CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion University women's basketball team is set for its season opener at 2 p.m. Friday at Fairmont State.
 
Fans can follow both games through live stats available through a link on www.clariongoldeneagles.com.
 
The Golden Eagles, who also play Concord at 3 p.m. Saturday at Fairmont State, are looking to return to the PSAC postseason for the first time since 2009 with a group of experienced players molded with a solid freshman class.
 
Clarion returns five players who started games last year and 11 of their top 12 scorers led by 2011 PSAC West Freshman of the Year and second-team All-PSAC West choice Hannah Heeter, a preseason PSAC West selection. The Golden Eagles are also adding eight freshmen to the mix, some of whom are being counted on to make an immediate impact.
 
“Practices are very competitive and very up-tempo right now,” Clarion's 24^th year head coach Gie Parsons, the school's all-time win leader with 328, said. “The young players are definitely pushing the veteran players. We could definitely see some of the young players playing key roles for us.”
 
The Golden Eagles will not get a complete feel for how their team will look until the conclusion of Clarion's volleyball season. That's because Heeter is also a key member of that volleyball squad, which has aspirations for an NCAA playoff berth. Volleyball ends its regular season this weekend, but it could be a few weeks before Heeter joins the basketball team depending on volleyball's playoff run.
 
When she does get into basketball mode, Clarion will have one of the top rookies from last year in the mix.
 
Heeter was the only freshman in NCAA Division I or Division II to average a double-double for the season last year (13.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg) and she led the PSAC in both rebounding and shooting (59.3 percent) while ranking second in NCAA Division II in shooting and eighth in rebounding. She was even stronger down the stretch last season averaging 16.8 points and 14.3 rebounds per contest in her final 14 games while recording 12 double-doubles during that stretch including a pair of 20-20 games, which tied the school single-season and career record for 20-20s.   
 
“She pretty much has it all,” Parsons said. “She can handle the ball, she can go rim-to-rim with ease. She is a great rebounder, and she has good post moves.”
 
Heeter, who also led the team with 47 steals and 32 blocks while adding 43 assists, will have plenty of familiar faces around her as well as some new ones.
 
The returning veterans including five juniors who have seen significant playing time the last two seasons including guards Emma Fickel, Raven Jones and Mackenzie Clark, swing person Lauren Savulchak and forward Ann Deibert.
 
Fickel was Clarion's second-leading scorer last season (11.7 ppg) while hitting a team-leading 65 3-pointers. She ranks sixth in school history with 154 made three's and has scored 651 points in two years.
 
 “Emma is a great catch-and-shoot player,” Parsons said.
 
Jones was the starting point guard a year ago and had 139 assists, the fifth most in a season in school history while averaging 9.1 ppg. Her 5.3 apg were second in the PSAC and 15^th in the nation. She ranks ninth in school history with 248 assists and third with 4.8 apg and also shot 42 percent from the field last year. But Jones also turned the ball over 168 times last year, and that is one of the reasons the Golden Eagles are moving her to the off-guard spot, a position Parsons believes is more suited for her.
 
 “She will be fine in making the transition,” Parsons said. “She has solid range and is a very strong and quick player. Her defense has been great.”
 
Deibert was Clarion's second-leading rebounder (5.7 rpg) and fourth-leading scorer a season ago. An NCAA Division II Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 first-team award winner last year, she has nearly 500 career points (474) while adding 305 rebounds.
 
“She is a smart player who knows the game,” Parsons said. “She is also left-handed, which adds a different dimension.”
 
Clark averaged 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while Savulchak, coming off an injury, averaged 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.
 
Freshmen who could make immediate impacts are guards Mariah Gador and Tania Holmes and swing person Jasmine Boyd.
 
Holmes, from outside of Boston, scored over 1,000 career points and was a Greater Boston League All-Star as a senior.
 
“She is battling to start at point guard,” Parsons said. “She has another gear, and is a good on-ball defender. She can also finish at the rim and is a good 3-point shooter. She is getting the feel for the college game right now, and we are looking for her to be more assertive.”
 
Gador, from Cincinnati, averaged 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a senior while being named Honorable Mention Ohio District 16.
 
“She is the fastest player on the team,” Parsons said. “She has good range and is a hard worker. She is still learning the fundamentals.”  
 
Boyd from the Baltimore/Washington area, was an Honorable Mention Washington Catholic Athletic Association performer a year ago and had 771 points and 337 rebounds in her career.
 
“She wants to be an All-American,” Parsons said. “She is a physical player who has a mid-range jumper. Her penetration off the dribble is money. She can play in the post as well.”
 
Two additional freshmen guards the coaches are high on are Leisha Crawford and Alexa Gerchman.
 
Crawford, from Ohio, helped her team to the Ohio Final Four last year and scored 1,023 career points to go with 577 rebounds. Last season, she averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game.
 
“She is a fast and quick player,” Parsons said. “She has a solid mid-range game as well. She is working on her decision making as a point guard.”
 
Gerchman, from Dunmore, helped her team to a PIAA Class AA runner-up finish as a junior and scored 787 points to go with 435 rebounds, 387 assists and 266 steals in her high-school career. Last year, she was the Lackawanna Division II Co-player of the Year after averaging 11 points, 5.3 rebounds. 4.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game.
 
“She is a developing point guard,” Parsons said. “She is a smart player who would go through a wall for us.”
 
With such a deep roster, Parsons could envision the Golden Eagles pushing the tempo at times.
 
“We have the depth to be an up-tempo team,” Parsons said.  
 
NOTES – Clarion is picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West. This year, for the first time, the top six teams from both the PSAC West and PSAC East will qualify for the PSAC playoffs. Last year, the top four teams qualified … In 2012, Clarion finished 7-19 overall and 6-16 in the PSAC West … Clarion opens its home season at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 vs. Pitt-Johnstown. The PSAC season tips off at 1 p.m. Dec. 1 when Shippensburg visits Tippin Gym … Parsons, a four-time PSAC West Coach of the Year (2008, 2005, 1992, 1991), a two-time District/Region Coach of the Year (2005, 1991) and a Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame – Western Chapter Hall of Famer, is 328-305 at Clarion and 438-378 in 31 years as a head coach including eight at Thiel.