GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team finally gets its chance to compete in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in program history as the Mountaineers take on the winner of Westminster and Black Hills State (who play 7:45 p.m. Friday) 7 p.m. Saturday at Brownson Arena in Grand Junction.

The Mountaineers are the No. 2 seed in the West Region, but are now the highest seed remaining after Colorado School of Mines had to withdraw Thursday due to COVID-19 protocols. If the Mountaineers win Saturday, they will now face the winner of No. 4 Azusa Pacific and No. 5 Hawaii Pacific 6 p.m. Monday with a chance to win the region and advance to the Elite 8. 

This is the second year in a row and the second time in program history that Western Colorado women's basketball has been selected for the NCAA Tournament, however last season's event was canceled due to COVID-19 before the Mountaineers could play a game.

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE TOURNAMENT | SEASON STATS
Western Colorado - who is playing without starters Jessie Erickson and Katie Dalton due to injury and have a third starter, Taytem Coleman, limited due to recovery from injury - is coming off of a RMAC Tournament semifinal loss to Black Hills State last Friday, 67-62, in Golden, Colorado. The Mountaineers - the top-shooting 3-point team in the RMAC heading into weekend (now third, but still 24th in the nation at 36.1 percent) - were just 3-for-17 from long range and 23-for-36 (63.9 percent) in the loss to the Yellow Jackets. Western, which had defeated BHSU twice during the regular season, was led by Hannah Cooper's 18 points while Emmery Wagstaff and Samantha Coleman each had 12 points.

Cooper is fifth in the RMAC in scoring (16.6), fifth in free throw percentage (83.5 percent), third in free throws made (106 - seventh in the nation), second in free throw attempts (127 - 10th in the nation) and fourth in assists (3.9). WAgstaff is averaging 12.9 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds while shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range and Coleman is averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and is shooting 30.8 percent from 3-point range.

WESTMINSTER HEADING INTO THE TOURNAMENT | SEASON STATS
The Griffins haven't played since falling to Black Hills State 71-66 in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals in Salt Lake City. Westminster fell behind 19-7 after one and 40-23 at the half before getting within two points with 10 seconds remaining in the game - but BHSU went 3-for-4 from the line to put the game away. Sarah McGinley led Westminster with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Hunter Krebs had 17 points.

McGinley leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game while averaging 5.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.9 blocks. Krebs is averaging 13.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and a team-high 1.3 blocks while Mariah Martin is averaging 11.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and a team-best 4.4 assists. Those three plaus Abby Mangum and Kaylee Carlsen are all averaging 31.5 or more minutes per game for the Griffins while only two other players are averaging 13 or more minutes.

BLACK HILLS STATE HEADING INTO THE TOURNAMENT | SEASON STATS
The Yellow Jackets picked up the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after defeating Westminster and Western to make the finals before Colorado School of Mines had to pull out due to COVID-19 protocol. Against the Mountaineers, BHSU went 11-for-23 from 3-point range (starting 10-for-17) to help defeat Western Racquel Wientjes led the way with 28 points while Morgan Ham added 21.

Wientjes leads the team in scoring at 19.7 points per game, second in the RMAC and 24th in the nation, while ranking fifth in steals in the RMAC (2.1) and leading the conference in field goals made and attempted (also ranking in the national top 20 in both). She's also averaging 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest. Morgan Engesser is one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation at 46.7 percent - 11th in Division II and No. 1 in the RMAC - while averaging 11.2 points per game. Ham is averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest.

As a team, BHSU ranks in the 20 in Division II and in the top 20 in 3-point field goals (194 - eighth nationally), 3-pointers attempted (557 - eighth nationally) and 3-pointers per game (8.8 - 18th).

EARLIER THIS SEASON VERSUS WESTMINSTER, BLACK HILLS STATE,
The Mountaineers lost its only matchup to Westminster this season - falling in Salt Lake City 71-53 on Feb. 27. Western is now 2-1 against Black Hills State on the season - winning the first two matchups (one at home, one on the road) before losing to the Yellow Jackets last Friday in the RMAC Tournament semifinals.

WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

- MOUNTAINEERS EARN SECOND IN A ROW AND SECOND-EVER NCAA TOURNAMENT
Western Colorado earned its second in a row - and second ever - NCAA Tournament bid as the Mountaineers were selected as the No. 2 seed for the West Region of the event. It will be the first time Western Colorado gets to play in the NCAA Tournament in program history after last season's event was canceled due to COVID-19.

- MOUNTAINEERS PICK UP FIRST RMAC TOURNAMENT WIN SINCE 2012
Western Colorado picked up its first RMAC Tournament win since 2012 on March 2 with a 77-69 win over South Dakota Mines in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals. Overall, the Mountaineers are 3-11 in the RMAC Tournament.

- COOPER NAMED ALL-RMAC FIRST TEAM; COLEMAN, WAGSTAFF NAMED SECOND TEAM (RELEASE)
Western Colorado's Hannah Cooper became the first Mountaineer to earn All-RMAC First Team honors since 2012 while Samantha Coleman and Emmery Wagstaff earned All-RMAC Second Team honors and Jessie Erickson was named All-RMAC Honorable Mention.

- WAGSTAFF BREAKS 3-POINT RECORD VS. ADAMS STATE, TIES FOR SIXTH ON SINGLE-GAME SCORING LIST
Junior Emmery Wagstaff broke the single-game 3-point record while tying for sixth on the single-game scoring list with her performance against Adams State on Feb. 20. She went 9-for-14 from 3-point range - breaking the record of seven that was tied by three different players (including current teammate Samantha Coleman) - and finished with 33 points, tied for sixth on the Western all-time single-game points list.

- S. COLEMAN BREAKS MOUNTAINEER ALL-TIME 3-POINT RECORD, REACHES 1,000-POINT MARK
Senior Samantha Coleman against Colorado School of Mines on Feb. 13 with three 3-pointers broke the Western Colorado women's basketball all-time record for 3-pointers in a career of 181 set by Brooke Pendergraft (2008-12). Coleman now has 196 3-pointers and counting.

Coleman became the ninth player in Western history to reach 1,000 career points as she has now has 1,071 points. She's chasing Jade McIntosh (2011-15) and her 1,126 career points for the No. 8 spot.

- ERICKSON MOVES TO SEVENTH ON MOUNTAINEERS' ALL-TIME ASSIST LIST
Senior Jessie Erickson is now seventh on Western's all-time assist list with 264 - eight behind the No. 6 spot of Cindy Gosage (272 - 1980-82). Lauri Nickolaus holds the all-time career mark with 400 set from 1983-87.

- WESTERN SETS NEW MARK FOR BEST UNDEFEATED AND ONE-LOSS 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 10-1 after a win over Colorado Mesa at home on Feb. 9 have moved past the 1980-81 team for the best one-loss start in program history.

- ELEVATED SUCCESS FOR MOUNTAINEERS AT HIGHEST COLLEGIATE GYM IN THE WORLD SINCE 2019-20
The Mountaineers are 20-3 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, REACHES 100 CAREER WINS AS A HEAD COACH
Lora Westling even in just her fifth season at the helm of the Mountaineers has already cemented herself as one of the winningest coaches in program history. Her 66 career victories is third in program history, behind James Hahn (113 - 1982-92) and Phile Swille (69 - 1978-82). Her 54 RMAC wins is second in Western history, 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 reached the 100-win mark this season with a win over Colorado Mesa on Feb. 9 at Paul Wright Gym.

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	14-5	12-4
OVERALL	----	104-93	84-74
AT WESTERN	----	66-61	54-50
AT IC	----	38-32	30-24

- 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.