MURFREESBORO - The Chowan University women's basketball team is set to start the 2010-2011 season this Saturday when Mount Olive College comes to town for a 2:00pm tip off in the Helms Center. The Hawks, under the direction of 7th year skipper Patrick Mashuda, will hit the hardcourt after nearly four weeks of preseason practice. Chowan is coming off a 9-17 season and a 5th place CIAA divisional finish. (Follow the game at Game Day Central via live stats, webcast, livestream.)

The Hawks return three out five starters that will help them in their season quest for success in a very tough basketball conference in the CIAA. That trio is led by last year's CIAA Rookie of the Year, Talaya Lynch. Lynch put up just over 11 points an outing last season. Ransheda Jennings returns as the team's leading scorer. She dropped just over 14 points an outing and had a team-high 49 steals. With three years of experience under her belt, point guard Najah Harris will enter her fourth year guiding the Hawks up and down the floor. Harris contributed 9.8 points a game last year to go with 102 season assists. Last year's sixth player off the bench, Brittany Nicholson, will also give the team much needed experience to compete with the teams on the 2010-11 playing schedule.

Chowan will debut a strong freshman class on Saturday that will have an immediate impact on the overall success of the program. 

Tip off for Saturday's game with Mount Olive College is set for 2:00pm. It will be held at the Helms Center on the campus of Chowan University. Mount Olive finished last year with a 16-11 overall record and played well on the road with a 9-5 road record.