The Lady Hawks officially open the season Friday afternoon in the first of two games at the annual GSC/SSC Conference Challenge, hosted at Lee University this year. Shorter joins Lee from the GSC; and both will take on Florida Southern and St. Leo at Walker Arena on the Lee campus.

Shorter enters the year as the GSC head coaches' pick to finish 12th in the 14-team league, and will look to better that prediction and their 8-19 record from a year ago.

In doing so, the Lady Hawks will use a team that is an even balance of newcomers and returners. From last year's roster are Roni Richardson, Jordan McCarver, BreAnna Thompson, Denise Newton, Raven Fair, Grace Keheley and Jackie Hudson. While the newcomers list includes two transfers, a sophomore and five freshmen.

Fair was second on the team in points per game last year, averaging 9.1 points per outing; playing in all 26 games and making 23 starts. She was also second in rebounds per game with five each time out.

Thompson made three starts last season, averaging 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds. Richardson added 2.9 points per outing, McCarver chipped in with three points per game and was second on the team in 3-point percentage (.325). Hudson turned in 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game; while Newton saw action in 12 games with 1.8 points, and Keheley played in nine games.

Bianca Thornton and Jasmine Gaines were tabbed as the Lady Hawks' newcomers to watch in the GSC preseason release. Thornton is a graduate transfer from Edwards Waters College; where she led the Tigers last season with 13.5 points per game in 28 games. Gaines comes to Shorter after a prep career at The Potter's House Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla.

Shorter looked solid in its final tune-up for the season Tuesday evening as they topped crosstown rival, Berry College, 75-40. 

Tied at 17 at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Hawks came alive; outscoring the Vikings 23-3 through the second ten minutes, taking a 40-20 lead into the intermission. The third continued in the same fashion as Shorter set the pace for play, adding to their lead by again outscoring Berry by nearly twenty points (25-8) to make it a 65-28 game heading into the final frame. Where the Vikings added 12 points, with all but four coming at the free throw line. The Lady Hawks tacked on ten for the 75-40 score.

Gaines led the offense with 21 points on the night; while four other players joined her in double-figures. Thornton chipped in with 15, Richardson finished with 12, and both, Newton and Tatum Ragsdale added 10 apiece.

The Lady Hawks' home opener is Nov. 15 vs. Carver College. The team then has a pair of non-conference road games at Carson-Newman and Clayton State on Nov. 21 and Nov. 27, respectively. Before opening the GSC slate at home against West Georgia on Nov. 30.