Women’s basketball hosts Faulkner in season opener Friday
WEST POINT, Ga. (Oct. 27, 2021) – The Point University women's basketball team returns to action Friday afternoon, as the Skyhawks host Faulkner University at 1 p.m. to open their 2021-22 season.
Friday's game against Faulkner will be the first time the women's team has played in front of a crowd inside West Point Park Gymnasium since Feb. 2020. Fans are permitted to attend and live video and stats will be available as well.
Head Coach Tory Wooley is entering his ninth season at the helm of the program and is looking forward to getting his team back in action.
"We're so excited to get back to some level of normalcy," Wooley said. "Our players are thrilled to play in front of fans and have their family and friends in the stands."
Wooley says the team's focus during the preseason has been growing more as a team and putting the team first. The Skyhawks are entering the season focused on the phrase "Lose ourselves within the team."
Wooley will be coaching alongside first-year assistant coach Charity Brown. Brown served as the team's graduate assistant during the 2020-21 season and was promoted entering the 2021-22 season.
On the roster for the Skyhawks
Point returns four Appalachian Athletic Conference award recipients in Marta Gimenez, Iyanna McMillan, Nicole Izuagie, and Hannah Williams.
Gimenez is the reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-AAC second team last season. Gimenez finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in the AAC in steals per game (2.8). She averaged 10.1 points per game and 68 assists. She led Point in defensive efforts, limiting the Skyhawks' opponents to an average of 58 points per game, while the Skyhawks averaged 69.
McMillan was named to the All-AAC first team last season, as she led Point's offense, averaging 13.75 points per game. She finished the season with a .368 shooting percentage from behind the 3-point arc and scored double-figures in nine of Point's final 10 games of the regular season.
Izuagie was named to the All-AAC team after averaging 12.5 points per game off the bench. Izuagie scored her 1,000th career point last season in the Skyhawks' victory over St. Andrews on Feb. 1, 2021.
Williams was named to the AAC All-Freshman team and AAC All-Defensive team. Williams led the team, averaging 2.85 steals per game, and scored double-figures in six of Point's last seven games.
The Skyhawks brought in five newcomers to join its eight returners. Wooley says he expects transfers Sheyvonne Owens and Alexis Tate to make an immediate impact, specifically in the interior.
Owens is a junior transfer from Hillsborough Community College and Tate is a grad transfer from Anderson University.
"Our bench has been great so far and the leadership of Jasmine Griggs has been a difference-maker who has led our amazing second unit well during the preseason," Wooley added.
A look at last season
Point finished the 2020-21 season 15-7 and 12-6 in conference play. The Skyhawks entered the AAC tournament as the No. 4 seed, advanced to the semifinal round, and fell to No. 1 Bryan College 95-55.
The Skyhawks went on a seven-game winning streak and were undefeated in the month of December. The Skyhawks picked up their biggest scoring margin win since joining the AAC on Dec. 14, 2020, defeating Kentucky Christian University 92-41.
On the schedule for Point
Following Friday's season opener against Faulkner, the Skyhawks host the University of Mobile in a nonconference matchup on Wednesday, Nov. 3, before turning its attention to AAC play. The Skyhawks open conference play on Saturday, Nov. 6, as they host St. Andrews University. Point has a total of 24 conference games and has two additional nonconference matchups following Faulkner and Mobile.
The Skyhawks' two additional nonconference matchups will be inside West Point Park Gymnasium, as Point hosts Southeastern Baptist on Nov. 16 and Paine College on Dec. 8.
The Skyhawks will host 12 AAC games, with their final game of the regular season being against Tennessee Wesleyan on Feb. 19.
"Our conference is extremely competitive," Wooley said. "Our goal is to compete for a conference championship and to do that, we are going to have to come ready to play. We are looking forward to playing our rival Reinhardt and we look forward to seeing Bryan on the schedule as well."
This season, Wooley says what he is looking forward to most is the bonds and relationships that he is able to build with his team, specifically his seniors.
"I'm excited about sending them off with a memorable season with one they can look back on in years to come and say, 'this was an amazing season to cap off our playing career.' The future of our program is bright as they help lay the foundation of what we are doing here, which is to love God, love people, do your best and choose joy."
