Women's Basketball 26-27

[ucmjennies]

Who's up for some hoops talk in August? I'm eager for the upcoming season to get underway, 2 months from tomorrow and the Wisconsin Dells Tourney starts. There will be some good matchups taking place there. It seems like a lot of the top tier talent graduated/transferred so I would expect to see some of the top teams of the past few years take a step back (GVSU, Mankato State, TWU, IUP)

I have my eyes on Bentley, Cal Poly Pomona, and Pitt State this season. Those 3 teams return a lot of experience but they will need to work on their offense (less so for Pitt State) if they want to be successful. UW-Parkside returns 4 starters and should hopefully take step up in the GLIAC. Central Missouri loses their do it all player in Reese Schaaf who will be impossible to replace, Mankato loses 7 seniors and D2 Honda Athlete of the Year, Natalie Bremer. I'm excited to see what coach Thiese does with a new squad. What team/teams do you think will compete in 26-27?

[Bballfan]

Players are on campus now so I will bite!

I expect Drury to be the best in the GLVC. They return a lot. Not sure how good nationally but I do expect them to be one of the better teams in the Midwest region.

GLIAC going to look a lot different. Grand Valley did lose a lot of players (including an assistant coach). They have 10 redshirt or true freshman. Ferris State lost a lot too. Pulled in a number of transfers from Saginaw Valley, who lost a lot of players when they retained their coach. UW-Parkside definitely could make an impact this year. They are hard to beat on their home floor too! Also Northern Michigan I think will be pretty good.

GMAC. A LOT of coaching turnover in the GMAC. FIVE new coaches in the GMAC (ODU, Findlay, Tiffin, Malone, Lake Erie). Look for Walsh to make a statement in the GMAC. They return a number of players and got a transfer from Wisconsin. That's Big Ten Wisconsin, not the state.

Elsewhere I know PSAC schools Gannon and IUP lost a lot. I still think they will be good, but not nationally good.

[ucmjennies]

Season starts a month from today!

[ucmjennies]

https://themiaa.com/news/2026/10/6/j...son-polls.aspx

The Jennies are preseason favorites in the MIAA, followed by Fort Hays State.

[MSU ALUM]

Likely to be a rebuilding year for Mn. State in the NSIC, with the loss to graduation of Bremer and other seniors. Not sure what teams will be contending this season.

[ucmjennies]

https://northernsun.org/news/2026/10...ches-poll.aspx

The Mavs are selected preseason #1 in the NSIC.

[laker]

https://northernsun.org/news/2026/10...ches-poll.aspx

The Mavs are selected preseason #1 in the NSIC.

Lost seven seniors and the POTY in D2. Only one senior. Green as grass. This is based on last year's accomplishment in the regular season. Just gasoline to add to the fire for opponents.

[ucmjennies]

https://gnacsports.com/news/2026/10/...ches-poll.aspx

Western Washington and Central Washington are picked 1st and 2nd respectively.

[ucmjennies]

Lost seven seniors and the POTY in D2. Only one senior. Green as grass. This is based on last year's accomplishment in the regular season. Just gasoline to add to the fire for opponents.

I agree, the #1 ranking is based on last year. I am excited for the new team to prove itself though. I think if they stay healthy, they could make a decent run in the region.

[Bballfan]

The GMAC released its preseason rankings...

Northwood Tops Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll - Great Midwest Athletic Conference

I am not so sure about Northwood. They lost their All-American guard and one of the best players in the nation. I would be more inclined to say Walsh is the team to lookout for in that league. Got a good core of returning players and transfer from Wisconsin (you don't see a Big Ten player going to a D2 school too often).

[ucmjennies]

https://northeast10.org/news/2026/10...ches-poll.aspx

Bentley selected #1 in the NE10.

https://gliac.org/news/2026/10/20/gr...ason-poll.aspx

No surprises here, Grand Valley State selected #1 in the GLIAC. I'm happy to see Parkside slotted 3rd. I think they could have a really successful season with all their returnees.

[ucmjennies]

https://sunshinestateconference.com/...ches-poll.aspx

Embry Riddle chosen #1 in the SSC.

https://eccsports.org/news/2026/10/1...favorites.aspx

Daemen chosen #1 in the ECC.

https://rmacsports.org/news/2026/10/...all-crown.aspx

Colorado Mesa chosen #1 in the RMAC.

https://lonestarconference.org/news/...-the-year.aspx

TWU chosen #1 in the LSC.

[Bballfan]

https://gliac.org/news/2026/10/20/gr...ason-poll.aspx

No surprises here, Grand Valley State selected #1 in the GLIAC. I'm happy to see Parkside slotted 3rd. I think they could have a really successful season with all their returnees.

Unlike the GMAC rankings, I agree with these. Ferris lost a good bit of talent and is in a bit of rebuilding. They will still be good, just not quite at the level the past 4 years. Grand Valley is the obvious choice, and even with all the players they lost they still are superior to most any team in the country. Parkside is well slotted. It is very hard to win at their place, and I think they could even get Grand Valley once this season.

For the others, Tech use to have a pretty good program, but they are starting from scratch with a new coach this year and lost a good bit of talent. Saginaw is an embarrassment. They suspended their coach part of last season, brought her back, and then most of the team then quit.

[laker]

If the Mavs finish 7th in the nation by the end of the year I'm buying everyone on here chocolate milk.

Lose seven seniors, only one senior this year, some injuries to deal with- I like to be positive but I also like to be realistic.

Mavericks Ranked No. 7 in WBCA Coaches Preseason Poll - Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics

[ucmjennies]

Rank	School (record)	Points	Last season’s final rank	First-Place Votes
1	Grand Valley State (36-1)	575	1	23
2	Colorado Mesa (37-2)	510	3	0
3	Alabama-Huntsville (32-6)	465	4	0
4	Indiana, PA (31-4)	453	2	0
5	Cal Poly Pomona (29-5)	451	5	0
6	Texas Woman’s (31-2)	432	6	0
7	Minnesota State Mankato (29-3)	430	11	0
8	Winston-Salem State (28-4)	411	9	0
9	Lenoir-Rhyne (26-6)	329	18	0
10	Holy Family (30-5)	279	7	0
11	Bentley (23-5)	274	17	0
12	Gannon (29-5)	265	8	0
13	Carson-Newman (24-11)	262	15	0
14	Central Missouri (26-7)	211	RV	0
15t	Concordia-St. Paul (26-7)	178	22	0
15t	Daemen (26-4)	178	10	0
17	Glenville State (24-7)	159	NR	0
18	Ashland (14-13)	157	NR	0
19	Tampa (19-11)	153	NR	0
20	West Texas A&M (28-5)	152	13	0
21	Western Washington (25-8)	148	RV	0
22	Minnesota Duluth (23-9)	85	12	0
23	Columbus State (25-5)	82	23	0
24	Texas-Tyler (22-11)	81	NR	0
25	Missouri-St. Louis (25-6)	79	RV	0

Dropped out: No. 14 Nova Southeastern (28-5);No. 16 Fort Hays State (25-6); No. 19 Lincoln Memorial (26-5); No. 20 Coker (26-7); No. 21 Northwood (28-6); No. 24 Ferris State (26-7); No. 25 Central Washington (25-7).

Others receiving votes: Miles (25-6) 76; Fort Hays State (25-6) 74; Nova Southeastern (28-5) 71; Central Washington (25-7) 57; Northwood (28-6) 54; Embry-Riddle (22-7) 44; Ferris State (26-7) 36; Lincoln Memorial (26-5) 35; Lubbock Christian (23-8) 35; Fayetteville State (21-6) 34; Harding (24-7) 33; Coker (26-7) 22; Edward Waters (23-6) 22; Missouri Southern State (20-10) 13; Fairmont State (21-9) 10; Lane (22-6) 9; Vanguard U. (25-6) 9; Augusta (21-10) 8; Southern Connecticut State (20-10) 4; Benedict (19-9) 4.