setting up an intriguing opening contest between two teams looking to carry momentum into the new campaign.
The meeting will mark the regular-season opener for both programs, with Eastern New Mexico returning home after preseason exhibitions against NCAA Division I opponents Rice and Houston.
For complete schedules, rosters, and updates throughout the season, visit goskyhawks.com.
