Air Force Hosts UCCS in Women's Basketball Exhibition
11/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2011
Game Notes: Air Force vs. UCCS 
The Air Force women's basketball team gives fans a preview of the season to come this week, Nov. 2, as it hosts in-town foe UCCS in an exhibition contest. The game is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS...
Air Force returns four starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's team which finished the season with a 9-22 overall record. Meanwhile, the Falcons also welcome five newcomers to the roster.
The Falcons' top returner this season is junior Dymond James, who led the team in both scoring and rebounding in 2010-11, while starting every game. Other returning starters for Air Force include senior captain Jamela Satterfield, who started 28 contests, and juniors Katie Hilbig and Alicia Leipprandt, who started 14 games each.
Leading Returners
Scoring: Dymond James - 356/11.5
Rebounds Dymond James - 212/6.8
Assists: Alicia Leipprandt - 54
FG%: Dymond James - .439 (140-319)
3PFG%: Camille Thompson - .455 (15-33)
FT%: Alicia Leipprandt - .739 (65-88)
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS...
UCCS returns all five starters and the top seven scorers from last year's team which compiled a 10-16 overall record and 9-13 mark in the RMAC. Among the top returners for the Mountain Lions this season are junior Lauren Wolfinger and senior Jessica Brown, who were both named third-team All-RMAC selections in 2010-11. Wolfinger was the top scorer for UCCS last season with 12.8 points per game last season, while Brown added 11.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.
EXHIBITIONS...
Last season, Air Force posted a 58-53 win over Metro State in its lone exhibition game of the year. The Falcons are 8-2 in their last 10 exhibition games, including an 84-44 victory over UCCS in 2009.
Dymond James NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST PICK...
Junior Dymond James was named to the 2011-12 Mountain West preseason all-conference team, becoming the first Air Force women's basketball player to receive preseason All-Mountain West accolades.
James, a forward from Brambleton, Va., led the Falcons last season in both scoring and rebounding with 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. Her 356 points in 2010-11 were the seventh-highest single-season total in Academy Division I history, while her 212 rebounds were third-best. She also led the team with a .439 field goal percentage, ranking seventh all-time in the Academy's Division I era.
FALCONS PICKED SEVENTH...
In the preseason conference poll released Oct. 11, Air Force was chosen by the coaches and select media to finish seventh in the Mountain West standing this year. TCU, receiving 12 first-place votes, was tabbed as the preseason favorite after finishing second in the Mountain West last season and earning an at-large bid to the Women's NIT. San Diego State collected seven first-place votes and was picked to finish second, while third-place Colorado State garnered the remaining first-place vote.
Colorado State's Kim Mestdagh was named the preseason Player of the Year, while,San Diego State's Chelsea Tompkins and Chairese Culberson were honored as the preseason Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively.
SEASON OUTLOOK...
While the 2010-11 season was characterized by change for the Air Force women's basketball team, this year's primary theme will be improvement. Last year, the Falcons made great strides under the guidance of first-year head coach Andrea Williams, more than doubling their win total from the previous two years combined, as well as breaking a 40-game conference losing streak. In addition, Air Force earned a first-round Mountain West Tournament victory over Colorado State, becoming the first No. 9 seed to defeat the No. 4 seed in conference tournament history.
This year, Air Force is looking to continue the progress it has made over the last season, and has many of the necessary pieces in place to achieve its goals. While the Falcons lose Raimee Beck, one of the most decorated players in school history, to graduation, Air Force returns 11 letterwinners, including four players who started at least 10 games in 2010-11.
NEXT UP...
The Falcons officially open the season next week, Nov. 11, when they travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Lipscomb in a 5:00 p.m. (CT) contest.
