Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina head women's basketball coach Jonathan Tsipis and his staff continue to reload the 2025-26 roster ahead of year two. The new-look Catamount roster includes eight new faces for the upcoming season, who join the four returners. Tsipis has added three transfer student-athletes to accompany the five incoming freshmen signed last fall.   

  

Betsey Burnett (Charlotte, N.C. | Johnson C. Smith), Ary Dizon (Tampa, Fla. | Cal State Bakersfield), and Ally Hollifield (Shelby, N.C. | Memphis) are all set to join Christina Bowers (Liberty, N.C.), Ellie Fryans (Weddington, N.C.), Riley Price (Blacksburg, Va.), Ellie Richardson (Scottsburg, Ind.), and Justice Zimmerman (Chapel Hill, N.C.) for the 2025-26 campaign.   

  

The eight newcomers join the returning quartet of guard Taj Hunter, post Grace Pack, guard Kehinde Obasuyi, and post Kennedy  Hilsenroth. The returners combined for 324 points, 151 rebounds, 41 assists, 40 steals, and 19 blocks across 1,093 combined minutes of game action last season for the Catamounts. 

  

  

Christina Bowers   
5-8 – Guard – Freshman   
Liberty, N.C. (Western Alamance HS)   

• Named the 2024 Central Carolina 3A Conference Player of the Year, Bowers was a three-time all-conference and two-time NCBCA All-District selection in her prep career;  

• Bowers scored over 1,500 career points as a prep;  

• Averaged 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.6 steals per game during her career. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
"Tina is an explosive shooting guard who has a quick first step and the ability to score the ball from all three levels. She is constantly working on improving her game, and I believe she will also be a tremendous defender for us as well.  She led Western Alamance High School to a North Carolina 3A State Championship this past Spring and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Tournament. "   

  

5-8 – Guard – Junior   

Charlotte, N.C. (Johnson C. Smith | South Mecklenburg HS)  

• Played in 50 games over two seasons for the Golden Bulls with 25 games started;  

• Averaged 13.6 points per game with 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assist per game average as a sophomore in Charlotte; 

• Shot 41.7% from the floor (110-of-264) and 38.3% (48-of-128) from the 3-point range; 

• Went for 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in her one appearance against an NCAA Division I opponent (at Gardner-Webb, 11/23/24);  

• As a prep senior, averaged 16.8 points per game on 62% shooting from the floor, and shot 56% from beyond the 3-point arc in her high school career. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
"Betsey is a combo guard who can create her own shot and score from 3 levels.  She has proven to be a very efficient scorer and will make those around her better.  Defensively, she has quick hands and the ability to turn defense to offense in our transition game. Keeping great North Carolina talent in states here at Western Carolina has been a priority and Betsey certainly helps us with that philosophy." 

  
 

Ary Dizon (pronounced Air-ee) 

6-1 – Forward – Graduate Student  

Tampa, Fla. (Cal State Bakersfield | Carrollwood Day School)  

• Started 32 games over two seasons at Cal State Bakersfield, including all 30 games as a senior in 2024-25 … Averaged 9.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, coming on an average of 32.3 minutes; 

• Dizon led the Roadrunners in blocked shots with 68 and ranked second on the team in steals with 32; 

• Scored a season high with 22 points and added three blocks, one steal, and nine rebounds vs Cal State Fullerton; 

• Began her college career with the Vermont Catamounts, the only other NCAA Division I Catamounts, playing in 53 games over two seasons with a 2.1 points and 1.6 rebound per game average with 36 blocked shots; 

• Scored over 1,000 career points at Carrollwood Day School, where she was a two-time state runner-up and a state champion as a junior … In addition to receiving a varsity letter in basketball for four seasons, Dizon also competed in track & field and flag football as a prep. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
" Ary brings great college experience and success at both Cal State Bakersfield and Vermont.  She has great length, versatility and shooting touch.  She is a fierce defender whose versatility allows her to block shots and get out in the passing lanes.  She will help us rebound the ball and give us a mature presence on and off the court." 

  

Ellie Fyans   
6-4 – Forward – Freshman   
Weddington, N.C. (Providence Day HS)   

• A four-year varsity letterwinner, playing in 96 career games … Averaged a career-best 6.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, finishing her career with 385 rebounds, including 194 on the offensive end, and blocked 48 shots; 

• Averaged 4.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in her junior year during her team's championship run;   

• Interested in athletic training and plans to pursue her interest through the College of Health and Sciences 

   

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
"The Catamount women's basketball family eagerly welcomes Ellie and her family. Ellie is an athletic post player who plays at one of the best high school basketball programs in North Carolina at Providence Day. Ellie scores inside with either hand around the basket and anchors the defense with her rebounding and shot-blocking ability. She has continued to get stronger each year in high school, and she will help us battle the physical posts in the Southern Conference."   

  

Ally Hollifield  

5-7 – Guard – Junior  

Shelby, N.C. (Memphis | Shelby HS)  

• Appeared in 13 games for the Tigers in 2023-24, recording her first collegiate points vs Middle Tennessee State (11/06/23) … Was named to the 2023-24 AAC All-Academic Team; 

• Had a decorated career at Shelby High where she was a two-time All-State Performer and led her team to a North Carolina 2A State Championship as a sophomore, was named the Most Outstanding Performer in the state title game; 

• Was a three-time all-conference and all-district performer … Named conference and district Player of the Year as a senior … Was dubbed the Shelby Defensive MVP in her freshman and junior seasons; 

• Surpassed 1,000 career points at the beginning of her senior year and concluded her prep career with over 1,500 points scored; 

• Posted a career stat line of 24-points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 5.4 steals per game; 

• Was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, soccer, and running cross country. 
   

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
" Ally is a tremendous shooter, who will stretch the floor with her 3 pt ability.  Defensively, she is aggressive and strong on the perimeter.  She had great team and individual success in high school, and has tremendous ties to Catamount nation.   We are thrilled that Ally had chosen to return to North Carolina to continue her college career here at Western Carolina." 

   
 

Riley Price   

6-3 – Forward – Freshman   
Blacksburg, Va. (Blacksburg HS)   

• Was a three-year varsity letter winner, Price was a two-year team captain who returned from an injury that sidelined her during her freshman season;   

• Named first-team All-District, first-team All-Region, and first-team All-Timesland; 

• Eclipsed the 1,000-career-point mark as a prep, doing so in roughly two and a half seasons; 

• Her father, JC Price, is the associate head football coach at Virginia Tech, where he was a All-America selection on defense and was a third-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 1996 and spent time with the Arizona Cardinals … her mother, the former Jenny Root, was a standout women's basketball player at Virginia Tech, scoring 1,582 career points to rank fifth in the Hokies' record book … she was inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame in 2007. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
"We are excited to welcome Riley Price and her family to the Catamount women's basketball family. Riley is a versatile post player who can score inside and out. She works hard to get good positioning inside and rebounds the ball well. She has a tremendous work ethic and personality that will be infectious to her teammates. Both of Riley's parents were elite college athletes at Virginia Tech, with her mom being in the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame for women's basketball and her father playing football at Tech before playing in the NFL."   

   
Ellie Richardson    
5-8 – Guard – Freshman   
Scottsburg, Ind. (Scottsburg HS)   

• Four-year varsity letter winner who eclipsed the 1,000-career point plateau, finishing with 1,601 career points scored, including a career-best 523 as a senior to earn first-team IBCA / Franciscan Health Girls "Supreme 15" All-State honors … Was named first-team All Mid-Southern Conference; 

• In addition to scoring over 1,500 career points, ranks second on the all-time assists list at Scottsburg High with 502 career helpers … Pulled down 505 career rebounds, including 119 on the offensive glass, while adding 175 career steals; 

• Averaged a career-best 21.8 points per game as a senior, playing over 30 minutes per contest;   

• Had 163 assists her junior year, the fourth-most in a single season;  

• Selected to the Junior Indiana All Star Game;  

• Selected second-team All-State by the Indiana Coaches of Girl's Sports Association her sophomore year;  

• Played for the Indiana Elite Drive Basketball AAU team. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:   
"The Catamount women's basketball family is elated to welcome Ellie and her family. Ellie is an elite, left-handed point guard who can score, as well as put her teammates in position to succeed. She has a high basketball IQ and will help us play with the high pace we desire. She is a winner in both high school and AAU and comes from a great basketball family.  She was named 1st team all state as a senior in Indiana and was the leading scorer in both the HBCA and the Hoosier Gym All-Star Classic this Spring."   
 
 

Justice Zimmerman   
5-10 – Forward – Freshman   
Chapel Hill, N.C. (Durham School of the Arts / NCGBB Academy)   

• Played the most games in the history of the NC Good Better Best Academy; 

• Named NCBBB National Team Captain in 2024-25; 

• Won the 2023-24 CAASC State Championship; 

• Two-time NC GBB Defensive Most Outstanding Performer (2022-23, 2023-24); 

• Three-time CAASC TAC All-Conference selection (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24); 

• Was part of winning two CAASC TAC Conference Championships; 

• Won the 2022-23 CAASC TAC Conference Championship and was a CAASC TAC All-Conference selection;   

• 2021-22 NCSAA Division 2 National Championship; 

• 2020-21 NC GBB Founding Season Player Award and received the 2020-21 NC GBB Coaches Award. 

  

What Coach Tsip has to say:    
"We are pleased that Justice and her family will be joining our Catamount women's basketball family. Justice is a fierce competitor who is a highly-skilled 3-point shooter who can also score the ball inside. Justice is an elite and active defender who has been the communication leader in both her high school and AAU program. She also comes from a basketball family with her father having a successful overseas career after starring at Charlotte."