Complete Game Notes (PDF) / Live Stats

AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks open their 2011-12 regular season at the brand new Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon against Goldey-Beacom. IUP has won four straight home openers, including last year's 76-55 victory over LaRoche.

THE NEW HOME
Saturday afternoon's game will be more than just a regular season home-opener as the Crimson Hawks debut the brand new Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. The 4,000-seat arena completed in the spring will be the women's basketball team's new home for all but three home games this season.

SERIES WITH THE LIGHTNING
These two teams have squared off against each other only one other time, as IUP came away with a convincing 73-42 victory last year in Delaware. Sr. G Vianca Tejada (Pennsauken, NJ/Cherry Hill East) went for 11 points and 7 boards in 25 minutes, going 5-10 from the field.

LAST TIME OUT
Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) scored 10 points while So. F Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) had 10 boards in IUP's final exhibition game, a 71-34 victory over Mount Aloysius last Wednesday at the KCAC. 12 of 13 Crimson Hawks scored in the game, the final tune up before the season opener. Tejada grabbed 6 offensive boards for IUP, which out-rebounded Mount Aloysius 66-25.  

It was the Crimson Hawks second exhibition game, as they defeated Potomac State on Oct. 30. Stoner went for 17 points and 10 rebounds in the 92-34 win.

THE HEAD COACHES
Jeff Dow (Oregon '88) enters his fourth season as the head coach at IUP after leading the Crimson Hawks to a record of 19-8, 11-3 in the PSAC West and an appearance in the PSAC Quarterfinals last season.

Dow has a record of 62-24 at IUP and has led the Crimson Hawks to three consecutive PSAC tournament appearances during his tenure. Over the course of his first three years, Dow has set school records in winning 10 or more games in three consecutive seasons in PSAC West divisional games and for overall winning percentage in PSAC West games (.761).

Jen Carleton (Caldwell College) enters her fifth season as head coach at Goldey-Beacom, leading the Lightning to a 55-58 during her four seasons. Since arriving  for the 2007-08 season, Carleton has turned the Lightning into a CACC contender. After two losing seasons, she's led Goldey-Beacom to a 25-13 conference mark, including the school's first CACC basketball championship in 2010-11 and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

PRESEASON POLLS
The Crimson Hawks were picked to finish third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division preseason coaches poll after finishing with a record of 19-8, 11-3 and advancing to the PSAC quarterfinals last season.

ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTION
Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) was selected to the All-PSAC West preseason first team. She was first team All-PSAC West last season after leading the Crimson Hawks in points (12.5) and rebounds (6.5) per game. Pastorek was the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2009-10 after averaging 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

THE LEADER
In addition to being the leading returning scorer and rebounder for the Crimson Hawks, Pastorek is the top returner in FG% (49.1), assists (42), blocks (16) and steals (56).

16 times Pastorek led IUP in rebounding last year, grabbing 10 or more six times and posting six double-doubles. She also reached double-figures in scoring 20 times in her 26 games played a season ago.

NEW FACES
Despite the loss of four starters from a season ago, the Crimson Hawks will expect immediate contributions from five incoming freshmen and four transfers to help lead IUP back to the postseason.

Among the freshmen are F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson), G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana), G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana), G Lisa Burton (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Penn Hills) and G Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center). So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) leads a group of transfers that also include So. G Jen Rasko (Windber/Windber), So. G Jessica Wallace (Vanderhoof, BC/Nechako Valley Secondary) and So. F Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield).

THE LOCALS
Three of those freshmen are from area schools, including a pair from Indiana HS. Mathe and Stapleton played for the Little Indians while Fairman graduated from Marion Center. They'll look to play an important role for the Crimson Hawks this season.

THE TRANSFER
Watson leads a group of transfers that will hope to add experience to a very young Crimson Hawks squad. Transferring from UMass, Watson played in 21 games last year for the Minutewomen, starting a pair and averaging 10.0 mpg. She averaged 2.0 ppg for the season, including a season-high 11 points against Providence, and hit 7-15 3FGs and 8-10 FTs.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Crimson Hawks will hit the road next Saturday when they travel to Cheyney to open up PSAC play. IUP will travel to Shippensburg on November 20 before returning home for a three game set at the Memorial Field House starting on November 29.