Nov. 18, 2012

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham women's basketball team will search for its first 3-0 start in 17 seasons on Sunday, when the Rams face-off against the Delaware State Hornets in the home opener for the Rams. After opening 2-0 on the road last weekend, Fordham hopes to continue its winning ways at the Rose Hill Gym, as the last time Fordham was 3-0 was the start of the 1995-96 season, when the Rams began 4-0. Delaware State enters the contest at 0-2 after a 69-50 loss to St. Francis College on Friday night.

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SERIES HISTORY: This is just the second all-time meeting between the Rams and the Hornets. Fordham won the only meeting which came last season at Delaware State. Behind 19 points from Abigail Corning and a nine-point, 10-rebound effort from Charlotte Stoddart, Fordham topped the Hornets, 63-48, at Memorial Hall Gymnasium in Dover, Delaware. Fordham shot 50% from the field in that game, which included connecting on 10 three-pointers.

SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE: The Hornets are 0-2 this season, having lost to Kentucky, 90-50 on November 10th, while falling to St. Francis (NY) College, 69-50, on Friday night. The Hornets are coached by first-year head coach Tamika Louis, and bring back all five starters from a year ago and 11 players overall.

Thus far, Tierra Hawkins has scored 45 of the Hornets' 100 points this season, averaging 22.5 points, as well as 8.5 rebounds. Deanna Harmon is also averaging in double figures at 11.5 points per game, while having a team-high five steals. In the team's last game, Hawkins had a double-double with 17 points and 11 boards to lead the Hornets' effort.

FORDHAM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HONORED WITH THE KEEN NEW YORK PROUD PARTNERS AWARD (11/15): On November 15th, the Fordham Athletic Department and the Fordham women's basketball team were honored by the Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) organization with the KEEN New York Proud Partner Award for 2012. The special recognition was accepted by Fordham's assistant women's basketball coach Salee Johnson-Edwards at the KEENfest event, the program's annual fundraising gala, held at Helen Mills on West 26th Street. KEEN is a non-profit organization that provides one-on-one recreational activities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities.

The KEEN New York Proud Partner Award is presented in appreciation of a group's leadership, dedication and continuing support for KEEN New York, where the group's volunteers serve as coaches for KEEN's young athletes with disabilities.

The Fordham student-athletes have developed a strong partnership with KEEN New York over the past year, sending dedicated volunteers who not only helped KEEN New York to continue to grow in the group's first expansion program in the Bronx, but also furthered KEEN's reach in events like the upcoming KEEN Night at the Rose Hill Gym in correlation with the women's basketball game against Manhattan College on Wednesday, November 28th.

The Fordham women's basketball team sent a number of players to a function in May, where members of the Fordham squad were paired up in groups of two student-athletes per child and engaged in recreational sports with the KEEN participants as well as working on various arts and crafts projects.

The goal was to provide the youngsters with companionship and allow them to partake in physical fitness activities. This is consistent with KEEN's mission to foster the self-esteem, confidence, skills and talents of its athletes through non-competitive activities, allowing young people facing even the most significant challenges to meet their individual goals.

To find out more about KEEN, visit their website at http://www.keennewyork.org.

O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Fordham will have a set of tri-captains for the 2012-13 season in the form of graduate student Marah Strickland and juniors Erin Rooney and Abigail Corning. WHO'S NEXT: Fordham will return to the road on Wednesday, November 21st, as Fordham has its first Jesuit Basketball Spotlight game against the University of San Francisco at 10:00 PM (ET). Fordham remains on the road with a contest against the University of the Pacific following Thanksgiving on Friday, November 23rd, before heading home for a match-up with Manhattan College on Wednesday, November 28th.