PITTSBURG - The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will partake in the Fairfield Inn & Suites Holiday Classic, hosted by the Cameron University Aggies this weekend at Aggie Gymnasium in Lawton, Okla., to end the 2025 calendar year.

Against Cameron on Friday (Dec. 19), tip off is set for 7:00 p.m. (CT). Saturday, the Gorillas will play against the Western Colorado University Mountaineers at 2:00 p.m.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her eighth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 155-64 (.708) record. During her tenure as head coach, she has guided the Gorillas to the Division II National Tournament four times (2025-23 & 2019) with her debut season marking the first coach in program history to guide the Gorillas to a 20-win season. Last season, Davied was named the MIAA and KBCA Four Year College Coach of the Year after helping lead the Gorillas to a 33-4 overall record and a NCAA Division II Final Four appearance after claiming the MIAA regular season, MIAA Tournament and Central Region Tournament championships. Davied has deep ties to the program first as a player (1999-03), graduate assistant (2003-04) and assistant coach (2004-18) while serving as the lead assistant from 2007-18 for current Division I, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), head coach Lane Lord.

WBCA Poll Update
Released on Tuesday (Dec. 16), the Gorillas are No. 12 in the Division II Poll after beginning the season 7-2. Pittsburg State when ranked No. 12 are 6-1 with wins coming in the 1994-95, 2011-12 and 2024-25 seasons. As a Top 25 ranked team in the WBCA Poll, the Gorillas all-time are 148-52 (.740) while being ranked for 107 weeks. Pittsburg State has featured in the Top 25 in 22 straight editions of the WBCA Coaches Poll dating back to last season's opening poll.

A Peek at the Gorillas
Pittsburg State on the early season are 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA after losing to No. 8 Fort Hays State on the road in a non conference meeting and a win over St. Mary (Kan.) for the annual Kid's Day Game on Monday at home. Picked to finish first in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and third in the Coaches Poll, the Gorillas have made it to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in three straight seasons. Leading the team with 13.0 points a game is Marin Adams, from free throws she this season she is 30-of-33 (.909). Ja'Miya Brown (10.9) and Harper Schreiner (10.7) are the other members of the team that average in double figures for points per game. Schreiner is also chipping in with 8.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals a game. Kaycee McCumber leads the team with 9.7 rebounds a game while chipping in with 8.1 points a night. Clara Swearingen leads the team with 10 made three pointers on the season while averaging 7.9 points a game. Amanda Byrnes (6.3), Hannah Miller (6.1) and Cambrie Phillips (5.7) are key members of the bench unit. As a team the Gorillas are scoring 71.2 points and 46.0 rebounds (14.9 offensive) per game for a +10.3 rebound margin. Opponents are scoring 65.1 points a game and grabbing 35.7 rebounds (10.9 offensive) per game.

Career Highs Set In 2024-25
Ja'Miya Brown: 25 points at No. 8 Fort Hays State (Dec. 13), 11 rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20), three assists at FHSU and vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15), two steals at FHSU, two blocks vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4), nine field goals made at FHSU, five three point field goals made at NWOSU and six made free throws at FHSU. Amanda Byrnes: Eight rebounds vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4), five blocks at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20) and seven field goals made vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15). Hannah Miller: 20 points vs. Northern State (Nov. 14), six rebounds vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15), three assists vs. Northern State (Nov. 14) and St. Mary, two steals vs. NSU, eight field goals made and four free throws made vs. NSU. Clara Swearingen: 20 points vs. Angelo State (Nov. 30), five assists vs. Minnesota Crookston (Nov. 15), seven field goals made and four three pointers made vs. ASU.

Double-Doubles in 2024-25
This season three Gorillas have recorded double-doubles, with all five instances being points-rebounds performances. Kaycee McCumber: 11 points, 18 rebounds vs. No. 8 Texas Woman's (Nov. 25) and 15 points, 15 rebounds vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4). Harper Schreiner: 19 points, 12 rebounds vs. Minnesota Crookston (Nov. 15) and 12 points, 11 rebounds vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15). Ja'Miya Brown: 20 points, 11 rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20).

Schreiner The Stat Sheet Stuffer
Harper Schreiner notched her 10th career double-double against St. Mary(Kan.)  (Dec. 15), finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds against the Spires. In 109 career games wearing the Crimson and Gold, Schreiner has accumulated 912 points, 657 rebounds, 445 assists and 162 steals. Among Pitt State career ranks, Schreiner is third in assists, sixth in steals and rebounds.

Consistent Mays
Macie Mays in two years with the Pittsburg State program, has scored 799 points (12.5) in 64 games and will be looking to become the next Gorilla to score over 1,000 points in their career wearing the Crimson and Gold. The El Dorado Springs, Mo., native is tied for the school record field goal percentage record after going 10-of-10 from the field against Northeastern State (Jan. 4, 2025) for a career-high 30 points at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

From Denver, Colo. to Pittsburg, Kan.
Senior Ashlyn Yow and junior Amanda Byrnes will be teammates at the collegiate level for the third season in a row after transferring into Pittsburg State from fellow Division II program, Metropolitan State University - Denver (MSU - Denver). Yow appeared in 77 games for MSU - Denver where she finished with 411 points (5.3), 140 rebounds (1.8) and 92 assists (1.2) while shooting .333 from distance. Byrnes played in 51 games as a Roadrunner, finishing with 153 points, 143 rebounds and 23 blocks in 12.9 minutes a game.

International Rillas
Marie Wembadjonga (Libreville, Gabon) and Karolina Kiraga (Wistka, Poland) have taken unique paths to end up being teammates this season at Pittsburg State. Wembadjonga played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) last season where she averaged 7.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, the Gabonese national began her collegiate career in 2023-24 at Chipola College where in 27 games she averaged 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 points a game. Wembadjonga played at the Lycee Joseph Ambouroue Avaro Secondary School in Gabon prior to playing collegiately. Kiraga will begin her collegiate career with the Gorillas after wrapping up a prep career at Providence Classical Christian Academy in Rogers, Ark. Karolina (Lola) averaged 17.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game during her time at PCCA, being named an All-State performer three-times.

Five Gems
Pittsburg State features five players that played high school basketball in the state of Arkansas. Junior Ja'Miya Brown (North Little Rock | North Little Rock High School), Freshmen Marin Adams (Farmington | Farmington High School), Karolina Kiraga (Wistka, Poland | Providence Classical Christian Academy), Kaycee McCumber (Farmington | Farmington High School) and Cambrie Phillips (Cave Springs | Bentonville High School). Brown in her first season as a starter is averaging 10.9 points a game and has converted on .762 of her free throws (16-of-21). Adams and McCumber are coming off three straight Arkansas State Championships (4A in 2023 & 24, 5A in 2025). This season, Adams leads the team with 13.0 points a game with McCumber corralling a team leading 9.7 rebounds. Phillips leads the team with a .333 three point percentage (6-of-18).

MIAA Preseason Poll
The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association on October 6th announced the Preseason Coaches and Media Polls for Women's Basketball. In the coaches poll, Fort Hays State, Washburn, Pittsburg State and Central Missouri were picked to finish first-fourth. Nebraska - Kearney, Missouri Western, Missouri Southern , Northwest Missouri, Northeastern State and Arkansas - Fort Smith rounded out the top ten teams. Emporia State, Central Oklahoma, Rogers State and Newman completed the poll in 11-14. In the media poll, Pittsburg State was picked first and was followed by Fort Hays State, Washburn and Central Missouri in the top four. Rounding out the top ten in the media poll were Nebraska - Kearney, Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri, Arkansas - Fort Smith, Missouri Southern and Emporia State. Northeastern State, Central Oklahoma, Rogers State and Newman were picked to finish 11-14.

CU Report
Cameron is 0-9 on the season and 0-3 in the Lone Star Conference (LSC). Madison Griggs leads the team with 18.5 points a game while going 18-of-48 from distance (.375) and converted on a team-high 28 free throws. Kloe Heidebrecht is the other member of the team to average above double figures for points per game at 11.7 and is the top shooter on the team, going 28-of-72 from three (.389). Ayonna Cooper leads the team with 5.2 rebounds a game in 25.3 minutes. As a team the Aggies average 57.9 points and 30.4 rebounds (7.8 offensive) per game. Opponents are scoring 79.8 points and grabbing 41.0 rebounds (13.7 offensive) per game.

Mountaineers Scout
Western Colorado enters the weekend with a 5-3 overall record and is 3-1 against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) opposition. Ivey Schmidt leads the team with 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game while shooting .389 from the field (51-of-131). Jayda Maves (12.3) and Alyssa Eckroth (11.9) were the other members of the team to average in double figures for points per game. Leading the team from distance is Maves, going 21-of-48 from her three point attempts so far (.438). As a team, WCU is averaging 64.1 points and 40.1 rebounds (11.4 offensive) per game. Opponents are averaging 61.6 points and 32.9 rebounds (10.6 offensive) per game.

Series Histories
Pittsburg State and Cameron have meet eight prior times with the Gorillas picking up seven wins. In Lawton, the teams have each claimed a win with the Aggies winning 81-76 on Dec. 11, 1999 and the Gorilas, 76-71 on Dec. 30, 1997. The game on Friday will be the first in the series since Nov. 18, 2000 (9,162 days). Saturday will mark the first meeting between Western Colorado and Pitt State.