Logan Hanson

Updated: July 01, 2020

ATHENS, W.Va. (BVM) — Concord University’s Riley Fitzwater is known in basketball circles as an all-around player, being as efficient on offense as she is menacing on defense. However, Fitzwater herself may take more pride in her defense and this is evident by her nickname, “FitSWATer” for her propensity to block away opponents shots.

“I just love doing it. It brings a smile to my face almost every time I do it,” Fitzwater said.

The 6-foot-4 center has established herself nationally on the NCAA Division II level, leading the nation in blocks last season with 126 and being second in blocks per game with 4.2. In just three seasons with the Mountain Lions, “FitSWATer” has lived up to her name, blocking a school-record 367 shots. But if opponents come into the game preparing just for Fitzwater’s defense, they will be sorely mistaken.

On top of her ability to send opponent’s attempts away from the basket, FItzwater has had an uncanny ability to make her shots find the bottom of the net. Using an array of shots from drop steps to jumpers, Fitzwater has become so good at making most of her shots that she’s currently the all-time leader in field goal percentage at the DII level. Fitzwater’s 67.9% from the field is currently 0.3% higher than current record holder Deidre Williams from Valdosta State with one season left in her career. It’s not as if her success has been limited only to a certain season either, as Fitzwater has been consistently putting up big numbers throughout her career.

“It’s crazy to think about really,” Fitzwater said. “I don’t let it get in my head though, I’m not really focused on that when I’m playing. … It’s my strong suit, just layups, that’s what I have been doing for so long.”

After committing to the Mountain Lions in the fall of 2016, Fitzwater led her Gilmer County High School team to a 42-41 Class A state championship victory over perennial powerhouse Huntington St. Joseph Prep with 11 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks. Although she was not heavily recruited coming out of high school, playing just one season on an AAU team before college, the West Virginia native knew she wanted to play in her home state.

“Concord was really interested and so I went on a visit and I liked it a lot,” Fitzwater said. “I did want to stay in West Virginia, but I wanted to get a little bit away from home, but not a lot. I did know I wanted to stay in West Virginia.”

Fitzwater had a feeling that when she decided to join the college ranks that her height could be used to her advantage. When she was told she was one of the tallest girls in Division II, it didn’t come as a surprise.

“I kind of figured,” Fitzwater said. “I don’t ever pass anybody in Walmart that’s a girl who’s my size. I just kind of expected it to be how it is honestly.”

As the tallest girl in the Mountain East Conference the moment she arrived on campus, Fitzwater hit the ground running, quickly establishing herself as a player the college had never seen before. 

She recorded the program’s first 20-20 game in December of her freshman year after scoring 26 points and grabbing 21 rebounds in an overtime win against West Virginia State. During another stretch where she averaged just under a triple-double, Fitzwater was awarded the United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week. On the season, Fitzwater averaged a double-double with 13.9 points and 11.8 rebounds and was named All-MEC Second Team.

“I didn’t expect to play much my freshman year, but I don’t know the coach just kind of threw me in there,” Fitzwater said. “It was crazy actually. I wasn’t expecting it. The speed was a lot faster, but I don’t know (people) are bigger and stronger in college than they are in high school so it was very different.”

To counter, Fitzwater decided to hit the weight room. Through weightlifting, Fitzwater not only gained more strength, she built up her ability to dominate in the post.

“I had stronger moves and matched up a little bit easier than what I used to be able to. I feel that lifting kind of helped,” Fitzwater said.

For her sophomore year, Fitzwater etched herself in Mountain Lions history in another big game against West Virginia State where she recorded the program’s first-ever triple-double after scoring 10 points, grabbing 20 rebounds and blocking 11 shots.

“That is definitely my favorite,” Fitzwater said. “Not to brag, but I probably had 20 triple-doubles in high school because they count blocks a little easier in high school. It’s a lot harder to get in college. That’s definitely my biggest achievement.”

That season, Fitzwater again averaged a double-double with 12.7 points and 10.9 rebounds and shot 65.7% from the field while helping the Mountain Lions win the most games in a season in program history with 23.

Last year, Fitzwater further established herself in program history while leading the Mountain Lions to a second straight season with over 20 wins. Fitzpatrick recorded the program’s second triple-double with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks against West Virginia State. In January, Fitzpatrick scored her 1,000th career point with the Mountain Lions against West Virginia Wesleyan. In March, she grabbed her 1,000th career rebound against Urbana during the MEC Tournament, making her only the third member of the program’s 1,000-1,000 club. 

“It’s a real honor. I’m really excited about it,” Fitzwater said.

In the first minute of the game, @CU_WBB's Riley Fitzwater became the third player in program history with 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds pic.twitter.com/EbJEbYYSux

— CUMountainlions (@cumountainlions) March 6, 2020

Although her on-court success has already changed Mountain Lions history forever, it’s not as if Fitzwater’s abilities have been limited to the boundaries of Concord University’s stat sheets.

In each of her three seasons with the Mountain Lions, Fitzwater has ended the year leading the nation in at least one statistical category. During her freshman year, Fitzwater led the nation in shooting percentage at 70.9%. For her sophomore season, Fitzwater led the nation in blocked shots per game with 4.3. Last season, Fitzwater again finished the year with the best field goal percentage in the country shooting 67.4%. For each of her top placing finishes, Fitzwater and the school was given a plaque commemorating the achievement.

“It means a lot,” Fitzwater said. “I’m really excited they do that and they keep up with all those stats.”

.@CU_WBB's Riley Fitzwater Named NCAA Division II Statistical Champion in Field Goal Percentage https://t.co/3hrMeyk8mB

— CUMountainlions (@cumountainlions) April 17, 2020

Although she has been one of the nation’s most significant statistical leaders the past three seasons, Fitzwater feels disrespected. Fitzwater has yet to be named first team All-MEC, yet has been able to put up historic numbers within the school, the conference and the country. Fitzwater uses the snubs as motivation, making her even more determined to prove her detractors wrong.

“I think it’s crazy that the nation recognizes me before the conference coaches do,” Fitzwater said. “It angers me a little bit that the nation is more recognizing and it’s been that way since freshman year. I didn’t get freshman of the year and the person that got freshman of the year did not have any stat leads at all and it’s been that way every single year. It’s fire I guess.”

With her senior season looming, Fitzwater will look to climb up the Mountain Lions record list next year. Currently, Fitzwater sits ninth in scoring in program history with 1,260 points and seventh in career field goals made with 550 and first in career field goal percentage with her 67.9%. She is currently third on the Mountain Lions career rebounding list with 1,023 and first in rebounds per game, averaging 11.6. She is also first in career blocks with 367 and blocks per game with 4.1.

“I’m hoping to hit 500 blocks too, that’s kind of my next milestone,” Fitzwater said. “It’s kind of hard to believe. I didn’t even think I was going to play collegiate in high school like I never really considered it. I’ve just come a really long way I feel like especially if you ask my high school coach.”

Fitzwater will look to extend her streak of leading an NCAA statistical category to four straight years following her senior season. Her goal next season is to lead Division II in rebounds for a season, the one category she feels she is missing so far in her career.

“I’m striving to get (a plaque) in rebounds,” Fitzwater said. “That’s my other milestone I guess. I’m trying to get one in rebounds, one in blocks and one in scoring and I’m still working on the rebounding one.”

When Fitzwater was given the nickname “FitSWATer” at the state championship by her school’s student section, she felt the name was a perfect match. Though some of her teammates find the name corny, Fitzwater embraces it and lives it in each game she plays for the Mountain Lions.

“It’s just me and my Twitter,” Fitzwater said with a laugh. “I thought it was funny.”

Although she may be known as “FitSWATer” to her, the Twittersphere and her teammates, with the way Fitzwater has played over her first three seasons with the Mountain Lions, she will be remembered with a different title — legend.