The App State women’s basketball team looks to start a new chapter in the 2024-25 season with new head coach Alaura Sharp.
Sharp spent six seasons at Presbyterian College as head coach of the Blue Hose. In her time there she went 76-102 with a .427 winning percentage, winning the Big South Conference Tournament and one NCAA Tournament game, winning in a play-in game against Sacred Heart.
The Mountaineers are coming off of a 17-15 season that resulted in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament first-round exit. The 2023-24 season also marked the end of Angel Elderkin’s tenure at App State. In her ten seasons, she won 134 games, the second most in program history, and the Women’s Basketball Invitational Championship in 2019.
In the offseason, the Mountaineers had to replace ten players from the 23-24 season. Notable losses include guard Faith Alston, who averaged 18.3 points per game last season before transferring to Richmond. The Mountaineers also lost another guard in Alexis Black, who averaged 9.5 points per game and transferred to VCU.
Despite their losses, the Mountaineers will return five players.
Senior guard Emily Carver, who started 24 games for the team last year, is returning. She averaged 13.5 points per game shot 32.7% from beyond the arc. Carver was named preseason first team All-Sun Belt.
App State’s leading rebounder will return, junior forward Rylan Moffitt, is back after who averageding eight rebounds a game in 2023-24. Moffitt also led the team in blocks.
Senior guards J’Mani Ingram and Zada Porter are coming back. Ingram averaged 5.8 points per game and 3.1 rebounds a game and on seven occasions last season put up double-figures. Porter averaged 3.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 2023-24. Porter was fourth in assists last year for the Mountaineers.
Senior forward Samantha LaFon returns after a season where she only missed four shots and averaged 1.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
In the offseason, the Mountaineers picked up nine new players.
Freshman guard Hekla Nökkvadóttir from Grindavík, Iceland, is the Mountaineers’ lone freshman. She played on Iceland’s U15, U16, U18 and U20 national teams.
Following Sharp from Presbyterian is senior guard Mara Neira. In 63 games for the Blue Hose, she averaged 10.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. She was named to the Big South all-tournament team in 2024.
Transferring from Northeastern Junior College is junior guard Seneya Martinez. Martinez averaged 16 points per game on 48% shooting last season.
Junior guard Emily Hege transfers in from Wingate University. Hege was an NCAA Division II All-American honorable mention last season and has averaged 16.3 points per game in her career.
Transferring from Idaho is senior forward Georgia Gray. Gray appeared in one game last season for the Vandals, but in her sophomore season at Dodge City Community College, she averaged 7.5 points per game.
Junior forward Elena Pericic transferred in from Salem University. Pericic averaged 13.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals per game for the Tigers.
Senior guard Eleyana Tafisi is coming off a season where she averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for Utah Valley. Out of high school, Tafisi was a McDonald’s All-American nominee. Last season she was named to the Academic All-WAC team.
Transferring from George Washington University is senior guard Asjah Inniss. Inniss averaged 6.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season for the Revolutionaries.
Rounding out the new cast for the Mountaineers women’s basketball team is graduate student Zoë McCrary. McCrary transferred from College of Charleston, where she appeared in 91 games. Last season she averaged 4.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, helping the Cougars to a WNIT appearance.
The Mountaineers will start their season Nov. 4 on the road at Miami of Ohio. This will be the first leg of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, the second leg will be played on Feb. 8, 2025.
Other notable games for the Mountaineers include a Dec. 1 trip to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Vanderbilt received 12 AP preseason poll votes.
Feb. 12 and 22 the Mountaineers will take on the James Madison Dukes. James Madison comes into the season ranked first in the Sun Belt coaches poll, and 13th in the College Insider’s women’s basketball Mid-Major poll.
On Jan. 9 the Mountaineers will host the Troy Trojans. Troy comes into the season ranked 2nd in the Sun Belt Coaches poll, and 20th in the College Insider’s Mid Major poll.
The Mountaineers come into the season ranked 11th in the preseason Sun Belt Coaches poll. Their season will begin Nov. 4 when they travel to Oxford, Ohio, to take on the Miami Redhawks. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
