Women's Basketball

Fairmont State Meets IUP in NCAA Women's Atlantic Regional

EDINBORO, Pa. — The Fairmont State women’s basketball team opens play in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament on Friday night inside McComb Fieldhouse in Edinboro, Pennsylvania.

The fifth-seeded Falcons’ opening round contest against fourth-seeded IUP is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m., the final of Friday's four games at the site.

Fairmont State (27-4) enters the Atlantic Regional on a nine-game winning streak, which includes the final six games of the regular season and three wins at Wheeling’s WesBanco Arena on its way to the MEC Tournament Championship.

IUP is 21-7 this season and lost to the Atlantic Regional top seed, Edinboro, in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Championships.

Fairmont State is led by a trio of double-figure scorers: Leslie Huffman (17.6 points per game), Alyssa DeAngelo (15.0 points per game), and Jalen Gibbs (12.9 points per game). Aaliyah Brunny, who won the Commissioner’s Heart and Hustle Award at last week’s MEC Basketball Tournament at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, provides punch off the bench with 8.1 points per game.

Huffman was voted the 2025 MEC Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches, and the 2025 MEC Tournament MVP by the media. Head coach Stephanie Anderson, who is 54-10 over the past two seasons, was named the 2025 MEC Coach of the Year by her colleagues.

IUP enters Thursday’s NCAA Atlantic Regional with a 21-7 record. The Crimson Hawks are led by Shamia Strayhorn, who averages 16.0 points per game, and Nyshae’ Weaver, who averages 15.0 points per game. Weaver averages a double-double, with 11.3 rebounds per game. Both players earned All-PSAC West first team honors earlier this month.

If Fairmont State advances to Saturday’s second round, that game will again tip off at 7:30 p.m.

2025 NCAA Atlantic Regional Women’s Basketball Tournament
Hosted by Edinboro University
First Round (Friday, March 14)
Noon — (6) Kutztown vs. (3) Seton Hill
2:30 p.m. — (7) Fayetteville State vs. (2) Gannon
5:00 p.m. — (8) Virginia State vs. (1) Edinboro
7:30 p.m. — (5) Fairmont State vs. (4) IUP
 
Second Round (Saturday, March 15)
5:00 p.m. — Winner of Kutztown-Seton Hill vs. Winner of Fayetteville State-Gannon
7:30 p.m. — Winner of Virginia State-Edinboro vs. Winner of Fairmont State-IUP

Atlantic Region Championship (Monday, March 17)
5:00 p.m.