After being away from competition for more than a year and a half due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, ninth-year Head Coach Mike Drahos and his Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team return to the court in 2021-22.
 
A very young Mountain Cat squad, led by returning red-shirt sophomore guards Olivia Fasick and Makalyn Clapper and red-shirt sophomore forward Ashley Norling, will look to bring the returning experience and newcomers together to make the program's third straight appearance in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, picked seventh in the PSAC West and coming off of a 16-13 overall record and fifth-place finish at 11-11 in the PSAC Western Division in 2019-20, welcomes back Fasick, who took over the starting point guard position as a true freshman two year ago.  Fasick, the Mountain Cats' third leading scorer at 10.3 points per game, also led the Mountain Cats in assists (120) and steals (66).  Fasick ranked 61^st in NCAA Division II in total steals, 68^th in assists, and 69^th in both steals per game (2.28) and assists per game (4.1).
 
Clapper also returns to the Pitt-Johnstown backcourt. After coming off of the bench and playing in all 29 games in 2019-20, Clapper, the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on November 25, 2019, looks to take over one of the starting guard spots this season.  Clapper plays tenacious defense and ignites the team every time she is on the court.  As a freshman, her 48 steals and 1.66 steals per game ranked second on the team behind Fasick.  Clapper also gave the Mountain Cats 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
 
In the paint, Norling returns for her second season after playing in 25 games as a freshman.  Norling's 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game both ranked second on the team, while her 11 blocks and 28 steals were both tied for fourth.
 
Coach Drahos will also look to Mansfield University transfer Kendyl McKissock, red-shirt freshman Kylah Franklin, and freshmen Cassidy Crawford, Madeline Cecere, and Molly Wagoner to compete the other starting forward position.
 
McKissock played in 18 games as a freshman for the Mountaineers and averaged just over one point and about one rebound per game, while Franklin will make her collegiate debut after being a McDonald's All-America candidate at Bishop Ireton High School in Upper Marlboro, MD.
 
Crawford, a transfer from Ashland (OH) University and a two-time Honorable Mention and two-time Second-Team All-Ohio selection, will compete for a starting spot with the ability to play both the guard and forward positions.  Crawford, from Willard, OH, averaged 19.6 points per game for her career.  She finished her high school career with 1,640 total points and 896 rebounds.
 
Wagoner, a 6'2" forward, averaged 13 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks per game and was named Second-Team All-Mid-Penn Commonwealth Conference as a senior at Mifflin County High School.
 
Cecere, a local standout from Forest Hills High School, pulled down over 500 rebounds and led her team to four Straight District 6 Championships, a spot in the PIAA Final Four in 2021, and the PIAA Elite 8 in 2020.
 
Along with Fasick and Clapper, The Mountain Cats also have five more guards on the 2021-22 roster.
 
Red-shirt freshmen Peyton Alazaus, Hayden Taylor, and Krista Troyer, combined with Davis & Elkins (WV) College transfer Alana Belknap and Kalei Carson, will also compete for starting jobs.
 
Alazaus, the 2019-20 Eastern Buckeye Conference Player of the year and an All-Ohio Special Mention, holds her high school's record for 3-pointers in a game (7), season (69), and career (180), while Taylor was a three-time Inter-County Conference All-Star who collected 1,349 points, 367 assists, 313 steals, and 50 blocks at Juniata Valley High School.  Troyer, another guard from Ohio, was a member of Hiland High School's Ohio State Championship team as a freshman.  Troyer averaged 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game for her career and was an Honorable Mention a Second-Team All-Inter Valley Conference selection.
 
Belknap, one of the top shooting guards in Ohio, earned Honorable Mention Division II All-Ohio honors and First-Team All-Eastern Central Ohio League accolades, and Carson was a four-year letter-winner at Claysburg-Kimmel High School.
 
Not only will the Mountain Cats be largely inexperienced, but Coach Drahos must replace four starters from the 2019-20 squad, including Gabrielle Smith and Alli McGrath.  Smith was a three-time All-PSAC West selection who closed out her Pitt-Johnstown career ranked sixth on the Mountain Cat All-Time Scoring List (1,555 points) and 22^nd on the All-Time Rebounding List (594 rebounds), and McGrath was a two-time All-PSAC West choice who paced the Mountain Cats in 3-point field goals and finished second behind Smith in scoring and rebounding at 15.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will tip-off the 2021-22 season with a pair of games at the Frostburg State (MD) Jim Crawley Conference Challenge on November 12-13, before opening the home schedule with a non-conference game against West Virginia State on November 17 in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats will then begin PSAC-play with a game at West Chester on December 3.