GUNNISON, Colo. --- The eighth-ranked Western Colorado women's basketball looks to equal the best one-loss start in program history as the Mountaineers travel to take on UCCS 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Gallogly Events Center.

Western looks to match the 1980-81 team's 9-1 start. 

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
Western last played Jan. 23, defeating CSU Pueblo 83-73 - led by Hannah Cooper's 21 points, six rebounds and four steals. Samantha Coleman scored 19 points - reaching the Mountaineer all-time top 10 in scoring - while Jessie Erickson had 18 points, Emmery Wagstaff had 10 points and nine rebounds and Mikaela Parker had 10 points. It was the Mountaineers' second consecutive win at Massari Arena after not winning there since 2001.

The Mountaineers are now the top scoring team in the RMAC at 73.4 points per game while allowing 62.8 points per game - tied four third. Their scoring margin of 10.6 is third in the conference. Western leads the RMAC and is fourth in the country in 3-point percentage at 41.8 percent and it is third in the conference at 7.7 3-pointers per game. They are second in the RMAC and 16th in the country in field goal percentage at 45.5 percent.

Western has three players in the top 12 in the RMAC in scoring in Cooper (16.4 - fifth), Samantha Coleman (14.4 - 11th) and Wagstaff (13.9 - 12th). Wagstaff is first in the RMAC and eighth in the country in 3-point percentage at 53.1 percent while Coleman is third in the RMAC and 16th in the nation at 47.8 percent. Cooper is also fourth in the RMAC in assists (4.4) while Jessie Erickson is seventh (3.2)

UCCS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Mountain Lions lost two games at home in the last week, falling to South Dakota Mines on Friday 72-61 and dropping a 54-47 decision against Regis on Monday.

UCCS is 11thin the RMAC in scoring at 58 points per game while allowing 68.6 per contest - 12th in the RMAC. The Mountain Lions' turnover margin of minus-4.89 is 13th in the RMAC as they are averaging an RMAC-high 19.1 turnovers per contest. UCCS does rank second in the RMAC at 3.9 blocks per game.

Abby Feickert leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game - including hitting a team-high 17 3-pointers (38.6 percent from beyond the arc). The next closest leading scorer is Jessica Nation at 7.8 points per game followed by Tatum Tellin (6.1)>

LAST SEASON VERSUS UCCS
The Mountaineers defeated UCCS on the road 65-43 on Dec. 7, 2019 - outscoring the Mountain Lions 42-17 in the first half. Samantha Coleman led Western with 14 points while Taytem Coleman had 11.

WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

- MOUNTAINEERS MOVE UP TO NO. 8 IN MEDIA POLL, DEBUT AT NO. 14 IN COACHES POLL (RELEASE)
Western moved up one spot to No. 8 in the D2SIDA Division II Media Poll while the Mountaineers debuted at No. 14 in the WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll - both released Tuesday.

Western - 8-1 on the season - prior to this season hadn't been in the top 25 of either poll. The Mountaineers are the only RMAC school ranked in either poll, though Colorado School of Mines is receiving votes in both polls while Colorado Mesa is receiving votes in the coaches poll.

- S. COLEMAN SITS IN SECOND ON MOUNTAINEER ALL-TIME 3-POINT LIST, REACHES SCORING TOP 10
Senior Samantha Coleman with her 176 career 3-pointers sits five behind the all-time record of 181 set by Brooke Pendergraft (2008-12). Coleman also has a chance to become the ninth player in Western history to reach 1,000 career points as she has 959 points - just passing Taryn Brennan's 958 points for 10th on the all-time list.

- WESTERN SETS NEW MARK FOR BEST UNDEFEATED START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
In defeating South Dakota Mines 79-72 on Jan. 4 , the Mountaineers went to 5-0 and set a new mark for the best undefeated start in program history - previously set by the 1980-81 team (4-0). While a Jan. 5 loss to the Hardrockers broke that streak, the Mountaineers at 8-1 will look to break that same 1980-81 team for the best one-loss start to a season in program history at 9-1.

- ELEVATED SUCCESS FOR MOUNTAINEERS AT HIGHEST COLLEGIATE GYM IN THE WORLD SINCE 2019-20
The Mountaineers are 15-2 at Paul Wright Gym - the highest collegiate gym in the world at 7,723 feet - since the start of the 2019-20 season.

- WESTLING MOVING UP MOUNTAINEER WINS LISTS, APPROACHING 100 CAREER WINS AS A HEAD COACH
Lora Westling even at just her fifth season at the helm of the Mountaineers has already cemented herself as one of the winningest coaches in program history. Her 60 career victories is fourth in program history, behind James Hahn (113 - 1982-92), Phile Swille (69 - 1978-82) and Latricia Trammell (65 - 2007-12). Her 49 RMAC wins is second in Western history, and only behind Hahn (62).

Westling has led the Mountaineers to back-to-back winning seasons - the first time the program has accomplished that since James Hahn did it in 1985-86 and 1986-87.

As a head coach overall, Westling is at 98 wins - two away from the century mark.

WESTLING'S HEAD COACHING CAREER

Season	School	Record	Conf.
2013-14	Illinois College	12-11	10-8
2014-15	Illinois College	14-10	11-7
2015-16	Illinois College	12-11	9-9
2016-17	Western Colorado	7-19	6-16
2017-18	Western Colorado	9-19	6-16
2018-19	Western Colorado	16-11	12-10
2019-20	Western Colorado	20-7	18-4
2020-21	Western Colorado	8-1	7-1
OVERALL		98-89	79-71

- WESTLING NAMED WHOOPDIRT.COM COACH OF THE WEEK (DEC. 14, 2020) - (RELEASE)
Western Colorado women's basketball coach Lora Westling was honored for her team's performance during the week of Dec. 6-13 by being named the WHoopDirt.com Coach of the Week.

The week for the Mountaineers included an 84-69 win at home against Fort Lewis on Tuesday before defeating MSU Denver 67-51 on Saturday on the road thanks to outscoring the Roadrunners 29-9 in the fourth quarter. With the honor, Westling is now eligible for the WHoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award.

- COOPER NAMED RMAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 9, 2020) - (RELEASE)
Western Colorado's Hannah Cooper was named the RMAC Women's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 9, 2020, after averaging 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in a pair of wins for the Mountaineers. This includes a career-high 34 points to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal to help the Mountaineers defeat Black Hills State on Friday. She went 9-for-15 from the field and 15-for-16 from the free throw line. The 34 points is tied for the fourth-most in Western history and the most points a Mountaineer has scored in a game in 23 years while her 15 made free throws tied a school record.

This is Cooper's first career RMAC Player of the Week honor and Western's first since Samantha Coleman earned RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 2, 2019.

- THAT'S THE WAY TO START THE SEASON ... RECORD NIGHT FOR COOPER
It was quite the start to the 2020-21 season for Hannah Cooper as the sophomore from El Paso, Texas, scored 34 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out five assists in the Mountaineers' win over Black Hills State on Dec. 4 in Paul Wright Gym. The 34 points is tied for the fourth most in Western history - behind Shannon Smart (41 versus Chadron State and 36 against Adams State - both during the 1992-93 season) and Laurie Nickolaus (40 against New Mexico Highlands in 1985-86). It's the most points a Mountaineers has scored in a game since Jen Knight scored 34 against NMHU in 1996-97. Cooper tied the school record for most free throws made in a game as well, going 15-for-16 from the line.

- DALTON SIXTH ON WESTERN ALL-TIME BLOCKS LIST
Senior Katie Dalton now sits in sixth place on the Western all-time blocks list with 68. Sitting in fifth place is Paula Stumbaugh (1980-84) with 78. Dalton can move up several spots on the list this season, but likely won't reach the school and RMAC record of 319 set by Kris Ellerby (1984-88).

- COOPER BECOMES FIRST WESTERN RMAC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Sophomore Hannah Cooper became the first Western Colorado women's basketball player in program history to earn RMAC Freshman of the Year since the conference started handing out the award in the sport in 1996-97. Cooper led the Mountaineers in assists (3.2) and steals (1.4), was second in scoring (9.7) and third in rebounding (4.3).

- MOUNTAINEERS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN RMAC (FULL STORY)
The Western Colorado women's basketball team was selected second in the RMAC Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches Poll. The Mountaineers - who picked up three first-place votes - finished behind defending RMAC champion Colorado Mesa in the preseason poll - the Mavericks getting eight first-place votes and 189 points total - while Western finished two points ahead of Westminster, which picked up four first-place votes. Westminster was followed by Colorado School of Mines, Black Hills State and then South Dakota Mines - the same exact order of finish the top six teams finished in the RMAC in 2019-20.

- MOUNTAINEERS IN SEASON OPENERS
The Mountaineers are now 14-29 all-time in season opener after their win over Black Hills State on Dec. 4 at home - their first time starting the season at home since 2006-07 when the Mountaineers beat Chadron State, 80-54. The Mountaineers are 7-5 all-time when starting the season at Paul Wright Gym.