WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW women's basketball team begins the second season of the
Karen Barefoot era on Tuesday, Nov. 6, with a 7 p.m. non-conference contest against NCAA Division II foe Belmont Abbey inside Trask Coliseum.
In honor of Election Day, the first 200 fans to attend Tuesday's season opener wearing a VOTE sticker will receive a free "Seahawks Get My Vote" t-shirt.
UNCW, which authored a 12-19 record last year, prepared for the regular season by claiming a 79-55 victory over Catawba on Oct. 27 in its lone exhibition. The Seahawks had three players score in double figures and surged to a 32-13 lead in the first quarter en route to the victory.
Belmont Abbey, meanwhile, dropped a 58-56 verdict against two-time defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Elon in its first exhibition contest on Oct. 27. Sophomore forward Allie Downing paced the Crusaders with a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Tickets for Tuesday's game can be purchased by calling the UNCW Athletics Ticket Office at 800-808-UNCW or by logging onto UNCWSports.com/BuyTickets. In addition, Tuesday's season opener can be seen on the Seahawk Digital Network at UNCWSports.com/SDN with Joe Catenacci and Tom Lamont providing the call. Live stats will also be available at UNCWStats.com.
Tuesday's Starting Five
Opening Act: UNCW holds a 25-20 all-time record in season openers and begins the season at home for the fifth consecutive season.
Family Ties: Belmont Abbey assistant coach Steven Rhodes is a two-time UNCW graduate. A former graduate assistant for the Seahawks, he earned his bachelor's degree in 2014 before receiving a master's degree in 2016.
Long Time, No See: UNCW and Belmont Abbey square off for the sixth time in a series the Seahawks lead by a 5-0 margin. However, it is the first encounter for the two squads since 1985, an 88-60 victory for the Seahawks in Trask Coliseum.
Early Risers: Tuesday's game will mark the earliest start to a season in the Seahawks' 46-year history, eclipsing the Nov. 9 start they had on three occasions.
New Faces: UNCW has a group of six players –
Ashli Jeune,
Shrita Parker,
GiGi Smith,
Zhaneia Thybulle,
Jessica Mitchell and
Ahyiona Vason – who will be making their first official appearance in a Seahawks uniform on Tuesday night.
