PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will make its 2018-19 season debut Friday and Saturday (Nov. 9-10) when the Gorillas travel to Kansas City, Mo., to take part in the 10-team Central Region Challenge.

The Gorillas will face Northern State University from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at 11:30 a.m. (CST) Friday and Minnesota State University Moorhead from the NSIC at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at historic Municipal Auditorium.

Friday's game can be heard on ESPN 100.7 FM radio, online at espn1007.com/go or through the ESPN 100.7 or KSHQ app for phones or mobile devices. Saturday's game can be heard on 107.9 FM, 1340 AM or on a live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpqcDwiex-ApRCVSrMoc7jg/live.

The Records
Pitt State enters its first season under head coach Amanda Davied, who served as the program's assistant coach the previous 14 seasons. The Gorillas posted a 23-7 overall record during the 2017-18 season including a 15-4 mark in MIAA play.

The Gorillas return one starter and seven letterwinners from last year's squad. Senior guard/forward Shelby Lopez leads Pitt State's returning contingent. Lopez averaged 11.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as a junior in 2017-18.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
Amanda Davied enters her first year as head coach at Pittsburg State after being hired to the position on May 21, 2018.

Davied, who served the previous 14 seasons as the assistant coach for her alma mater, replaced her former mentor, Lane Lord, who accepted the head coach position at NCAA Division I member University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

As the Gorillas top assistant the past 14 years, Davied served as the team's recruiting coordinator and was highly involved in all aspects of the administration of the women's basketball program.

During her tenure on the Pitt State staff (2004-18), the Gorillas have compiled a 283-160 overall record (.639), capturing an MIAA regular season title in 2017 and making five trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) including a pair of Elite Eight appearances (2012, 2016).

Davied began her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Gorilla women's basketball program in the 2003-04 season, after completing a decorated playing career for Pitt State the previous season. She was hired as a full-time assistant in July 2004 by former head coach Steve High and remained to serve as the top assistant on Lord's staff when he took over the program in April 2007.

Series History
Pitt State and NSU will meet for just the second time Friday. The Gorillas defeated the Wolves in the only prior meeting, 60-53, on Mar. 13, 2015, in the NCAA National Tournament. Saturday's action will be the first meeting between Pitt State and MSU-Moorhead.


Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State returns one starter – senior guard/forward Shelby Loez – and seven letterwinners from its 2017-18 squad.  

Lopez averaged 11.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season. She knocked down 55 of 154 3-point field goal attempts on the season, converting 35.7 percent of her long-range shots.

Lopez scored in double figures 13 times on the season, including a season-high 24 points against Colorado Mines on Nov. 25, 2017.

Lopez contributed 9.2 points per game while earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a sophomore in 2016-17. The Wichita native hit 69 3-pointers, shooting a team-leading 38.1 percent from long range (69-181). She ranked third in the MIAA in 3-point field goals.

Lopez has scored 759 points (7.9 ppg) and made 158 3-point field goals in 96 career games for the Gorillas.

Three additional returners – junior  forward Athena Alvarado, junior guard Meghan Maher and sophomore guard Maya Williams all scored at least three points per game a year ago.

Alvarado scored 6.7 points and grabbed 3.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2017-18. The Wichita native also blocked 32 shots, ranking eighth in the MIAA in blocked shots (1.1 bpg).

She scored in double figures six times including a career-high 20 points against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 25, 2018.

Alvarado shot 57.9 percent from the field in her rookie campaign for the Gorillas, converting 81 of 140 shots and scoring 6.2 points per game. She also blocked a team-leading 29 shots on the year.

Maher averaged 4.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season. The Raymore, Mo., native shot 43.9 percent from the field, converting 50 of 114 attempts.

Maher scored a career-high 21 points against Washburn on March 1, 2018. She knocked down seven of 11 3-point field goal attempts in the game. For the season she made 37 of 90 trifectas (.411).

Williams scored 3.0 points and grabbed 1.2 rebounds per game on the 201718 season.  The Carthage, Mo., native scored a season-best 11 points against Fort Hays State on Dec. 2, 2017.

The Gorillas also welcome several key newcomers to the squad, including: freshman guard Kaylee DaMitz, freshman guard Tristan Gegg and junior guard/forward Sydney Tracy and freshman forward Megan Scott.

DaMitz averaged 21.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in her senior season at Skyline High School in 2017-18, earning Missouri Class 2A All-State honors. She led the Tigers to the Class 2A state title and claimed Class 2A Player of the Year honors her junior season.

Gegg averaged 27 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a senior at Labette County High School. The Altamont, Kan., native was a Kansas Class 4A All-State selection for the Grizzlies.

Tracy transferred to Pitt State from South Dakota State University. The St. Michael, Minn., native saw significant action for the Jackrabbits the past two seasons. She was a first-team All-State prep athlete at St. Michael Albertville High School in 2015-16s.

Exhibition Action
DaMitz led the Gorillas in their two exhibition games against Drake and Kansas State, averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Williams also averaged 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two contests, while Alvarado contributed 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Gegg also chipped in with 9.0 points per game.

Pitt State Probable Starters
    F    3    Sydney Tracy, 6-1, Jr., St. Michael, Minn.
    F    15    Athena Alvarado, 6-0, Jr., Wichita, Kan.
    G    2    Kaylee DaMitz, 5-4, Fr., Preston, Mo.  
    G    11    Shelby Lopez, 6-0, Sr., Wichita, Kan.
    G    35    Meghan Maher, 6-0, Jr., Raymore, Mo.