From Boston’s Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to Charleston’s Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and places in between, the Coastal Athletic Association stretches across eight states and nearly 1,000 road miles.
Connecting its 13 women’s basketball programs is a shared ambition: to cross the final bridge to a championship in March.
The CAA boasts a sparkling array of talented players. Five programs return at least 50% of last season’s scoring, while three more welcome back at least 40%. That suggests the 2026-27 season will be compelling. Being the final team standing won’t be easy.
Seven different programs have won the CAA tournament championship since 2017. None has repeated since Elon claimed consecutive crowns in 2017 and 2018.
Across a conference landscape linking bustling cities, coastal communities, and quiet college towns, expect more twists than a backcountry road and enough congestion atop the standings to rival Friday afternoon Washington, D.C.-northern Virginia rush-hour traffic this winter.
Every program is ready to make the road to the CAA championship the most unique and exciting on the East Coast.
Monmouth starts as the preseason favorite, followed by Elon, Drexel, and William & Mary. Towson and North Carolina A&T have added intriguing transfers who could complicate the route for those ahead of them.
Campbell and defending champion Charleston begin new chapters under first-year head coaches. Hampton and Northeastern lean on experience, with both returning their top three scorers.
Meanwhile, Stony Brook and UNC Wilmington each feature 11 newcomers, and Hofstra’s roster looks dramatically different from the one that nearly captured the conference championship last March.
Different starting points. Same destination.
Here’s an in-depth look at every CAA program for the upcoming season. Many statistics, including those below the team names, are from the teams’ websites; all other data sources are hyperlinked.
Read about every team, or skip to your favorite using the following links:
Monmouth | Elon | Drexel | William & Mary | Towson | North Carolina A&T | Stony Brook | College of Charleston | Hofstra | Hampton | Northeastern | Campbell | UNC Wilmington
Monmouth
2025-26 record: 21-12 (12-6 CAA). Postseason: defeated Lehigh and lost to Cleveland State in WNIT tournament
Preseason ranking: 1st
2025-26 CAA rankings: 4th in offense, 63.8 points per game; 4th in defense, 58.7 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 54.7%
Percentage of points returning: 64.0%
The drive to Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey, can feel like an endless procession of trees, green highway signs and asphalt stretching toward the Jersey Shore. Eventually, the boring scenery gives way to a familiar suburban collection of strip malls, fast-food restaurants and car dealerships. Nothing particularly noteworthy until the Monmouth campus comes into view.
But waiting at the end of that ordinary journey are two extraordinary basketball talents worth watching.
Monmouth enters the season with the CAA’s top two returning leading scorers: 5’5 senior guard Gigi Gamble and 6’1 graduate forward Divine Dibula. Those two names send shudders down the spines of every conference coaching staff because the aesthetically pleasing pair have a chemistry that can’t be replicated.
Gamble and Dibula make the Hawks the obvious choice as the CAA preseason favorite. The Hawks received 12 of 13 first-place votes. Gamble was named CAA Preseason Player of the Year while Dibula earned preseason first-team All-CAA recognition.
Gamble, with the steadiest hand and sweetest shooting stroke, led the Hawks in scoring last season with 15.2 points per game, ranking fourth in the conference. Gamble earned first-team All-CAA honors and scored in double figures 21 times. She finished with at least 20 points nine times, including a 41-point performance against Towson, which was the second-most in a single game in Monmouth history.
While Gamble was third in the CAA in 3-pointers made per game (2.1) and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (33.5%), she also led the Hawks with 65 3-pointers.
“I think it just all bubbles down to the amount of hours I spent in the gym,” Gamble said of being named Preseason Player of the Year at media day. “Even with my teammates, them going hard on me, me going hard on them, and us pushing each other. It’s also built my confidence. Just seeing us flow through each other, and having good chemistry on and off the court, it means everything to me. So, yeah, I’m just excited, and I’m happy.”
Just having Gamble would make third-year head coach Cait Wetmore happy, but with Dibula’s return, her smile is wider than the Atlantic Ocean, less than two miles from Monmouth’s campus.
Dibula was a handful, leading the CAA in field goal percentage (58.6%) and averaging 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. She was tied for fourth in the conference in rebounding with Stony Brook’s Caitlin Frost. Starting 30 of 33 games, Dibula earned All-CAA second-team honors. She scored 26 points in Monmouth’s season-ending WNIT loss to Cleveland State.
The Hawks also return 5’10 sophomore guard Kathy Kersaint and 5’9 sophomore guard Madalena Amaro, two indispensable contributors. They each played significant roles for the Hawks during their 21-win campaign last season. Kersaint was a sixth-woman supreme for Monmouth. She started five of her 32 games. Kersaint supplied energy and versatility, averaging 5.8 points per game. She scored in double digits five times and posted career-best 13-point games against Stony Brook and UNCW.
Amaro earned CAA All-Rookie honors after 32 games and 28 starts. She led the Hawks with 114 assists and was sixth in the CAA in assists per game (3.6). She also added 5.3 points per game and reached double figures in scoring three times. Also returning for Monmouth are 5’10 redshirt junior Kellyn Preira, who averaged 10.2 minutes in 20 games last season, and 5’11 sophomore forward Tessa Carman.
Wetmore is also excited to welcome back 5’10 redshirt junior Sydney Hendrix and 5’7 redshirt freshman Claudia Xaudaro this season. They sat out last season. Now the pair are ready to make an impact.
Joining the Monmouth program with Division I experience are 5’8 junior guard Vanessa McManus (Cal-Poly), 5’4 sophomore guard Kailah Correa (Delaware), and 6’ senior forward Sanai Tyler (Bethune-Cookman). This trio provides scoring firepower and inside strength.
Earning All-Big West honorable mention honors, McManus led Cal-Poly in scoring with a 15.9 points-per-game average in 26 contests. McManus was fifth in the Big West in scoring and had 20 double-digit scoring games, including six over 20 and two over 30.
Correa is another significant addition to the Hawk program after earning All-Conference USA honorable mention recognition at Delaware. She averaged 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in being named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Correa also led the Blue Hens in free-throw percentage (82.1%).
Tyler will play for her fourth school after seasons at Trinity Valley Community College, Clark Atlanta, and Bethune-Cookman. Last season at Bethune-Cookman, Tyler was the SWAC’s eighth-leading rebounder (6.5). Tyler averaged 4.3 points after starting 24 of 31 games.
Rounding out Monmouth’s roster are 6’3 freshman forward Kalina Krupnikovic and 5’9 freshman guard Lexi Carnegie.
The Hawks have plenty of scoring and playmaking. With Gamble and Dibula already presenting headaches for opposing defenses, the additions of McManus and Correa give Wetmore even more weapons. With experienced newcomers joining a strong returning nucleus, Wetmore has assembled a roster capable of competing with anybody in the CAA.
The challenge for opponents won’t be figuring out how to stop one player. It’ll be deciding which one to stop first. With so much offensive firepower, the Hawks are expected to create plenty of rip currents throughout the conference. After all, the Atlantic Ocean won’t be the only thing making waves along the Jersey Shore this season.
Elon
2025-26 record: 16-16 (10-8)
Preseason ranking: 2nd
2025-26 CAA rankings: 3rd in offense, 64.8 points per game; 8th in defense, 62.4 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 59.8%
Percentage of points returning: 68.5%
Tucked between Greensboro and the Mebane shopping outlets along a stretch of Interstate 85 in North Carolina, Elon University is easy to overlook. Despite its pastoral campus that features a well-renowned botanical garden and the jewel that is the state-of-the-art Schar Center, that relative anonymity has suited veteran Phoenix head coach Charlotte Smith and her program just fine this summer.
While programs across the country have trumpeted new additions with flashy social media graphics, Elon quietly welcomed back a significant piece of its roster, a return that could propel the Phoenix into the CAA’s upper echelon. The trek to that road starts in familiar surroundings for Elon, which looks to build on its 10-4 home record last season, which matched its best home record since the 2021-22 season.
Even though the Phoenix didn’t add any transfers this recruiting cycle, they celebrated the return of 5’8 redshirt sophomore guard Jayda Angel, who is fully recovered after suffering a season-ending injury last year. Angel was the 2025 CAA Rookie of the Year. Her playmaking, speed, and scoring make her a dynamic player who should mesh well with an already talented roster.
Angel, who played two games last season, averaged 9.9 points per game as a freshman and was also named CAA Sixth Woman of the Year. Her return is one reason why Elon was picked second in the CAA preseason poll.
“We’ve not talked about the preseason poll,” Smith said to reporters during the CAA media day Zoom. “At the end of the day, polls are polls, and you have to prove yourself throughout the entire season. So, we’ve not even mentioned it. We’re just caught up in the daily grind of getting better. Our thought for today was win the day, and that’s what we’re trying to do: is focus on what we call stacking days.
“We are incredibly blessed in terms of roster retention. I have an amazing group of young women that I enjoy coaching every day. I wake up thinking to myself, I get to do this, and it’s so much bigger than basketball. It’s coaching the game of life, and so I have 14 young minds that I get to impact, inspire, and influence every day, so I don’t take that privilege lightly.”
In addition to Angel, the Phoenix return eight players from last season’s team that finished sixth in the CAA, giving Smith significant depth, experience, and leadership. Angel will join forces with three returning All-CAA performers in Elon 6’ junior forward LaNae’ Corbett, named to the All-CAA Third Team, 5’7 junior guard Ashanti Fox and 6’2 sophomore Tamia Watkins, both of whom earned All-CAA Rookie Team honors.
Corbett led the Phoenix in scoring with 11.4 points per game, which was 17th in the CAA. Corbett was second in the conference in shooting, connecting on 47.7% of her shots.
Fox led all Elon bench scorers, averaging 8.9 points per game, which was third on the team. In reaching double figures 14 times, Fox made 36 3-pointers to lead Elon and ended the season with a 17-point performance in the CAA tournament. Watkins scored 7.6 points per game and led Elon in rebounding (5.6 per game). Fox and Watkins combined to claim six CAA Rookie of the Week honors.
However, these aren’t the only headliners for Elon this season. Redshirt senior Tyana Walker, who was the MEAC Rookie of the Year in 2024, started 31 of 32 games last season, making 35 3-pointers and averaging 6.2 points per game.
Additionally, 5’7 junior guard Ashlee Shaw and 5’5 fifth-year guard Kamryn Doty saw significant action last season for the Phoenix. They each averaged at least 15 minutes per contest. Shaw scored 5.7 points per game, while Doty’s impact extended behind her average of 4.0 points per game. She also provided leadership and stability to the Phoenix.
Potentially playing larger roles this season for Elon could be 5’9 junior guard Samira Khalil and 5’10 junior guard Kierra Morrow. Khalil saw action in 25 games while Morrow played in 21 contests.
Bringing a combination of new talent and versatility to an already experienced roster will be 5’4 freshman guard Sidney Smith, 6’ freshman forward Skylar Bolden, 6’3 freshman forward Norah Fuld, 6’ freshman forward Savannah Whitley and 6’ freshman forward Macayla Askew.
Elon didn’t need a transfer portal splash to generate excitement because it already had an Angel waiting in the wings. With Angel healthy and a talented returning cast surrounding her, Smith believes she has a winning combination thanks to an experienced roster infused with fresh energy.
On a campus with majestic oaks anchoring its landscape, Smith believes the Phoenix are ready to blossom. Elon might be easy to overlook geographically, but the Phoenix could become impossible to ignore on the basketball court this season.
Drexel
2025-26 record: 21-11 (13-5). Postseason: lost to Saint Bonaventure in the WNIT
Preseason ranking: 3rd
2025-26 CAA rankings: 5th in offense, 63.7 points per game; 2nd in defense, 57.3 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 50.6%
Percentage of points returning: 46.1%
Cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, people wearing Eagles gear aboard the Market-Frankford El, and a radiant smile plastered on the face of Drexel veteran head coach Amy Mallon are a way of life in Philadelphia. So is Drexel’s consistency. The Dragons enjoyed their 12th consecutive winning season, finishing second in the CAA regular-season standings, advancing to the conference semifinals and earning a WNIT berth.
Even William Penn might tip his cap from atop City Hall to salute Drexel’s sustained excellence. Despite losing two of their top three scorers from last season’s 21-win team, the Dragons believe they have the players to keep that tradition going as they were picked third in the preseason coaches’ poll.
“We have a lot of pieces and a lot of new additions and returnees who have something to prove on their own individually, but also collectively,” Mallon said to reporters on the CAA media day Zoom. “They can now step into those different roles, whether it’s starting, whether it’s time off the bench, whether it’s leading, and I think that is going to be a work in progress. And I’m excited to see that come together. … We’re going to have to show up and earn everything we get, and that’s what our program is about. And I think we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Leading the Dragons this season will be 5’10 senior guard Laine McGurk, who was selected to the preseason All-CAA first team. McGurk drove defenses berserk last season, starting all 32 games and averaging 12.8 points per game, ranking ninth in the CAA. A three-level scorer, McGurk scored in double digits 20 times. She dropped a career-high 33 points in a road victory against Pittsburgh last season.
Entering the season with 724 career points, McGurk was also sixth in the CAA in 3-point field goal percentage (32.7%), eighth in field goal percentage (41.3%) and 11th in 3-pointers made per game (1.5).
Helping McGurk this season will be 5’11 sophomore guard Molly Rullo, 6’ sophomore forward Bria Watkins, 6’ junior guard Mariah Watkins, 5’7 senior guard Julia Garcia Roig, 5’10 junior forward Emilee Jones and 6’2 graduate forward Molly Lavin.
These returners know Mallon’s system and can contribute beyond scoring, whether it’s grabbing rebounds, distributing the ball, or fighting through screens. With more opportunities, Mallon will count on them to turn those supporting roles into bigger contributions.
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Rullo started 21 games for the Dragons and averaged 5.6 points. She scored a season-best 22 points against Temple. Rullo had 73 assists, the second-most on the Dragons.
The Watkins sisters are one of two sets of sisters on the Dragons’ roster this year. Mariah played in every game, averaging 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 points. Bria averaged 3.8 points. Roig also played in every game last season, averaging 3.3 points and handing out 69 assists.
Lavin returns after missing Drexel’s final 23 contests. She got off to a solid start, with a 10-point, 10-rebound performance against Penn that highlighted her season. Lavin finished with at least three rebounds in six of her nine appearances. Jones has played in 21 career games for the Dragons. Last season in 16 contests, she averaged 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds.
Drexel fortified its roster with two transfers: 5’4 graduate guard Meliah Van-Otoo (Loyola Maryland) and 6’2 graduate forward Aisha Dabo (Hampton). Although Van-Otoo sat out last season, she’s played in 81 games in her collegiate career. Dabo averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 31 contests for the Lady Pirates. A shot-blocking presence, Dabo also brings knowledge of the CAA and an understanding of how to compete in the league.
The Dragons also feature four freshmen: 6’2 forward Miley Malcolm, 5’5 guard Ava Fajardo, 5’9 guard Emma Montanari, and 5’8 guard Megan Rullo.
McGurk gives the Dragons a proven scorer to build around. The next step is for the familiar faces to make a bigger impact. With experienced returners and newcomers ready for their moment, Mallon has plenty of possibilities as Drexel pursues another winning season.
In Philadelphia, some traditions never go out of style. The Dragons intend to keep winning as one of them.
William & Mary
2025-26 record: 17-14 (9-9)
Preseason ranking: 4th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 7th in offense, 60.9 points per game; 7th in defense, 60.6 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 68.9%
Percentage of points returning: 69.8%
In the transient world of college basketball, William & Mary is an anomaly, returning 11 players, including four starters and its top three scorers from last season’s 17-win squad. Veteran Tribe head coach Erin Dickerson-Davis didn’t sign a transfer this offseason, so fans who helped W&M lead the CAA in home attendance last season get another chance to cheer on familiar faces and watch one of the CAA’s hottest acts.
That returning cast, which helped W&M win 10 road games, the second most in a single season in program history, is back and motivated.
The W&M tandem of 5’7 senior guard Cassidy Geddes and 5’3 senior guard Monet Dance returns to terrorize opponents like Michael Myers on Halloween, with each earning preseason All-CAA accolades. They’re back to break ankles, rain jumpers, and run the show for the Tribe—a frightening thought for opposing coaches. With their dazzling footwork and show-stopping performances, Geddes and Dance could just as easily command the spotlight at the historic Kimball Theatre, a downtown Williamsburg, Virginia, fixture dating to 1933.
Geddes and Dance have been around long enough to feel like Williamsburg landmarks themselves. Two years ago, they played significant roles in helping W&M win the CAA tournament championship and an NCAA tournament game. With liquid moves and mesmerizing flair, they blend intensity with textbook fundamentals, giving opposing defenses plenty to fear. Last season, they combined to make 96 3-pointers.
Geddes headlines the Tribe’s returners after earning All-CAA second-team honors last season. Leading the Tribe with 13.7 points per game, Geddes also became the 23rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. She showcased her durability by finishing fifth in the CAA in minutes and seventh in scoring. Geddes scored 20 or more points seven times last season.
Dance was second on the Tribe in scoring, averaging 9.5 points per game. In addition to averaging 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, Dance was one of two Tribe players with at least 100 assists last season. Two years ago, Dance tied the CAA tournament record for 3-pointers made in a game, going 7-for-9, with a career-high 27 points in the Tribe’s quarterfinal upset of top-seed North Carolina A&T.
While Dance and Geddes return to form an electric backcourt with years of shared experiences, the Tribe also welcome back starters 6’4 junior forward Natalie Fox and 6’2 junior forward Marley Long. In addition to providing inside muscle around the basket, they were also on the Tribe’s CAA tournament championship team.
Fox started all 31 games last season while averaging 9.3 points and a team-best 5.9 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per contest. She was 13th in the CAA in blocked shots. Fox scored in double digits 13 times and had five consecutive double-digit games during the team’s seven-game winning streak from Nov. 29 to Dec. 19.
“Us still being here, playing together and carrying on that legacy, tells the other girls that it’s still possible because we did it,” Fox said to reporters during the CAA media day Zoom. “We know what it feels like. Most of our team are returning from that year, and all know what it’s like to play in an arena in front of that many people and just experience what an amazing opportunity that was. So, we’re able to pass that legacy and that idea of what we’re going for. The freshmen and the underclassmen really have picked up on that, and they want to experience it, too.”
Long, who averaged 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds last season, started the Tribe’s last eight games. She posted her first career double-double at UNCW with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Another key contributor returning is 6′ forward Dynasti Pierce, who averaged 3.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 25 games. Pierce also started nine games.
Poised to play larger roles this season are 5’5 sophomore guard Ari Mercado, 6’1 junior guard Sophia LeGoullon, 6’1 sophomore forward Amelia Basit, 6’1 senior Aisha Dos Santos, 5’10 guard Emma West, and 5’8 sophomore guard Jordyn Steindl. The Tribe also added 5’10 freshman guard Skyla Mastronardi and 5’10 freshman guard Denver Carlton.
Mercado appeared in 24 games and averaged 2.0 points. LeGoullon started two games across the 18 she played in while averaging 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds. Basit averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 17 games.
The cast is familiar. The chemistry is established. The championship experience is real. With Geddes and Dance back in starring roles, Dickerson-Davis has the pieces to keep the Tribe among the CAA’s hottest acts. This group understands what a championship run requires. Williamsburg is known for its history, and the Tribe would love to make some more.
After all, another championship banner would make quite an encore.
Towson
2025-26 record: 17-14 (10-8)
Preseason ranking: 5th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 2nd in offense, 66.4 points per game; 11th in defense, 65.6 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 40.1%
Percentage of points returning: 41.2%
Traffic converges from multiple directions at Towson Circle, where York Road, Joppa Road, and Dulaney Valley Road meet in the heart of Maryland in front of Shake Shack. A few miles away, Towson’s women’s basketball program also draws talent from multiple directions.
Four key returners provide a familiar foundation for veteran head coach Laura Harper. At the same time, impactful transfers arrive from different destinations with the same goal: helping the Tigers climb the CAA standings.
Leading the Tigers this season will be 5’8 graduate guard Masyn Marchbanks, 5’8 redshirt sophomore Viki Matulevicius, 5’9 senior guard Thalia Shepard, and 6′ senior guard Zoli Khalil. Together, they give Harper an experienced quartet that can score from multiple spots on the floor. Khalil leads the group after averaging 9.4 points per game and making 26 starts last season.
In addition to starting 30 games, Shepard averaged 9.3 points per game. She also led Towson with 31 steals while averaging 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Shepard’s combination of strength and speed made her a difficult defensive assignment. She overpowers smaller guards on drives to the basket, creates separation, and makes contested shots.
Marchbanks, who started 10 games, averaged 6.9 points per game, while Matulevicius, who shot 39.1% from 3-point range, averaged 5.5 points per game. Marchbanks, Khalil, and Matulevicius all made at least 20 3-pointers last season. They helped Towson finish second in the CAA in scoring offense (66.4), 3-pointers made per game (7.0), and 3-point field goal percentage (31.2%).
Also returning for Towson this season and looking to play larger roles are 5’7 sophomore guard Jillian Watson, who played eight games, and 6′ senior guard Asya Lara Barnes, who averaged 5.1 minutes per game in 21 games.
Harper bolstered her roster with FDU transfers in 5’6 junior guard Ava Renninger and 6’3 sophomore forward Akeelah Laflueur. They bring championship experience to Towson, having helped FDU win the Northeast Conference and compete in the NCAA tournament last season.
Renninger is the gem of the recruiting class, as she was named the 2026 NEC Tournament MVP and selected to the 2025-26 All-NEC first team. She averaged 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 38.4% from the field. Given she was FDU’s leading scorer last season, she arrives with the credentials to direct Towson’s offensive traffic. Meanwhile, Lafleur averaged 3.8 points per game.
“I wanted to take a step up and challenge myself a little bit more to enter a more competitive conference, and I think I did that joining the CAA,” Renninger said to reporters during CAA media day Zoom. “And Towson competes every year; they’re always in the top teams, and I wanted to join that and help get them a leg up. I think I did just that. I’m excited because they’re competitors, and they return all their good scorers, all their good players. So, I thought just bringing me in would just add an extra piece to that, and I think it was the right fit for me.”
Rounding out the Tigers’ roster are six freshmen, including 5’10 guard Eva Wilkerson, who averaged 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.0 steals during her senior year at Sacred Heart Greenwich, where she was named the Class A Player of the Year and New England Prep School Girls Basketball Association Class A Defensive Player of the Year.
While Towson’s backcourt is loaded with proven talent, its frontcourt remains a work in progress, much like the beltway of Interstate 695 that circles Towson’s campus. Harper has options, but finding the right combination among Lafleur, 6’1 freshman forward Diamond Watters, and 6’2 freshman center Peyton White will be one of the Tigers’ biggest preseason priorities.
Towson’s returning players understand the twists, turns, and challenges of navigating the rugged CAA, while the newcomers bring fresh energy and championship aspirations. Anyone who has encountered the Towson Circle knows the importance of knowing where they’re going, adjusting to the traffic around them, and finding the right opening.
For a program just a few miles from one of Baltimore County’s busiest intersections, the Tigers hope all roads lead to a championship.
North Carolina A&T
2025-26 record: 12-18 (7-11)
Preseason ranking: 6th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 6th in offense, 62.7 points per game; 9th in defense, 63.0 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 50.4%
Percentage of points returning: 47.7%
In an era of unprecedented player movement, 6′ senior guard Paris Locke is as recognizable on North Carolina A&T’s campus as the towering smokestack that signals visitors have arrived in Aggieland. Entering her fourth year as an Aggie, Locke has been a constant through postseason appearances, championships, and magical moments.
At the nation’s largest public HBCU, where the Ronald McNair Monument inspires students to reach higher, Locke has planted deep roots while continuing to elevate her game. Her experience and leadership will be key for the Aggies, who were picked sixth in the CAA preseason poll.
One of the CAA’s most recognizable faces, Locke remains one of its toughest riddles for opponents to solve. Veteran NCAT head coach Tarrell Robinson, the all-time winningest coach in Aggie history with 260 triumphs, is thrilled to have Locke back for a final season. She’s been central to the Aggies’ success and growth during her time in Greensboro.
Entering this season, Locke has 794 career points and 499 rebounds in 90 career contests. She has started 69 games, including 55 of NCAT’s last 56 games. Her versatility produced the first triple-double in program history during a triple-overtime treasure against Northeastern last season (22 points, 13 assists, 12 rebounds).
Named a preseason first-team All-CAA selection, Locke averaged 11.2 points per game last season, which was 18th in the conference. She was fifth in the CAA in assists (3.6), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4), and ninth in rebounding (6.4).
The Aggies won’t be a one-woman show this season as 5’11 senior Darrionna Howard, 5’8 sophomore guard Crystal Hardy, and 5’6 sophomore guard Jamyia Lindsey were named team captains along with Locke.
Howard averaged 6.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, which was 22nd in the CAA last season. Hardy also averaged 6.1 points and led the Aggies with 38 three-pointers. Hardy also scored a career-high 19 points in a three-point setback to W&M in the CAA tournament last season. Howard and Hardy brought plenty of energy off the bench. This season, they are expected to start.
Lindsey is the Aggies’ other returning starter, alongside Locke. Lindsey started 25 of 29 games last season and averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. She led the Aggies in assists with 69, behind Locke, who had 90. Also returning for the Aggies this season is 6’2 sophomore forward Anaya Karriem, who averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 30 games.
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The players understand their job is to avoid consecutive losing campaigns. After all, the Aggies have been one of the CAA’s top teams in recent years, compiling a 47-25 conference record over four seasons.
“I’m very motivated,” Robinson told reporters during CAA Media Day on Zoom. “This has been one of the best from postseason to the summer to preseason that I’ve had going on my 15th year of coaching. We did a lot of team bonding. There’s a lot of accountability from our upperclassmen. … We want to get back to the top of the league, top three, like we’ve been the first three years of our time in the league, and hopefully put ourselves in a position to win a championship. And it just takes buy-in.”
Robinson strengthened his program with six transfers, including two with significant CAA experience in 5’4 senior guard Maraja Pass (Elon) and 6’1 sophomore forward Icyss Storm (UNC Wilmington). NCAT also added 6’3 junior forward Jada Bates (Arkansas), 5’10 senior guard Drew Alexander (Temple), 5’9 sophomore guard Rania Curry (Mercer), and 6’3 junior center Yves Cox (Arkansas State) to provide depth.
With a name made for a point guard, Pass brings stability and poise to the Aggies, who averaged 20.1 turnovers last season. Pass ranked fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio and seventh in assists per game (3.4). In 92 career contests, Pass has delivered 303 assists. Storm averaged 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on 44% shooting last season.
Bates played in 56 games at Arkansas, made 18 3-pointers, and averaged 2.3 points per game. Alexander appeared in 46 games over two seasons at Temple, making 37 3-pointers in 31 games last year. Curry started nine of her 30 games, averaging 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 steals. Cox, who also played at Cal State-Northridge, has 283 rebounds and 63 blocks in 59 career games.
NCAT also signed three freshmen: 5’9 guard Brook Evans, 5’9 guard Honor Hall, and 5’11 guard Whitley Davis.
With Locke anchoring an experienced core and six transfers expanding Robinson’s options, the Aggies have reason to believe their stay in the CAA’s lower half will be brief. Turning that belief into a championship push will require the buy-in Robinson emphasized, along with steadier play and fewer turnovers.
Between East Market Street and East Gate City Boulevard, Locke has planted her roots in Aggieland. For her final season, she hopes to channel the spirit of discovery and innovation that defines NCAT, helping a university that engineers flight soar on the basketball court.
Stony Brook
2025-26 record: 18-15 (12-6)
Preseason ranking: 7th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 12th in offense, 57.5 points per game; 3rd in defense, 57.4 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 32.2%
Percentage of points returning: 28.6%
Amid the wooded trails of Stony Brook’s Ashley Schiff Forest Preserve in New York, finding the right path requires patience and direction. The Seawolves face a similar challenge on the hardwood, where 11 newcomers and three returners must discover how their individual talents fit together.
With three returning players—6’1 junior forward Caitlin Frost, 6′ sophomore forward Johanna Potter, and 6’1 sophomore forward Alex Brown—Stony Brook is embracing the chance to start fresh after a strong campaign that saw the Seawolves finish fourth last season. They are perfect building blocks for head coach Joy McCovery to construct her championship blueprint.
Frost was one of the CAA’s most versatile players, averaging 8.9 points per game, 6.9 rebounds and 0.8 blocks. She was fourth in the CAA in rebounding last season and returns as the conference’s leading rebounder. Frost, who was second on Stony Brook with 39 3-pointers, started all 33 games last season.
Potter was a lineup fixture last season, starting 25 of Stony Brook’s 33 games. She averaged 4.7 points and rebounds in 20.8 minutes. Potter led Stony Brook by shooting 55.6% from the field. Brown is expected to play a larger role this season after averaging 3.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 28 games.
“Our returners have done a good job of setting the standards and leading daily,” McCorvey said to reporters on the CAA media day Zoom. “It was very easy for our newcomers to come in because they’re winners. They’ve won at the places that they were at, and they were really excited with the new roles and new opportunities that they would have here at Stony Brook. It’s a little bit slower having a new team, but I’m just so pleased with the commitment that they have to getting better.”
Ten of the newcomers have Division I experience, including senior guard Awa Fane (Mississippi State), 5’8, junior guard Jada Cook (Murray State), and 5’4 junior guard A’riel Little (St. John’s). McCorvey also added twins Leah and Alana Philpotts from the College of Charleston. They know what it’s like to compete in the CAA and bring a winning attitude, as they were on last season’s conference champion squad.
Fane averaged 3.2 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 10.3 minutes in 22 games. Cook appeared in 61 games over two seasons, averaging 2.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. Little, a Brooklyn native, played in 46 games over two seasons and made one start.
The Philpotts twins are closer to their New Haven, Connecticut, home. Leah played 59 games over two seasons, averaging 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. Alana saw action in five games for the Cougars last season.
McCorvey is also excited about 5’9 redshirt senior Raiane Dias Dos Santos (Virginia), 5’10 junior guard Irene Rey Pineda (Canisius), 5’9 redshirt senior Deb Okechukwu (Rider) and 6’2 senior Melissa Mwanza (Louisiana Tech).
Dos Santos played at Florida State and Virginia. Last season for the Cavaliers, Dos Santos averaged 2.3 points in 13 games. Pineda appeared in 60 games over two seasons, making nine starts while averaging 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.
Okechukwu was Rider’s third-leading scorer (6.8 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (5.4) in 29 games. She also tallied double figures eight times, including a career-high 18 points against Bryant. This will be Mwanza’s third school as she previously suited up for Richmond and Louisiana Tech. Last season at Louisiana Tech, Mwanza averaged 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 24 games.
The addition of 5’8 sophomore guard Trinity Davis is significant. She started 15 of 31 games at Tyler Community College, where she averaged 10.5 points per game while shooting 44.3% from the field, 44.0% from three-point range, and 88% from the free-throw line.
Stony Brook will be among the few teams in the conference with a virtually new roster, giving it a chance to make its mark. The Seawolves will rely on Frost, Potter, and Brown’s experience and leadership to navigate a challenging, talented conference.
With a stop on Stony Brook’s campus, the Long Island Rail Road brings passengers from different places to the same destination. The Seawolves are operating on a similar principle, bringing together unfamiliar faces with a shared goal: CAA championship contention.
The names and faces may be different, but Stony Brook’s ambitions remain unchanged. McCorvey has assembled the pieces of her championship blueprint. Now comes the challenge of making them fit together, ensuring everyone is moving in the same direction and remaining on schedule.
College of Charleston
2025-26 record: 27-6 (16-2). Postseason: lost to Duke in the NCAA Tournament
Preseason ranking: 8th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 1st in offense, 74.0 points per game; 5th in defense, 58.8 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 19.5%
Percentage of points returning: 19.5%
First-year head coach Amanda Butler is still devouring diet Dr. Pepper’s, but at least this time, she has a full roster, plenty of enthusiasm, and versatility to fuel what she believes will be a successful season in the South Caroina Lowcountry for the reigning CAA tournament champions. Butler took the job in late March and has been relentless in recruiting, hiring, and constructing her championship strategy.
Fortunately for Butler, one of her returning players is 5’11 senior guard Tyja Beans, who was named to the preseason All-CAA second team. She averaged 10.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in all 33 games for Charleston last season. Beans also started 28 games. An explosive scorer with a buffet of smooth moves, Beans scored in double figures 19 times. She’s also a standout defender and will set the tone for the Cougars on both sides of the ball.
Also earning preseason All-CAA recognition was 5’10 redshirt senior guard Abby Jegede, who joins the Cougars after a year at Tulsa. Back to terrorize the conference, Jegede competed for Northeastern during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 15.6 points per game, which was fifth in the conference. Jegede topped 20 points seven times.
Beans and Jegede give Charleston a strong scoring foundation, especially on the wings. During the CAA media day Zoom, Butler grinned like a Cheshire cat because she believes she has the answers to every test that awaits Charleston this upcoming season.
“We’re going to be a team that is going to be able to adjust to our opponent, and then also at the same time dictate to certain opponents whether that’s through our size or through our ability to shoot or the way we can defend,” Butler said. “We think that we have a lot of different solutions for different situations, and that’s really the way we practice every day is trying to promote connection and continually find solutions, no matter what the issue may be.”
Beyond Beans and Jegede, Butler is happy to welcome back 5’7 sophomore Aubrey Stevenson, 5’7 junior guard Camila De Pool, and 5’9 sophomore guard Anilys Rolon, all of whom were members of the Cougars championship team and played in last year’s NCAA tournament game against Duke. Butler has been pleased with their growth and expects them to play a significant role this season.
Butler also expects 6’4 redshirt sophomore Isla Juffermans and 6’ freshman forward Chanel Ndi to make an impact. They bring international experience to Charleston, as Juffermans is a Louisville transfer from Australia and Ndi hails from Germany.
Juffermans missed last season because of an injury after playing in 24 games as a freshman for the Cardinals, where she averaged 2.3 points. Butler is familiar with Juffermans, who was named MVP of the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s Asian Championship, from her time coaching at Louisville.
Ndi played seven games in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket tournament, where she averaged 2.6 rebounds. George Washington transfer Mia James is expected to be another electric player. The 5’4 sophomore guard Mia James averaged 4.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists and made 22 starts in 36 games.
Rounding out Charleston’s roster are three freshmen: 6’ guard Janna Vogelaar, 5’9 guard Dakara Merthie, and 5’9 freshman Maggie Spell.
Like the tidal creeks winding through the Lowcountry marshes, Butler sees plenty of ways for Charleston to fulfil its goals. With a roster full of returning champions, proven transfers, elite scorers, and promising newcomers, the Cougars have the tools to navigate the challenges ahead.
The diet Dr. Pepper will keep flowing. Butler believes a repeat Cougars’ championship celebration will, too.
Hofstra
2025-26 record: 11-22 (6-12)
Preseason ranking: 9th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 13th in offense, 54.5 points per game; 6th in defense, 60.5 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 15.3%
Percentage of points returning: 13.7%
Stretching majestically across the chilly, churning waters, separating Staten Island and Brooklyn while serving as a gateway to Long Island, is the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. It’s a perfect symbol for the Hofstra women’s basketball program as it looks to connect the unforgettable memories of last March with the optimism of a new season.
The Pride has a different roster from the one that made a historic run to the CAA championship game last season. Only four players return from the squad that, as a No. 10 seed, carried a three-point lead into halftime of the title game. Although Hofstra fell short of its ultimate goal, the Pride spent four exhilarating days defying expectations, captivating supporters and creating memories that will endure long after the final buzzer.
“That run meant so much, not just to our program, but so much to those seniors that have poured so much into our program over their years here with our team,” Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson said to reporters during the CAA media day Zoom. “It was a lot of fun. Probably one of the most special and fun times that I’ve had in a stretch of basketball throughout a season.
“It was just something that we want to be a part of, something we want to get back to, and being back in that championship game. But definitely something that we’ve pulled on in terms of momentum coming into this season, and understanding what that feels like, looks like, and how we’ve got to prepare in order to be ready come that time of the year.”
When the lights dimmed inside CareFirst Arena and Hofstra’s starters were introduced and doing various TikTok dances before the CAA championship game, Ema Karim emerged from the darkness, exchanging high-fives with her teammates. The 5’10 junior wing is one of the few remaining links to that unforgettable afternoon.
She’s the Pride’s most experienced returner, having started 26 of the 33 games she played in. Karim, a native of Parede, Portugal, averaged 5.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 21.4 minutes per game. She scored in double digits seven times. Karim saved some of her best moments for the toughest opponents, scoring 17 points in a regular-season game at Charleston and finishing with the same against No. 2 seed Drexel in the CAA semifinals, a game Hofstra won in overtime.
Also understanding Santos Atkinson’s expectations and system are 6’1 sophomore forward Olivia VanPatten, 6’3 junior post Michaela Hodge, and 6’1 sophomore forward Kiyanna Blacks-Stewart. They combined to score 57 total points last season. Hodge played in 18 games while VanPatten started twice in 12 appearances.
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Energizing the Pride this season are 5’5 fifth-year transfer Angel Jones (Pittsburgh), 5’8 junior guard Comari Mitchell (Jacksonville), 5’9 junior guard Kelian Cedano (Temple), 5’6 senior guard Paloma Garcia Rosado (Merrimack), 6’2 junior forward Felicia Jacobs (Temple), and 5’9 junior guard Ceylone Brooks (Daytona State College). They bring a winning pedigree to the Pride program.
Jones played in eight games and made six starts, averaging 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 24.1 minutes per game last season at Pittsburgh. She previously shined at Coppin State, earning first-team All-MEAC honors after scoring 15.2 points per game. Mitchell, who played 56 career games at Jacksonville, started 10 for a program that participated in last year’s NCAA Tournament and averaged 6.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 20.6 minutes per game.
Cedano and Jacobs saw significant action for Temple last season in the rugged American Athletic Conference. Cedano averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 31 games. She scored double figures in four games, including a career-high 16 points against Florida Atlantic. Jacobs played in all 32 games, averaging 1.8 points and 3.7 rebounds.
Santos-Atkinson plucked a gem in Rosado, the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. Rosado started 28 of 31 games and averaged 8.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.8 steals in 26.8 minutes per game. Set the single-season MAAC record with 86 steals and broke the program record for steals in a Division I game with nine against Canisius.
Brooks played 55 games in two seasons at Daytona State College. Last season, she averaged 6.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 14.8 minutes per game. Rounding out the Pride’s roster this season are 6′ freshman forward Audriana Williams, 6’1 freshman forward Allie Broadus, and 5’7 freshman guard Mone’t Edwards.
Last March, Hofstra discovered how far belief, togetherness and momentum could carry a team. Now, with a new cast and familiar ambitions, the Pride are eager to recreate that same magic.
The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opens a pathway toward Long Island where Hofstra’s championship dreams stretch as wide as the swirling waters beneath it.
Hampton
2025-26 record: 10-21 (4-14)
Preseason ranking: 10th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 10th in offense, 60.2 points per game; 10th in defense, 63.5 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 45.1%
Percentage of points returning: 54.3%
Along the banks of the Hampton River, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, Hampton’s “Home by the Sea” blends waterfront beauty with a tight-knit community. This season, three familiar faces—5’7 senior guard Kiki McElrath, 5’10 senior guard Aaryn Battle, and 5’10 senior forward Kayla Lezama—give that community something else to look forward to.
The Pirates’ leading scorers return hoping to make the action inside the gym as compelling as the scenery.
Hampton’s triumvirate accounted for 51.7% of the Pirates’ points last season, giving third-year head coach Tamisha Augustin a strong foundation to build upon. Consider them the basketball version of the U.S. women’s national soccer team’s “Triple Espresso” moniker: three electric players who can energize their teammates and exhaust opposing defenses.
McElrath and Lezama are also among the CAA’s top 10 returning scorers. They each earned preseason recognition: Lezama was named to the All-CAA second team, and McElrath earned an honorable mention.
McElrath started 30 of the 31 games she played in and ended last season with a bang, scoring 20 or more points in three of her final five games. Averaging a team-best 13.2 points, the eighth-most in the CAA, McElrath scored 20 or more points seven times. She led Hampton with 59 3-pointers.
McElrath also averaged 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 assists per game while ranking third in free-throw percentage (81.1%), sixth in 3-pointers made per game (1.9), 10th in 3-point percentage (28.2%), and 17th in field goal percentage (36.4%).
Lezama earned third-team All-CAA recognition after averaging 12.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 30 games. The versatile Lezama ranked ninth in the CAA in free-throw percentage (77.0%), 12th in scoring, 15th in 3-point field goals made per game (1.3), and 16th in field goal percentage (36.8%).
She made 15 starts and scored in double figures 19 times. Lezama had six games with at least 19 points. Early in conference play last season, Lezama averaged 25 points per game over three games, with 23 at Elon, a career-high 29 against Charleston, and 23 at W&M. She was second on the team in three-pointers with 40.
Battle’s contributions may have flown under the radar outside of Hampton, but her impact was significant. Starting 18 of 23 games last season, she averaged 7.9 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds. Battle scored in double figures 10 times – topped by 23 in the CAA opener against Stony Brook. She was fourth in the league in assists per game and seventh in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.5) and 14th in steals per game (1.6).
Also returning for Hampton this season and expected to play bigger roles are 6’3 sophomore center Janaye Walker and 5’11 senior guard Arlisha Boston. Each player averaged 1.3 points in 19 games. Six transfers and three freshmen will join Hampton’s returners.
Hampton’s transfers are 6’1 sophomore Justus Fitzgerald (Syracuse), 6’ sophomore Zoey Rixter (SEMO), 6’2 senior forward Maya Woodson (Morgan State), 5’7 graduate guard Amiyah Donaldson (Maine), 6’3 sophomore forward Kennedy Hall (Boston College), and Eghosa Obasuyi (Georgia State)
Fitzgerald offers another post presence with Power 4 experience, shooting 50% from the field and 71.4% from the foul line. Rixter averaged 3.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 32 games. Woodson played two years at Morgan State, and last season she shared team-high rebounding honors, averaging 5.6 per game while adding 4.4 points per game.
A steady point guard who will add more experience to a strong Pirates backcourt, Donaldson played in 23 games. Hall, a former four-star recruit, per ESPN, played in two games at Boston College before an injury sidelined her. Obasuyi played in 61 games over three years at Georgia State. She made 38.8% of her 3-pointers last season, and her speed consistently disrupted offenses.
The newcomers give Augustin more options, but Hampton’s possibilities begin with its familiar trio. McElrath, Battle and Lezama bring scoring, playmaking and an understanding of what their coach expects. If Hampton’s version of “Triple Espresso” can turn that familiarity into a stronger season, the waters surrounding the Home by the Sea won’t be the only thing rising.
Northeastern
2025-26 record: 7-22 (3-15)
Preseason ranking: 11th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 8th in offense, 60.6 points per game; 12th in defense, 67.3 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 69.1%
Percentage of points returning: 75.7%
Boston’s culinary identity is as rich as its history. From buttery lobster rolls to steaming bowls of clam chowder, the city offers an abundance of recognizable flavors. Yet tucked among those celebrated staples is a hidden snack with its own delicious connection to Beantown.
Although Smartfood was founded in Hampton, Connecticut, its signature white cheddar popcorn dates back to 1985, when Annie Withey concocted the recipe on her kitchen stove in Boston. The first packages rolled off the production line in Marlborough, Massachusetts, continuing a regional popcorn tradition that included wagonloads of popcorn balls sold on Boston’s bustling streets nearly a century earlier.
Every kernel of popcorn begins with potential. Add enough heat, and the pressure builds until the kernels burst, creating excitement everywhere. It’s a delicious lesson in the physics of pressure.
With nine returning players, including its top four scorers, Northeastern hopes to generate its own kind of pressure and experience a similar transformation this season. Despite being picked 11th in the CAA preseason poll, the Huskies believe they have the ingredients for a winning recipe.
They have plenty of offensive firepower capable of popping off at any moment, led by 5’9 junior guard Camryn Collins, 6’1 junior forward Justice Tramble, 6′ junior guard Morgan Matthews, and 5’4 senior guard Yirsy Quéliz. Collins and Tramble were named preseason All-CAA honorable mentions.
Together, they give Northeastern head coach Priscilla Edwards-Lloyd four experienced players who could transform the Huskies from a preseason afterthought into a legitimate CAA contender.
“It starts with a level of belief, but that belief comes from putting in the work,” Edwards-Lloyd said to reporters during CAA media day Zoom. “Every person, especially those who are returning to this program, knew that last year our record didn’t indicate what we could have been, but last year is what it is, and your record is your record. So going into this year, we kind of really deep dove into what were the things that were happening, what was missing, and a lot of it fell in line of just execution or being a little bit more committed to this concept or being a little bit more locked in or doing a little bit more.”
A native of nearby Foxborough, Collins led Northeastern in scoring at 11.4 points per game, which ranked 15th in the CAA. Quéliz averaged 9.7 points per game and became one of the conference’s top perimeter threats. Entering the season with 747 career points, Quéliz ranked ninth in the CAA in 3-pointers made per game (1.6) and 3-point field goal percentage (30.1%). She also led Northeastern in assists (76) and steals (38).
Collins and Quéliz combined to deliver 119 assists and 71 3-pointers last season, giving Northeastern an explosive backcourt capable of creating opportunities.
Tramble averaged 9.1 points and grabbed a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game, ranking 19th in the conference. She recorded both double-doubles in overtime losses to North Carolina A&T. In a triple-overtime classic against the Aggies, she delivered a memorable performance, hauling down 21 rebounds to tie a program record.
Matthews averaged 6.9 points per game and ranked second on the team with 26 steals, giving Edwards-Lloyd another experienced option.
Another key returnee for Northeastern is 6’2 junior forward Taylor Holohan, who started 21 of 28 games and averaged 19.5 minutes. She averaged 5.8 points per game and led the Huskies with 20 blocked shots. A 6′ sophomore guard, Kailee Beaudion-Foliaki, started eight games and averaged 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 25 appearances. Maya Summerville, a 6′ junior forward, averaged 2.9 points in 19 games.
Even though they saw limited action last season, 5’7 sophomore guard Beatriz Pérez Pulgar, 6’1 senior forward Andrea Martinez, and 5’11 sophomore guard Lindsey Lemay are familiar with Edwards-Lloyd’s system and could see bigger roles this season.
Northeastern welcomes three transfers: 5’8 sophomore guard Amanda Smith (East Carolina), 5’10 graduate guard Anja Bukvic (Idaho), and 6’1 Summer Bostock (Houston). Bukvic averaged 6.4 points in 30 games at Idaho during the 2024-25 season, while Bostock contributed 4.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 29 appearances at Houston.
Boston has always had a knack for turning simple ingredients into something memorable. Northeastern hopes to follow that formula. The Huskies have experienced returning talent, promising newcomers, and a hunger to prove their preseason ranking wrong. Whether the Huskies produce something special remains to be seen.
But with the heat rising and expectations simmering, Northeastern is eager to surprise everybody who overlooked it. After all, as Kendrick Lamar famously declared, “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show them.”
Campbell
2025-26 record: 20-12 (13-5)
Preseason ranking: 12th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 9th in offense, 60.4 points per game; 1st in defense, 55.6 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 22.3%
Percentage of points returning: 21.8%
Along U.S. Route 421, the wooded hamlet of Buies Creek, North Carolina, offers a rural setting for some sizable ambitions. In a community named for a creek that feeds into the Cape Fear River, Campbell’s first-year head coach Ali Jacques hopes small steps will lead to something substantial as she begins to put her stamp on the program.
Jacques will lean on the veteran presence of 5’11 junior guard Jasmine Felton, one of the conference’s most versatile players with glistening credentials. Named to the preseason All-CAA second team, Felton has had an impactful career, starting 51 of the 65 games she’s appeared in. Last season, in addition to playing in all 32 games, she averaged 9.7 points per game, which was third on the team. Felton averaged 31.8 minutes per game, which was 13th in the CAA.
She shined defensively, finishing sixth in the conference in blocked shots (1.1) and 13th in rebounding (6.1). Felton is the CAA’s leading returner in blocked shots per game. She scored in double digits 19 times last season and had two double-doubles (Tulane and Towson).
Other returning faces include 5’7 senior guard Jessica Woods, 6’3 junior forward Mikayla Tabron, 5’10 junior guard Emerson Thompson, and 6’2 senior forward Peris Smith. The experienced quartet will be counted on to play larger roles this season. They were all on Campbell’s WNIT team in 2025, along with Felton.
This group has postseason experience and a winning pedigree from consecutive 20-win campaigns. Smith and Woods are Campbell’s only seniors.
Woods appeared in 13 games and averaged 5.1 minutes. Tabron played in seven games and averaged six minutes. Thompson made 30 appearances and averaged 7.6 minutes. She shot 35.8% from the field and 33% from 3-point range while averaging 1.5 rebounds per game. Smith saw action in 17 games and averaged 5.2 minutes. They have been patient and are now excited about the opportunity to play a significant role this season in the Camels’ success.
Jacques’ recruiting haul includes four international players, one high school prospect, and one junior college transfer: 5’9 junior guard Kiaya Davis (Connors State College). A combo guard, Davis led NJCAA Division I with 22.4 points per game and was a NJCAA All-America honorable mention as a freshman. She was the OCAC Freshman of the Year and was a member of the all-conference first team. As a sophomore, she averaged 14.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
The remaining newcomers are freshmen: 5’11 wing Amit Arieli, 5’11 guard Clara Comas, 5’9 guard Durusah Bilen, 5’9 guard Laura Martin, and 5’10 freshman forward Genesis Schneeberg.
Jacques said Arieli is a knockdown shooter with international experience on the U18 and U19 Israeli national teams. Bilen gives Jacques a player who can push pace and make exciting plays. She played four years for the Dacka Serifali club team in Turkey, averaging over two assists per game.
A big presence on the wing, Comas averaged 19 points playing for CB Andratx of the Spanish Basketball Federation. Martín is the second player from Spain to join this class. She averaged 26 points and 10 rebounds per contest with her club team, CB Alqazeres. Schneeberg, who played for Team Durant AAU, averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds during her senior year at Sidwell Friends School, where she was named all-conference, first-team all-state, and fourth-team all-metro.
“It’s been fun,” Felton said of learning her new teammates. “I’ve never been on a team with this many international players, so seeing people with different backgrounds and their cultures and where they come from, it’s bike enjoyable to learn. And like the returners, I know them already. But just being with them and continue to grow, bond with them and build chemistry.”
Felton gives Jacques an experienced anchor, while a veteran supporting cast and an intriguing collection of newcomers offer room for growth. Turning those pieces into a championship contender will take time, but Jacques has talent to work with and players eager to embrace larger roles.
UNC Wilmington
2025-26 record: 7-24 (2-16)
Preseason ranking: 13th
2025-26 CAA rankings: 11th in offense, 58.7 points per game; 13th in defense, 67.8 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 0.07%
Percentage of points returning: 0.03%
UNC Wilmington head coach Nicole Woods is bringing together a new crew with a shared sense of purpose. The Seahawks blend youthful vitality with an old-school commitment to trust, toughness, and playing for one another. Think of the Seahawks as a collection of gifted studio musicians without a marquee solo act.
With 11 newcomers, familiarity will take time.
Their success will depend on how quickly they find their rhythm, starting with several talented transfers who bring positivity to Port City. They give Woods a foundation as she works to turn unfamiliar pieces into a cohesive picture.
“It’s like having a blank canvas, and you just kind of being able to draw and paint just exactly how you want to be able to make this thing come together,” Woods said to reporters during CAA media day Zoom. “… We’ve really worked hard at getting to know each other. I think that’s the first thing: spending time together, figuring out what makes each other tick, and then putting the pieces together to make a beautiful picture. It excites me, the hunger that this group has.”
Three of the Seahawks’ six transfers played for programs that competed in the NCAA tournament last season: 5’10 senior guard Loghan Johnson (West Virginia), 5’10 graduate forward Naylee Cortes (Charleston), and 6’2 senior forward Bella Toomey (Fairleigh Dickinson).
Johnson spent her collegiate career in the Big 12, playing 93 games at Texas Tech and West Virginia. She averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebound last season in helping the Mountaineers win the Big 12 tournament. Cortes knows the CAA, having played four years at Charleston. She saw action in 19 games last season. Toomey played in 99 games for FDU and scored nine points in last season’s NCAA tournament game against Iowa. She averaged 3.7 points per contest last season.
More experience will come from 5’10 guard Leah Keyes (George Mason), 5’10 senior guard Kimmie Hicks (Loyola Maryland), and 5’11 junior guard Sienna Dauer (Davidson).
Keyes played in eight games to help George Mason claim a share of the Atlantic-10 regular-season championship, finish with 23 victories, and qualify for the WBIT. Hicks, who made the Patriot League All-Rookie team in 2024, averages 9.4 points in 58 games. Dauer spent two years at Davidson. She appeared in 20 games for a Davidson program that won 21 games and advanced to the Atlantic-10 semifinals.
The lone returner familiar with Woods’ system is 5’10 sophomore guard Ebbony Wilson, who played 49 minutes across seven games last season. She scored two points in three separate games and logged a season-high 15 minutes against Coastal Carolina.
Woods will integrate five freshmen into her rotation in 5’11 guard Jazlyn Bowman, 6’4 center Morgan White, 5’6 guard Alva Hägerström, 5’7 guard Tiara Thompson, and 5’8 guard Promise Njoku.
“On paper, having a team made up of all new people can seem scary at first,” Johnson said to reporters during media day. “But Coach Woods has done a great job of getting everyone out of their comfort zones, since we’re all taking on new roles. She’s given us the opportunity to play the way we want and contribute to the team’s success. I think of it as a puzzle we get to put together ourselves, and so far, we’re doing a great job of that.”
The preseason poll offers one picture of UNCW. Woods and her Seahawks have an entire season to paint a hardwood masterpiece.
Enjoyed this story? Read more of our conference previews for the 2026-27 season!
