The Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team will have a different look for the 2024-25 seasons
 
After 11 seasons at the helm of the program, Mike Drahos gave up his coaching duties and moved into an administrative role in the athletics department and Pitt-Johnstown brought in former Ohio State University standout D'wan Shackleford-Vickroy as its new head women's basketball coach.
 
"I look forward to coaching and challenging this group, continuing the successful tradition that is Pitt-Johnstown Women's Basketball," Coach Shackleford-Vickroy said. "This team has a 'why not us, why not now' mentality they practice with daily."
 
The 2024-25 Mountain Cat roster will also have a new look.  Pitt-Johnstown lost eight players to graduation, including standout All-PSAC West performers Peyton Alazaus, Cassidy Crawford and Olivia Fasick.  Alazaus, a two-time Second-Team All-PSAC West choice and the team's second-leading scorer (13.1 ppg.), finished her career ranked 32^nd on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,062 points and just three 3-pointers shy of tying the school record.  Fasick, a 2023-24 Second-Team All-Conference choice, led the team in assists (131) and closed out her career ranked fifth on the All-Time Assists List (518 assists) and 23^rd on the scoring list (1,191 points).
 
Another big loss is Crawford, who joined Alazaus on the All-PSAC West Second Team last year.  Crawford paced the Mountain Cats in both scoring (15.2 ppg.) and rebounding (7.2 rpg.) as a senior.
 
Pitt-Johnstown returns five key players with plenty of experience in guards Lexi Margolis (2.9 ppg.) and Riley Childress (2.2 ppg.) and Hayden Keith.
 
Coach Shackleford-Vickroy also has a pair of forwards back in the lineup.  Sophomore Camille Dominick played in 26 games last season and averaged 4.3 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game, fellow sophomore Belle Bosch saw action in all 28 Mountain cat games last season and averaged 2.9 points and 2.3rebounds per game.
 
To help fill the void of the eight lost seniors, the Mountain Cats landed transfers in Liv West and M'laya Ainsworth. West comes from Columbus State (GS) where she appeared in 49 games in two seasons and averaged 5.4 points per game. Ainsworth joins the Pitt-Johnstown squad after two years West Virginia Wesleyan.  Ainsworth played in 44 games and shot 38.7% and as a sophomore 32.4% from behind the arc.
 
"Both Liv and M'laya will be game changing transfers for us and we can't wait to see them in action as Mountain Cats," Assistant Coach Mia Oterson said.
 
Four freshmen also join the team this year, including a trio of former 1,000-point scorers in Gianna Gallucci (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort High School), Lydia Miller (Creekside, Pa./Marion Center High School), and Kate Myers (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands HS) and Sophia Ott (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield High School), a three-time Lancaster-Lebanon League First-Team All-Star.
 
The 2024-2025 season should be an exciting one for the Mountain Cats when they welcome a new coach and a revamped roster as to navigate through a difficult PSAC schedule.

Pitt-Johnstown tips-off the 2024-25 season at the Frostburg State (MD) Jim Crawley Conference Challenge against West Virginia Wesleyan and the hosts on Nov. 8 and 9, before making their 2024 home debuts against Wheeling (WV) on Nov. 13 in the Sports Center.