The 29-game slate includes 15 home dates and match-ups with eight teams that played in postseason tournaments in 2010. The club starts off the season by playing its first eight games in the state of North Carolina.

The Catamounts will tip-off against four teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament, including North Carolina, James Madison, Florida State and 2010 Southern Conference Tournament Champion Chattanooga. East Carolina and Samford were in the 2010 Postseason WNIT and Appalachian State and College of Charleston were in the Women's Basketball Invitational.

"Our schedule includes eight teams that made postseason appearances last year, which will prepare us for a tough Southern Conference slate," Middleton said. "I'm very excited about our team's challenging schedule this season and the number of great home match-ups we will have for our fans at the Ramsey Center."

Western Carolina opens the season with a November 5 exhibition game against Asbury University out of Wilmore, Ky. The game will pit sister vs. sister as Catamount senior guard Kendra Carroll will play opposite her sister Laura Carroll, a sophomore for the Eagles.

"I have never played against my sister, she has always been on my side of the court," Carroll said. "It is definitely going to be different, but I am going to enjoy the experience in playing against her in my final year of playing basketball at Western Carolina."

Non-conference home games begin with the University of Richmond on November 12 followed by a match-up with East Carolina November 14. The Catamounts will also welcome Florida State (December 4), Charlotte (December 8) and Colorado State (December 28). Western Carolina's Southern Conference home-slate begins with a November 29 game against Samford.

The Catamounts will head out on the road to face non-conference opponents UNC Asheville (November 17), North Carolina (November 21), Georgia State (December 8) and James Madison (December 30). The schedule also includes 20 home-and-home contests with Southern Conference opponents.

"From top to bottom the SoCon continues to get better each year. Last season alone, we sent four teams to postseason play," Middleton said. "This year's Catamount team is a mix of skilled, experienced returners and five eager newcomers. We look forward to growing as a team and putting ourselves in position to compete for a championship."