The 2017-18 Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball season tips-off this weekend at the Winston-Salem State (NC) University Conference Challenge in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Fifth-year Head Coach Mike Drahos' squad will take on Shaw (NC) University on Saturday at 1 p.m., before facing the host team on Sunday at 3 p.m..

After the trip to North Carolina and a stop at Salem International (WV) University on Tuesday, Pitt-Johnstown will begin its 13-game home schedule on a brand new wooden Sports Center floor starting with PSAC doubleheaders with the Mountain Cats against Bloomsburg University and East Stroudsburg University on November 18 and 19.  The women's game will tip-off both days at 1 p.m. with the men's game scheduled for 3 p.m.  In addition, between games of the November 18 doubleheader, Pitt-Johnstown will hold its floor dedication ceremony and recognize former Mountain Cat basketball standout and Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Famer Rich Ragan for his fundraising efforts for the new floor.
 
A very young Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team that featured nine underclassmen, including six true freshmen, a year ago got a bit older, a bit wiser, and gained valuable experience heading into the 2017-18 season.

Coach Drahos returns nine letter-winners and four starters from last year's team that improved with experience, but still suffered through a tough 8-20 season.  That experience should pay off as Pitt-Johnstown tangles with another difficult Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) schedule.

This year's squad will be led by senior forward Olivia McCabe (Portage, Pa.).  McCabe, a four-year starter, led Pitt-Johnstown in rebounding at 9.1 rebounds per game and finished second in scoring at 13.3 points per game behind Jamie Tabon, who graduated after the 2016-17 season.  McCabe, the PSAC West Co-Player of the Week on February 6, finished her junior season ranked 29^th in NCAA Division II in offensive rebounds per game (4.0), 54^th in rebounds per game (9.1), and 68^th in total rebounds (255).  McCabe enters her final season tied for 23^rd on the Pitt-Johnstown All-time Rebounding List with 548 and 203 points shy of becoming the 37^th 1,000-point scorer in the program's history.

A pair of other upperclassmen also return in point guard Laurel O'Barto (Blairsville, Pa.) and shooting guard Tori Moreland (New Philadelphia, OH).  O'Barto led the team in both assists (151) and steals (52) and was fourth in scoring (7.4 ppg).  Her 5.4 assists per game ranked 22^nd in the country, while her 151 assists ranked 28^th nationally.  Moreland was Pitt-Johnstown's third-leading scorer at 10.7 points per game and paced the team with 58 3-point field goals.

A big key to the 2017-18 season will be how the six returning sophomores continue to develop.  All are talented and are expected to make significant contributions this season.  Gabbie Smith (Darlington, Pa.) looks to take over one of the starting forward spots after averaging 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds a game, while Nicole Olkosky (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (1.9 ppg., 2.1 rpg.) and Karington Ketterer (Ellwood City, Pa.) (1.4 ppg., 1.0 rpg.) have proven they can perform in key situations and will give Coach Drahos solid minutes off of the bench at the forward position.

Pitt-Johnstown also welcomes back three sophomore guards.  Maurina Nunn (Beachwood, OH) (2.8 ppg., 1.8 rpg., 1.1 apg.) provided quality minutes as the back-up to O'Barto and should step into a larger role as a sophomore.  Alexis Hartwick (Steelton, Pa.) made an immediate impact after joining the team to begin the second semester last season.  Hartwick can shoot the 3-pointer and averaged 5.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 17 games.  Katie Bolden (Meyersdale, Pa.) also looks for more minutes and provides a spark for the team with her hard work and hustle.

      Along with the nine returning letter-winners, Coach Drahos added a junior college transfer and three talented freshmen to this year's roster.  Junior guard Alexis Harris (Atlantic City, NJ) transferred to Pitt-Johnstown from Southeastern Community College in Iowa and could join the starting line-up in her first season.  She will be joined by freshmen newcomers Maddie Shanahan (West Chester, Pa.), a Pennsylvania Terrific 25 Team selection from Unionville High School, Ashley Dean (Harrisburg, Pa.), an honorable Mention Harrisburg Patriot News Girls' Area All-Star from Trinity High School, and Mia Oterson (Indiana, Pa.), a three-time Heritage Conference All-Star from Marion Center High School.  Oterson is also the niece of former Pitt-Johnstown standout and 1994 Women's Division II Bulletin Honorable Mention All-American Janet Hess.

If the 2017-18 campaign is going to be a successful one that takes the team to the next level, Coach Drahos will need leadership from the team's battle-tested veterans and quick development from the younger players.