The Clarion University men’s and women’s basketball teams open up PSAC-West play with a trip to California Wednesday. The women’s game starts at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m.

The Golden Eagle men enter the game with a 10-3 record, while Cal’s men are 12-5.

Clarion, under 15^th-year head coach Dr. Ron Righter, is off to the school’s best start since the 1998-1999 team started 14-1 despite having to replace 76 percent of its scoring and 78.3 percent of its rebounding from a year ago.

"So far our rookies have meshed well with our veterans, and everyone is giving 110%," Righter said. "We are excited to be starting conference play, and to begin with California, who we have had some great games with over the last few years, will be a great test for us. They are a very talented team."

Clarion has used a good mix of veterans and freshmen to build the 10-3 record. Senior guard Rollie Smith is third in the PSAC and tops in the PSAC-West in scoring averaging 20.1 ppg to go with 5.4 rpg, 4.2 apg and 1.4 spg. Smith was named the PSAC-West Player of the Week this past week after averaging 21.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 5.0 apg as the Eagles lost to Cheyney 84-79 in overtime Saturday before beating Kutztown 64-61 Sunday. Smith scored a career-high 28 points in the Cheyney game while recording his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 rebounds to go with seven assists in the Kutztown game. In the Kutztown game, Smith became just the sixth player in school history to record 400 career assists (405) and the third player to have at least 1,000 career points (1,167) and 400 career assists while at Clarion.

Senior guard Dereck Rankin is adding 12.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.7 spg. He scored a career-high 25 points in the loss to Cheyney and has scored 20 or more points in three of his past five games.

Freshman guard Terrance Vaughns, who hails from Uniontown and will be making a homecoming of sorts, averages 11.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 2.7 apg, while fellow freshman, forward Shamar Green, is adding 10.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg. Senior forward/guard Chris Kelley is chipping in with 9.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.5 apg and 2.0 spg. The 6-2 Kelley had a career-high 18 rebounds in the Kutztown game.

California is led by guards Ishmieal Kamara (16.3 ppg, 3.0 apg) and Ryan Stefanski (12.8 ppg) as well as forwards Tom Frederick (12.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Michael Johnson (11.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg).

The Vulcans are coming off two wins over the weekend (East Stroudsburg 92-84, Bloomsburg 84-71).

The Golden Eagle women’s team enters the game at 9-5 and winners of four in a row. Clarion won three times last week beating Pitt-Greensburg 69-53 Wednesday, Cheyney 63-45 Saturday and Kutztown 61-44 Sunday.

California enters the game at 14-0, and the Vulcans are riding a 17-game regular-season win streak. California is ranked No. 1 in the East Region and in the top five in the nation.

"We are excited about starting conference play," Clarion head coach "Gie" Parsons said. "California will be a real test. They have a very good team with a lot of talented players."

The Golden Eagles are led by sophomore forward Heather Cigich (18.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.1 spg, 2.0 apg). Cigich has six double-doubles in Clarion’s 14 games this season giving her 19 career double-doubles in 40 games. With 255 points so far this season, Cigich has amassed 567 career points in just 1 ½ seasons, an average of 14.2 ppg. She also has 376 rebounds, an average of 9.4 rpg.

Senior guard Allison Stodart is adding 11.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.0 spg. She has hit 205 career three-pointers and is just three shy of moving into a tie with Rachel Steinbugl for third in school history in three-pointers made.

Senior center Courtney Willman is adding 8.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg, and she has 539 career rebounds, the 11^th most in school history.

Tameka Washington, a senior guard, is chipping in 6.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.1 apg and 2.0 spg, sophomore guard Amelia Harris is adding 6.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg, junior forward Sher-ree Glover is scoring 5.9 ppg while grabbing 4.0 rpg, senior guard Jen Duhnke has 5.4 ppg and 3.8 apg and Kate Bekelja is adding 5.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg.

California is led by junior forward Becky Siembak, a transfer from Slippery Rock, who is averaging 19.5 ppg and 1.6 ppg, sophomore guard Sara McKinney (14.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg), junior forward Sameera Philyaw (12.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and freshman guard Megan Storck (8.8 ppg, 3.5 apg).

The Vulcans are coming off a weekend sweep of East Stroudsburg (84-46) and Bloomsburg (88-65) and are outscoring their opponents 80.2 ppg to 52.0 ppg while outrebounding them 44.6 rpg to 29.5 rpg.

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES: Clarion returns to action Saturday when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown ... The women’s game is at 5 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 7 p.m. ... The Golden Eagles open up PSAC-West home play next Wednesday when they host Slippery Rock ... The women’s game is at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m.