Women's Basketball Opens 2021-22 Season Tuesday, Hosts Lees-McRae

BOONE, N.C. - App State women's basketball opens the 2021-22 season with a home matchup against Lees-McRae Tuesday.

The Mountaineers return two key starters, Michaela Porter and Brooke Bigott, from last season's squad that achieved a 15-12 overall record. App State also posted a 10-8 effort in conference play and reached the semifinals of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the second time in the last three tries.

Porter averaged 8.7 points per game and was recently named Preseason All-Sun Belt third team. 

App State welcomes eight dynamic newcomers, four of which are transfers from Seton Hall (senior Alexia Allesch), Middle Tennessee State (junior Taylor Lewis), UAB (redshirt-freshman Summer Schloss) and Emmanuel College (senior Breanna Locke).

Head coach Angel Elderkin will begin her eighth season at the helm of the Mountaineers, holding an overall career record of 92-123 at App State.

Tipoff against the Bobcats is slated for 5 p.m. All home games for the Mountaineers will be aired on ESPN+.

Lees-McRae compiled a 7-10 record during the 2020-21 campaign. The Bobcats were picked to finish 10th in this season's Conference Carolinas Preseason Coaches' Poll.


Notables:
 
• App State tips off its 52nd season of women's basketball against Lees-McRae.
 
• The Mountaineers return starters Michaela Porter (8.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg last season) and Brooke Bigott (7.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg) from last year's squad that finished 15-12 overall and 10-8 in Sun Belt Conference play.
 
• App State's 10-8 league record last season matched its best since joining the Sun Belt.
 
• The Mountaineers have advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals twice in the last three seasons.
 
• Senior Michaela Porter was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt third team. The Mountaineers' top returning scorer and rebounder, Porter is known for her defensive prowess, having ranked second in the league last year with 1.9 steals per game.
  
• Returning guards Janay Sanders (6.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg) and Faith Alston (4.0 ppg, 2.5 apg) both played in all 27 games last year.
 
• Head coach Angel Elderkin enters her eighth season at the helm and is looking to lead App State to its second consecutive winning season and third in four years.
 
• Division II program Lees-McRae compiled a 7-10 record during the 2020-21 campaign and is led by former NBA player Keith "Mister" Jennings.