#11 Mines (0-0) vs. St. Mary's (0-0) – Friday, 7 p.m. – Denver, Colo. (Regis University) [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#11 Mines (0-0) vs. St. Edward's (0-0) – Saturday, 6 p.m. – Denver, Colo. (Regis University) [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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DAWN OF A NEW SEASON
The #11-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team officially opens its 2021-22 campaign this weekend at the conference challenge hosted this season by Regis University. Mines begins the year on Friday at 7 p.m. by taking on St. Mary's of the Lone Star Conference. The Orediggers continue opening weekend on Saturday with a showdown against St. Edward's, also of the Lone Star Conference. The host Rangers and fellow member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play the same opponents in reverse order.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Regis University requires all fans to wear masks at basketball games inside Regis Field House regardless of vaccination status.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The RMAC Network has relaunched for 2021-22, and fans used to watching on their smart TV or other device must download the new app by searching "RMAC" in your device's app store. The new watch portal is available online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or www.rmacnetwork.com. All Mines home games and both games this weekend will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network this fall.
 
RUNNING WITH THE BUFFS
Mines played a preseason exhibition against the University of Colorado on Nov. 1 in Boulder. The Orediggers dropped a 63-52 decision after a 26-point surge in the fourth quarter. Mines also won the first quarter by a 15-12 margin. However, CU limited their guests to four points in the second quarter and seven points in the third quarter. Nobody for the Buffs scored in double digits. Denali Pinto led all players with 11 points.
 
LAST SEASON REVIEW
Last season was a historic one for Mines. The Orediggers went 17-3 overall while posting a conference record of 14-3 which clinched the second RMAC title in program history. Mines was also selected as the #1 seed for the West Region Tournament before the season came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19 protocols. Head Coach Brittany Simpson was crowned RMAC Coach of the Year after guiding her team to the highest national ranking in program history in both the media (#11) and coaches' (#21) polls. Coach Simpson also became the winningest coach in program history. The Orediggers also broke program records for best winning percentage in a season and fewest points against average, limiting the opposition to just 55.0 points per game. Individually, Denali Pinto surpassed 1,000 points for her career and broke the single-season record for free-throw percentage at 88.5% on the season.
 
SCOUTING ST. MARY'S
St. Mary's, out of San Antonio, Texas, and the Lone Star Conference, finished the 2020-21 campaign with an overall record of 6-9 while going 6-8 in LSC play. The Rattlers bowed out of the conference tournament in the first round to eventual National Champion Lubbock Christian. This season, St. Mary's played an exhibition at UTEP which the Rattlers lost 83-45. Hannah Wilson was the visitor's top performer with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Overall, St. Mary's returns all five starters from the 2020-21 season including fifth-year seniors in Wilson and Mya Culiver.
 
SCOUTING ST. EDWARD'S
St. Edward's hails from Austin, Texas, and the Lone Star Conference as well. In 2020-21, the Hilltoppers finished 6-9 in a conference-only schedule. They did not appear in the LSC Tournament and had their last two games of the season canceled. This year, SEU played an exhibition at Rice in Houston, Texas, where the Hilltoppers dropped an 84-41 decision. Haley Blankinship had 11 points in the preseason showdown. St. Edward's lost its top four scorers from last season. However, the Hilltoppers do return senior player Sammie Defek who blocked 26 shots and had 15 steals in 15 games while scoring 6.9 points and grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines is 0-2 in the all-time series against St. Mary's The Orediggers and Rattlers first played in 1997. St. Mary's won that game at home by a score of 53-49. The last meeting between the two teams was on Nov. 19, 2016, in Lubbock, Texas. Mines also lost that contest by a score of 75-61. Saturday's opponent is far more familiar. Mines and St. Edward's are deadlocked at 2-2 in their rivalry. The Orediggers and Hilltoppers have faced off every opening weekend since 2016 which does not include the 2020-21 season which saw its scheduling impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mines last played St. Edward's in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 9, 2019 where the Orediggers dropped a 73-65 contest. The overall series features two straight wins for Mines to start it while SEU has won the last two showdowns.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Mines' 2021-22 slate features some challenges with a little spice as well. After this coming weekend, the Orediggers open their home slate on Thursday, Nov. 18, against Eastern New Mexico. Mines then travels to #15 Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday, Nov. 20. Coach Simpson decided to close her non-conference schedule in style by taking the team to Puerto Rico over Thanksgiving where they will face Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras and Puerto-Rico Baymon. Mines opens RMAC play on Tuesday, Nov. 30, by hosting Regis inside Lockridge Arena.
 
THE ROSTER
Coach Simpson and the Orediggers return all but two players from their 2020-21 RMAC Champion squad. That makes 11 veterans coming back for more including Mines' starting five of Ashley Steffeck, Liz Holter, Denali Pinto, Sammy Van Sickle and Courtney Stanton. Pinto earned First-Team All-RMAC honors in 2020-21 while Stanton and Van Sickle were Second-Team All-RMAC. Liz Holter and Ashley Steffeck earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC. Additional returners for Mines include McKale Grant, Loralee Stock, Josephine Howery, Shelby Nichols, Quincey Baum and Megan Van de Graaf. The lone newcomer and true freshman for the 2021-22 Orediggers is Jenna Siebert out of Parker, Colo., and Valor Christian High School.
 
SIMPSON'S SEASON OPENERS
Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson is entering her 10th season at the helm for the Orediggers. Since the 2012-13 campaign, Simpson boasts a record of 4-5 in season openers. However, Mines has only opened one season at home since 2015. Her most recent win in a season opener was last year on a 75-49 non-conference victory at MSU Denver. Prior to that, Simpson guided Mines to a season-opening win in 2018 thanks to a 53-40 victory over UAFS out of the Lone Star Conference.
 
1K AND COUNTING
Senior guard Denali Pinto hit the 1,000-point milestone last season thanks to 22 points against Fort Lewis on Dec. 19. She became the 10th Oredigger in the history of the women's program to surge into quadruple-digit career numbers. Pinto finished the season with 265 points at 13.9 points per game. The Boulder, Colo., native also owns the program's single-season scoring record thanks to 578 points as a sophomore in 2019-20. She currently ranks #6 on Mines' all-time scoring list with 1,227. She needs just 238 points to become the all-time leading scorer in program history. Also notable is Courtney Stanton who sits just 232 points away from the milestone.
 
PRESEASON POLLS
For the first time in program history, the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team will start the season nationally-ranked. The Orediggers appeared tied for #23 in the coaches' poll earlier this fall. Most recently, Mines debuted at #11 in the media poll. The media poll ranking matches the Orediggers' highest ranking ever at any point during a season. Coach Simpson and the Orediggers are the only team from the RMAC to appear in the preseason top-25. They were also picked to win the RMAC again by the conference coaches in late October.
 
2021-22 RMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Colorado School of Mines (11) – 190
2. Colorado Mesa (2) – 164
3. MSU Denver – 151
4. Western Colorado (1) – 150
5. Westminster – 147
6. CSU Pueblo (1) – 134
7. Black Hills State – 116
8. South Dakota Mines – 110
9. Regis – 102
10. Colorado Christian – 71
t11. Adams State – 66
t11. Fort Lewis – 66
t11. UCCS 66
14. Chadron State – 25
15. New Mexico Highlands – 17
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
As fall campaigns enter the postseason and winter sports begin their championship season, Mines boasts an overall record of 56-12-5 in traditional, head-to-head competition. The Orediggers did not hit double-digit losses until last Wednesday. In conference play, Mines touts a combined record of 39-5-2 including two conference titles thus far in men's cross country and men's soccer. All 11 Oredigger varsity teams are nationally ranked with men's cross country leading the way at #1 in the nation. To cap it all off, Mines has claimed 26 RMAC Player of the Week honors and 24 total All-RMAC awards including 13 First-Team All-RMAC performers. It's been said before and it'll be stated again, not too bad for a bunch of nerds.
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers continue their season with their home opener on Nov. 18 against Eastern New Mexico at 5:30 p.m. Tickets will be available online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets, or at the door. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.