Heading into the 2026-27 season, if the preseason coaches’ poll is any indication, it appears as if the Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball race is a two-team affair between Southern and Alabama A&M. However, Alabama State, Florida A&M, the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Alcorn State could have something to say about that as each enter the season with legitimate championship aspirations.
Overall, the SWAC is balanced from top to bottom as several programs boast impactful talent that should shine. The SWAC has continued garnering national respect as three programs competed in postseason for the third consecutive year. While many of the familiar faces departed last season, there are opportunities for new players to emerge as game-changing forces.
Sit back, relax and enjoy an in-depth look at all 12 programs for the upcoming season.
Many statistics, including those below the team names, are from the teams’ websites; all other data sources are hyperlinked. All quotes were To The IX Sports from SWAC media day in Birmingham on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
You can read about every team or skip to your favorite using these links, in order of preseason ranking:
Southern | Alabama A&M | Alabama State | Alcorn State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Grambling State | Florida A&M | Jackson State
Bethune-Cookman | Texas Southern | Mississippi Valley State | Prairie View A&M
Southern
2025-26 record: 20-14 (12-6) Postseason: defeated Samford and lost to South Carolina in NCAA tournament
Preseason ranking: 1st
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 4th in offense, 61.2 points per game; 2nd in defense, 60.2 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 46.1%
Percentage of points returning: 52.1%
Even with a giant bullseye on its back and several talented programs looking to end its reign, the Southern women’s basketball team keeps moving because it understands that its sustained excellence is in the details, precision, and execution. While they are thrilled to be selected as the SWAC preseason favorites, the Jaguars continue embracing the hard grind through sweat-soaked practices, meticulous walk-throughs, and early morning fitness sessions.
Here, in this locked-in space away from the noise, Southern curates its championship culture and polishes its reputation as the SWAC’s gold standard by planning, scheming, and studying. The Jaguars have won an NCAA Tournament game in each of the last two seasons.
The work isn’t easy, but the Jaguars believe it’s worth it as they enter the 2026-27 campaign with three SWAC tournament championships in the last four years. As always, veteran head coach Carlos Funchess returns an experienced team along with some impactful transfers that he believes will help the Jaguars compete for a conference championship.
Southern returns three of its top four scorers from last season: 6’1 junior forward Demya Porter, 5’10 junior guard Jocelyn Tate, and 6′ senior forward Zaria Hurston. They are a formidable and experienced trio who were regulars in the starting lineup last season.
Named to the Preseason All-SWAC First Team, Porter is the Jaguars’ leading returning scorer at 9.6 points per game. She also grabbed 5.2 rebounds and was seventh in the SWAC in blocked shots per game (1.0). Porter had 17 points in a road win over Arizona and 15 points in a NCAA tournament triumph over Samford.
Tate was named the Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and named to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team. Tate, the 2026 SWAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, was Southern’s third-leading scorer last season, averaging 7.8 points per game. She averaged 5.7 rebounds per game and was fourth in the SWAC in steals per game (1.6). Tate also scored 10 points against South Carolina in the NCAA tournament and made the game-winning basket in the semifinals to beat Alabama A&M and end its 18-game winning streak.
“It’s going to take the same amount of hard work we put in the last two years,” Tate said to The IX Sports during SWAC women’s basketball media day. “It’s going to be harder for sure. We have to continue to stay connected as a program, trust each other, and put in, if not, more hard work than the last two years. We know it’s going to be hard, but I think we have what it takes to go three times in a row.”
Hurston finished with 46 steals and added 7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Other key returnees include 5’8 senior guard Jestiny Dixon and 6’5 senior center Anaja Hall. Dixon averaged 4.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, which ranked 24th in the conference. Hall averaged 3.9 points per game in 27 games. Together, they helped Southern hold opponents to 60.2 points per game.
Funchess is thrilled to have a healthy Taniya Lawson, a 5’8 senior guard returning from a foot injury. She played at Texas Southern during the 2024-25 season. Also back for the Jaguars is 5’8 senior guard Diamond Hunter, who averaged 5.2 points as a member of the Jaguars’ 2023 SWAC championship team that lost to Sacred Heart in the NCAA tournament, and 5’4 junior guard Aubri Wilkins, who saw action in 14 games last season.
Funchess also welcomes the opportunity to integrate plenty of new faces into his culture, with Southern adding nine transfers.
Taking over the point guard reins for the Jaguars this season is expected to be 5’5 senior guard Alisha Nunley, who played at Old Dominion last season after a decorated junior college career at Collin Community College. The Fort Worth, Texas native played in 23 games and logged 124 minutes for ODU.
The Jaguars also added 5’10 senior guard Deniya Thornton from Loyola, New Orleans. The decorated Thornton scored 1,099 points in two years, including an NAIA All-America second-team selection last season after averaging 15.8 points. In addition, Thornton was the Southern States Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and First-team All-SSAC for the second consecutive season.
A smooth, long, and athletic wing, Thornton helped Loyola win 25 games and capture the SSAC regular-season championship. The Wolf Pack finished No. 16 in the final NAIA coaches poll, set a school record with a 17-game winning streak and reached the second round of the NAIA Tournament.
To continue its defensive intensity, Southern added 5’3 junior guard Taelar Felton, who averaged 14.2 points in 28 games for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Jaguars also feature transfers with Division I women’s basketball experience: 5’7 senior guard Dalayja Hurt-Floyd (Alcorn State), 5’6 senior guard J’yana Salton (Coastal Carolina) and 6’1 junior forward Uniyah Franklin (Winthrop).
Hurt-Floyd averaged 2.7 points last season and understands what it’s like to compete in the SWAC. Salton, who also played at Trinity Valley Community College, saw action in 14 games and averaged 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 14 points against Columbia. Franklin played in two games last season and is excited to return to competition.
Aaliyah Scott, a 5’5 junior guard from Connors State College, averaged 9.3 points in 25 games.
The large silver trophy, crowned by a polished basketball, shines beneath the lights in the Jaguars’ overstuffed trophy case reflecting everything Southern has built.
The target is bigger now. Even if the expectations remain the same.
But inside Southern’s locked-in space, neither matters much. The Jaguars know what got them here: the work, the preparation, and the willingness to embrace the process when nobody else is watching.
The championships are the finished product. Southern knows the masterpiece is built long before it reaches the gallery.
Alabama A&M
2025-26 record: 22-11, (17-1 SWAC regular season champions). Postseason: lost to BYU in WBIT
Preseason ranking: 2nd
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 3rd in offense, 61.8 points per game; 1st in defense, 56.5 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 29.0%
Percentage of points returning: 19.8%
Veteran Alabama A&M head coach Dawn Brown is excited about the upcoming season even though her roster will feature 12 fresh faces. Picked to finish second in the conference preseason poll, the Bulldogs received eight first-place votes. While there are plenty of new faces in Huntsville this year, many are experienced, thanks to seven Division I transfers, including some who played in the SWAC.
A one-woman spirit tunnel, overflowing with enthusiasm, encouragement, passionate tough love, and the dopest drip, Brown has guided the Bulldogs to consecutive 20-win seasons and postseason appearances. Alabama A&M played in the WBIT last season and WNIT in 2025, proof of Brown and her staff’s work since arriving on The Hill in 2024.
The WNIT and WBIT appearances are valuable building blocks for the Bulldog program, but Brown and her squad have their sights set squarely on adding the final piece to their resume: a trip to the NCAA tournament and the SWAC tournament championship. Last year, Alabama A&M won its final 17 regular-season games to claim the conference title and cap a season to remember.
With trips to Hawai’i and participation in the PowerHER Classic at South Carolina over Thanksgiving weekend, Brown is continuing to elevate the Bulldog brand nationally.
Vanessa Wimberly, a 5’7 sophomore guard, and Aniya Palmer, a 6’1 senior guard, saw action in all 33 games last season for Alabama A&M. In the Bulldogs’ two SWAC tournament games last season, Palmer averaged 15.5 points. Palmer, who was named a Preseason All-SWAC Second Team selection, closed the season strong by reaching double digits in seven of the Bulldogs’ final 10 games.
Meanwhile, Wimberly averaged 2.8 points in 24.1 minutes. However, her role wasn’t to score, though she showed she can do that too, scoring a season-high 10 points against Mississippi Valley State and eight points against Southern. Competing with larceny in her heart, the sticky-fingered Wimberly led the Bulldogs with 45 steals and was 22nd in the SWAC in assists (1.8 per game).
With Wimberly’s fierce on-ball defense setting the tone, Alabama A&M was among the national leaders in critical defensive categories, proof of the Bulldogs’ DNA. The Bulldogs were 15th nationally in scoring defense (56.5) and 20th in opponent field goal percentage (36.7). They were also 28th nationally in turnovers forced per game (20.18).
“Eleven new faces is something that we’re really excited about,” Brown said. “I think actually, maybe 12. We picked up someone late after school started, so yeah, we have 12 new faces. I think the biggest part that people don’t understand: winning the regular season is the hardest thing. You got to show up for you know week after week after week, 18 games, right? You have to show up to do that. But in the tournament, it’s who can make the best run for those three games. So just making sure that the young women are like mentally prepared, locked into what we need to do. With Vanessa Wimberly, our starting point guard from last year, last season, still being here, she understands what that looks like, and we’ve been really pushing that culture every single day.”
The Bulldogs’ incoming class understands the standard, embraces the work, and is ready to help the program continue its path toward remaining a championship program.
Among the transfers with previous SWAC experience are 5’7 guard Addison Howell (Mississippi Valley State), 5’11 senior guard Alisha Murray (Grambling State), 5’9 junior guard Janessa Kelley (Bethune-Cookman), and 5’10 senior forward Asianae Nicholson, who played at Charlotte last season after being one of the conference’s top rebounders and national leaders in double-doubles at Bethune-Cookman two years ago.
Murray averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds for Grambling State last season. She earned SWAC Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week recognition on March 4. Murray scored in double digits five times last season. Kelley averaged 4.5 points per game in 29 contests for Bethune-Cookman last season.
Nicholson, who started her college career at AAMU, averaged a double-double with 12.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per game at Bethune-Cookman during the 2024-25 season. She was named an HBCU All-American and All-SWAC Second Team. Nicholson was also second nationally in double-doubles with 22 and led the SWAC in rebounds (367). She averaged 6.1 points and 9.3 rebounds at Charlotte last season.
Brown is also excited about 5’7 senior guard Kalea Rainey (Florida Memorial), 5’8 junior guard Shun’teria Anumele (Houston), 6’3 junior forward Miracle Akpotayobo (Arizona), 5’7 senior guard Skylar White (Virginia State), 6’3 redshirt junior forward Logyn McNeil (Houston), and 6’1 junior forward Tazi Harris (Snead State).
Anumele, who spent her freshman season at Saint Louis, averaged 3.4 points per game in 29 appearances last season. She started her only game as a Cougar, scoring nine points and grabbing a career-high seven rebounds against BYU on Jan. 10.
McNeil was ranked the No. 18 forward in her 2021 class by ESPNU HoopGurlz before signing with LSU. After tearing her ACL at the beginning of her freshman year with the Tigers, McNeil redshirted the 2021-22 season. She played two years at Houston (2022-23 & 2023-24), where she saw action in 61 games.
Akpotayobo signed with Arizona in April 2025 after previously committing to Auburn. She left Arizona before last season started and is looking forward to helping the Bulldogs. McNeil and Akpotayobo are lean, athletic posts who can score through contact in the paint or face up and attack from the perimeter. Their mobility and motor should make them a strong fit for Alabama A&M’s defensive intensity.
Rainey and White add championship pedigree to the Bulldog program. Rainey helped Florida Memorial win the Sun Conference tournament and capture a victory in the NAIA national tournament. Meanwhile, White played a vital role as Virginia State earned a trip to the NCAA tournament after finishing runner-up in the CIAA tournament.
After averaging 18.5 points per game last season, Rainey earned First Team All-Sun Conference Honors. Rainey, who scored 700 points in three seasons at FMU, is a walking bucket, scoring in double digits in all 24 games last season. She scored 20 or more points in 11 of those outings. White, who was named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team in 2024, averaged 6.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 24 games last season for the Trojans.
Harris averaged 17.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in 25 games last season. In two years at Snead State, she scored 731 points in 48 career games. Standout freshmen include 6’1 forward Khloe Bradley and 5’8 guard Alya Benson.
Brown has reloaded with experienced talent, but turning a largely new roster into a championship team will depend on how quickly its defense, rebounding, and scoring come together. Wimberly gives them a proven on-ball defender, Palmer finished strong last season, and Nicholson brings an established rebounding presence. McNeil and Akpotayobo could add length and mobility to a team that already led the conference in scoring defense and opponent field-goal percentage.
The Bulldogs have made plenty of noise in each of Brown’s two seasons on the Hill. This season, they have the talent to make their bark louder and bite stronger.
Alabama State
2025-26 record: 17-16 (12-6 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 3rd
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 6th in offense, 60.4 points per game; 6th in defense, 66.3 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 45.9%
Percentage of points returning: 47.8%
Alabama State and second-year head coach Johnetta Hayes will not sneak up on anybody in the SWAC this season. After falling in the SWAC championship game, the motivated Hornets return with unfinished business.
To those outside Alabama State, the Hornets’ rise may have been surprising. To Hayes, it was expected. Their success was built on suffocating defense and emotional discipline that separates great teams from good ones. Instead of getting frustrated by a mistake, missed shot, or a bad call, the Hornets channeled that energy to rattle the opposition. Alabama State ranked second in the SWAC in opponents’ field goal percentage, holding teams to 37.3% shooting.
“We snuck up on a lot of people, and then the kids earned it as we went through the season,” Hayes said to The IX Sports during SWAC media day. “That gave us an opportunity to set a foundation for what’s next. We want to build brick by brick. We have five returners and 10 new players, so it was a lot of work. Once they understand how hard they have to work, hopefully we can put ourselves in a position where we’re playing for another championship.”
The Hornets return five players from a team that won 17 games, an 11-game improvement over the previous campaign.
Caylee Simpson, a 5’6 senior guard, is the Hornets’ returning leading scorer at 9.2 points per game, which was 20th in the SWAC. She started half of the Hornets’ 32 games and became a dependable force on both ends of the floor with 38 steals and 25 assists. In addition to scoring in double digits 14 times, she shot 48.8% from the field. Simpson reached double digits in scoring in four of her last five games, including a 19-point showing in the SWAC Championship against Southern.
Adding experience are 5’9 senior forward Alanah Pooler, 5’4 sophomore guard Ny’Keria Flowers, 5’11 forward Charlese McClendon, and 6′ forward Takaya Walters-Norman.
Simpson and McClendon were named to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team.
Flowers started 21 of the 30 games she played as a freshman, averaging 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while adding 58 assists and a team-best 46 steals. Her impact was on the defensive end, where she ranked 17th in the SWAC in steals per game (1.5).
A versatile defender and the Hornets’ anchor, Pooler did plenty of little things that contributed to ASU’s success. She started 16 games and appeared in 32 last season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds. Pooler burned Southern for a season-best 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 38 minutes against Southern on Feb. 5.
In 31 games and 11 starts, McClendon established herself as one of the conference’s best rebounders. She was fourth in the SWAC in rebounding at 6.9 per game. She grabbed a season-best 21 rebounds against Florida A&M on Feb. 21. McClendon, who also averaged 6.8 points per game, had nine double-digit scoring games and seven double-digit rebound outings. McClendon’s three double-doubles helped Alabama State lead the SWAC in rebounding margin (+4.3).
Walters-Norman appeared in 28 games and had five starts, averaging 2.0 points and 2.7 rebounds. She scored a season-high eight points twice last season, both against UAPB.
Alabama State bolstered its roster with a trio of North Carolina A&T transfers: 5’8 sophomore guard Londyn Walker, 6′ forward Elliott Jessup, and 6’2 junior forward Rachel Griffin. Jessup and Griffin were freshmen when the Aggies won the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) regular season championship in 2025. Griffin played in 37 games with two starts at North Carolina A&T while Jessup played in 57 games during her Aggie career, averaging 15.7 minutes and 2.8 points. Walker played in seven games during her freshman campaign at North Carolina A&T.
Hayes believes 5’6 transfer guard Makala Hobdy, who brings experience and a winning vibe from Jacksonville State, will make an impact. Hobdy averaged 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds last season and made 15 starts in 27 games. Her outside shooting will boost the Hornets after she knocked down 22 3-pointers for the Gamecocks. Shelton State Community College’s all-time assist leader with 389 in two years, Hobdy is looking to end her career with a flourish.
Another key transfer will be 5’11 junior guard Aamori Daniels, who averaged 14.3 points per game in 27 games last season for San Diego City College. Overall, Daniels scored 822 points, collected 115 steals, had 101 assists, and 91 blocked shots in her junior college career. She’ll be another outside shooting threat for ASU as she made 24 3-pointers on 38.1% accuracy last season.
The Hornets also added Georgia Tech transfer McKayla Taylor, who didn’t see action last season. Taylor is a 6’1 center from Atlanta who was named the 2024 Georgia High School Association 6A Region 5 Player of the Year. Taylor averaged 11.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game over three seasons at Langston Hughes High School and was the fourth-ranked center in Georgia.
Another 6’1 addition to Alabama State is junior center Calise Chisholm, who played in 57 career games over two years at Daytona State College and Mobley Area Community College. Last season, Chisholm averaged 7.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in 29 contests for Daytona State. A relentless force in the paint and on the glass, Chisholm had 11 double-digit scoring outings and seven double-digit rebound games last season.
Rounding out the Hornets roster are 5’9 freshman guard Kaleigh Heywood, 5’5 freshman guard Karrell Greene, and 5’9 freshman guard Morghan Slater.
With experienced returnees and key additions, Alabama State has the ingredients to be in the championship conversation again. But the Hornets want more. After coming so close to the promised land last season, they’ve spent the summer preparing to take that final step. This time, nobody in the SWAC will be surprised to see them coming.
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Alcorn State
2025-26 record: 17-14, (14-4 SWAC) Postseason: lost to South Alabama in WNIT
Preseason ranking: 4th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 10th in offense, 57.5 points per game; 3rd in defense, 60.3 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 35.6%
Percentage of points returning: 31.8%
After a successful campaign that included its first WNIT appearance in program history, Alcorn State will pursue its goals with several returning players stepping into bigger roles. The Braves saw their top three scorers graduate, taking 54.8% of the team’s points with them along with their college degrees.
Despite losing those standout performers, veteran Alcorn State head coach Nate Kilbert believes he has the right pieces for another strong season. The Braves return nine players from last year’s 17-win campaign and welcome four transfers. Setting the tone this season for Alcorn State will be 6’ senior forward Lauren Nelson, 6’2 junior forward Chrishunti Walker, and 6’ graduate forward Arene Iyekekpolor. All three players saw at least 13 minutes per game last season and made key contributions to the Braves’ success.
Nelson is Alcorn State’s leading returning scorer (5.9 points per game). She also averaged 2.5 rebounds in 19 minutes across 30 games. Nelson, who started the Braves’ WNIT contest, scored in double digits four times with a pair of 16-point performances against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Auburn.
Walker started 23 games and averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Among her four double figure games, she scored 13 points twice in contests against Bethune-Cookman and UAPB. Iyekekpolor scored eight points in 19 minutes in Alcorn State’s WNIT contest against South Alabama. She averaged 3.5 points in 31 games last season.
“The talent is there,” Kilbert said to The IX Basketball during SWAC media day. “It’s just the opportunity has came for these kids to be able to step up. They’ve been asking for this moment. This moment is here now. And my question to them: Are you prepared for it? Because we told you just wait your turn. They waited their turn. Are they going to be ready for that? And to be honest with you, I really don’t know. I see the potential.”
The Braves will benefit from the experience 5’10 sophomore guard/forward Ariyah Burke, 6’1 sophomore guard/forward Jazlyn Johnson, 6’ senior forward Leyah Houston, 5’8 sophomore forward Frances Anyakudo, 6’2 junior forward Milaan Moore, and 5’7 senior guard Jayda Bowen. They understand the Brave system and have spent countless hours together enhancing team chemistry.
Houston played in 17 games and averaged 2.5 points per contest. She had a season-high eight points against Bethune-Cookman. Johnson played in 30 games and averaged 2.1 points in 7.6 minutes per contest. She scored a season-best eight points twice during the year. Bowen saw action in 26 games and had a season-high seven points in 12 minutes against UAB.
Moore, Burke, and Anyakudo could step into larger roles after seeing limited action last season. With more minutes could come more opportunities to showcase their talent and make an impact.
Transfers include 6’ senior guard Fatime Seck (Southeastern Louisiana), 5’6 junior guard Dekyra Mitchell (Northwest Community College), 5’9 guard/forward Jae’la Smith (Pearl River Community College), and 5’9 senior guard Jada Morgan (Albany State). They provide scoring punch and tenacity to a program built on its defensive identity.
Seck will be competing for her fourth school after stops at Central Arkansas, New Mexico Junior College, and Southeastern Louisiana. She averaged 2.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 26 games last season at SE Louisiana.
Mitchell brings her scoring touch to the Alcorn State program after averaging 16.9 points per game. She scored in double figures 29 times, including a season best 32 points against Lawson State Community College. In addition to making 80 3-pointers, Mitchell also impacts the game with her defense, too.
Smith led the Wildcats with 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, earning an All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conferences honorable mention recognition. She helped guide PRCC to a 22–6 record and an appearance in the conference tournament championship game.
Morgan, who played her freshman season at South Carolina State, averaged 11.3 points last season. She scored in double figures 17 times, including in four of her final six games.
Replacing 54.8% of last season’s scoring won’t fall on one player. That responsibility will be shared among experienced returners embracing larger roles and newcomers capable of providing an immediate spark.
The names producing the points may be different, but Kilbert believes the ingredients that fueled last season’s breakthrough remain in place. After reaching the WNIT for the first time, the Braves aren’t interested in treating that accomplishment as a destination. They’re looking to build on it.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
2025-26 record: 15-15 (10-8 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 5th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 5th in offense, 61.1 points per game; 8th in defense, 68.3 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 74.7%
Percentage of points returning: 85.0%
Third-year Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Erica Leak has her squad hungry for more. The Golden Lions finished fifth in a competitive SWAC last season and advanced to the tournament semifinals, but they believe that success was only the beginning.
UAPB is an anomaly in today’s college basketball landscape, returning its top six scorers from last season. Two of them — seniors Indiya Bowen and Jailah Pelly — are also the SWAC’s top two returning leading scorers.
The Golden Lions enter the season loaded with experience, talent, depth, size and motivation. After improving their win total by 12 games from Leak’s first season, they are positioned to make another significant leap. Much of that optimism centers on the Big Three of Bowen, Perry and Khaniah Gardner, a talented triumvirate that combined to score 59.3% of UAPB’s points last season. They also helped UAPB finish third in field goal percentage (38.5%) in the SWAC.
A 14-karat guard with a smooth game, Bowen is a soul-snatching scorer who was named Preseason SWAC Player of the Year after leading the conference with a 14.9 point per game average last season. Bowen and Pelly earned Preseason All-SWAC First Team recognition, while Gardner was named to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team‘.
“I’m really thrilled to be able to coach her,” UAPB head coach Erica Leak said about Bowen to The IX Sports during SWAC media day. “You know to see her work ethic and really how serious she takes her game. She has personal goals, individual goals that she is just checking off one by one, and so for her to get Preseason Player of the Year is really a testament to the work that she’s put in. She is the first person the in the gym. She’s there at 5:30 a.m. putting up extra shots, getting up extra work, and so I’m just really proud that she was awarded that accolade because it’s very deserved for her.”
Bowen, who earned SWAC Newcomer of the Year honors, scored in double figures 26 times, including a season-high 29-point performance in a road win over Memphis to begin the season. An elite three-level scorer, Bowen was third in the SWAC in 3-pointers made per game (2.1) and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (31.5%). She scored 20 or more points eight times and delivered a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to help UAPB beat North Alabama on the road.
As one of the more potent all-around players in the conference, Pelly was a handful for opponents. Scoring at a 12.8-point-per-game clip, Pelly was sixth in the SWAC in scoring and seventh in assists (3.1). She scored in double figures 23 times and backed Bowen’s brilliance in the win over Memphis with 23 points and 10 rebounds. In the Golden Lions’ season finale, Pelly had a season-high eight assists. She enters the season with 647 career points.
Gardner, who started her career at Vanderbilt, blossomed into a force for the Golden Lions last season, averaging 8.6 points per game and a team-best 6.6 rebounds per contest. She finished strong by recording six double-doubles over the Golden Lions’ final eight games. Overall, she scored in double figures 11 times and had seven double-doubles. Gardner was also named to the All-SWAC Tournament team after averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in the Golden Lions’ three postseason games.
Expected to play larger roles this season are 5’8 senior guard Jasmine Davis, 5’8 sophomore guard Jakyra Jackson and 5’11 sophomore forward Tyra Taylor.
Davis played every game and made 29 starts where she averaged 7.2 points per game. She was second on the team with 71 assists. She scored in double figures 11 times last season including a 21-point performance against Texas Southern and 20-point outing against Alabama State. Davis was second on UAPB with 60 steals and tied for the team lead with 13 blocked shots.
Meanwhile, Taylor and Jackson supplied spark off the bench. Jackson averaged 5.4 points per game. She finished with 36 steals and 36 assists. Even though Taylor started nine games, she found her groove by averaging 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Adding strength and size to UAPB this season will be transfers Yazmine Palmer (Loyola, Chicago) and Malanie Francis (Santa Fe Junior College). A Southfield, Michigan native, Palmer, a 6’2 forward, saw action in six games last season for the Ramblers. Overall, she played in 17 games at Loyola. A 6’5 center from Jamacia; Francis played 17 games last season and scored a season-best 14 points. She scored in double figures three times.
For UAPB, the pieces are already familiar. The Golden Lions have proven scorers, experienced guards, size, depth and, perhaps most importantly, continuity in an era when keeping a core together is increasingly rare.
After a 12-win improvement and a trip to the SWAC semifinals, Leak’s team has experienced what it feels like to take a significant step forward. They want more and be slightly motivated by being picked to finish fifth. Now, with its top six scorers back, UAPB is hungry to take the next step.
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Grambling State
2025-26 record: 13-19 (10-8 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 6th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 2nd in offense, 63.5 points per game; 4th in defense, 62.9 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 0%
Percentage of points returning: 0%
With one returning player from last season, it would’ve been understandable if this year’s Grambling State squad spent its first week together learning its way around campus before finding its way through the playbook. Fourth-year head coach Courtney Simmons welcomes 11 transfers and two freshmen to Exit 81, the Interstate 20 gateway to Grambling, for a season that begins with a nearly entirely new roster.
“The best thing about having a blank canvas is that you can put anything you want on it, and so it’s super blank,” Simmons said to The IX Sports during SWAC media day. “I think our kids are really excited. We have got a couple gym rats who we have to force out of the gym, and that’s always a good thing. We’re excited about the season. These kids have been working hard all summer long.”
The Tigers’ lone returnee is 6’5 senior center Eve Fiala, who didn’t play last season. In addition to likely serving as the tour guide, showing her new teammates all that Grambling State has to offer, she brings a competitive pedigree to the Tigers from her two years at Dayton.
As a freshman at Dayton, Fiala was an Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and made her collegiate debut at UConn. During her freshman year, Fields also appeared in 23 games and made five starts. She averaged 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game. She also blocked a career-high five shots in the A-10 tournament second round against Rhode Island.
The transfers feature a strong mix of talented players with Division I experience who enjoyed success during their junior college careers. Leading the Tiger transfers are 5’7 senior guard Madison Holden (Bethune-Cookman) and 5’8 senior guard Angel Wilkinson (Jackson State). Both are familiar with SWAC competition, and each made significant contributions for their programs last season. Simmons is familiar with both players.
Holden was Bethune-Cookman’s second leading scorer last season, averaging 6.7 points per game. She started 18 of the 30 games she appeared in for the Wildcats while averaging 21.2 minutes. Holden scored in double digits six times last season, culminating in a 20-point outing against Jackson State. This is Holden’s fourth school after spending her first two years as a point guard at California Lutheran and Central Arizona.
Wilkinson, who was 10th in the SWAC in 3-pointers made per game (1.3), averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 28 games last season. Wilkerson made 36 3-pointers, scored in double digits nine times, and highlighted the season with consecutive 18-point efforts against Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M.
Also bringing Division I experience to the Tiger program will be 5’8 junior guard Lalani Ellis (Eastern Illinois), 5’8 freshman guard Johlana Tatum (Manhattan), 6′ senior guard/forward Tylissa Henderson (Charlotte), and 6’4 junior center Sophia Goncalves (Wichita State). They are all excited to showcase their skills and contribute to the Tigers’ success.
Ellis played in the first three games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury. Her season started promisingly, as she started each contest and averaged 10.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Ellis opened the year with 14 points against Drake before a 16-point game at Purdue, which showcased her scoring ability.
Tatum saw action in six games, scoring 15 points and pulling down six rebounds. She had a season-high of five points against Liberty and finished with a season-high of four rebounds against Columbia. Henderson averaged 4.2 points in nine games for Charlotte. She played a season-high 12 minutes against Oklahoma State, scoring five points. Henderson signed with Charlotte after one season with the Kilgore College Rangers, where she appeared in 32 games, averaging eight points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Goncalves played in three games at Wichita State during the 2023-24 season. She made her first collegiate appearance against Omaha, recording one block and one rebound in four minutes. Last season at Laney College, she averaged 18.7 points and 11.0 rebounds in 21 games. Goncalves scored in double digits 12 times and had a season-high 31-point performance.
Grambling State’s junior college transfers include 5’8 junior guard Da’Naya Ross (Three Rivers Community College), 5’7 sophomore guard Destiny Lewis (SWCC), 6’2 freshman forward Sy’Nariea Snow (Temple College), junior guard Kinsley James (Itawamba Junior College), and 6’1 junior forward Mariam Alowonle (Anoka-Ramsey Community College). They bring impressive credentials to Simmons’ program.
Ross played in 33 games last season and averaged 9.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She scored in double digits 13 times, including eight of her last nine games. One of her best moments last season was a 37-point performance against Crowder College on Feb. 28. She also averaged 6.6 points at Trinity Valley Community College during the 2024-25 campaign.
With bright yellow hair in her signing graphic online, Lewis already looks ready to stand out. She matched it with scoring, averaging 16.9 points in 29 games last season.
Snow, who played in the Capital Classic in Washington, D.C. after high school, averaged 8.2 points in five games last year for Temple College. She scored a season-best 23 points against Tyler JUCO. James averaged 4.6 points in 27 games. She scored in double digits five times. James played the 2024-25 season at Baton Rouge Community College, where she averaged 12.0 points in 22 games. She also has a winning vibe, as evidenced by leading Southern University Laboratory School to the 2022 and 2024 Louisiana state championships.
Alowonle earned First Team All-America honors after averaging 18.2 points and 10 rebounds per game while shooting 54.3% from the field. She helped Anoka-Ramsey advance to the NJCAA Division III Championship game and win 24 games.
Freshmen Azalia Hoover, a 5’11 guard from Chicago, and Aeris Macon, a 6’1 forward from Powder Springs, Georgia, round out the Tiger roster.
Plenty of different roads brought these Tigers to Exit 81. Now comes the work of moving in the same direction. Learning their way around campus is the easy part. Learning one another’s timing, tendencies, and strengths will take longer. How quickly those connections develop could determine how far Grambling State travels in the SWAC.
Florida A&M
2025-26 record: 8-22 (7-11 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 7th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 8th in offense, 59.0 points per game; 9th in defense, 69.7 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 65.5%
Percentage of points returning: 66.7%
Florida A&M has a bright trajectory this season with more scoring, a stout frontcourt, and continuity as eight returning players and six impactful newcomers form the foundation of a program poised to build off its strong finish in which it earned its first SWAC tournament win since joining the conference in 2021.
With one of the SWAC’s most dynamic duos returning in 5’8 junior guard Shaniyah McCarthy and 5’0 senior guard Tahnyjia Purifoy, optimism is high on the campus sitting atop the highest of Tallahassee’s seven hills despite being picked seventh in the SWAC preseason poll. So expect the Rattlers to have a chip on its shoulder this season because their talent suggests otherwise.
Tethered together by toughness and elite playmaking, McCarthy and Purifoy bring excitement, versatility, chemistry, and experience to head coach Bridgette Gordon‘s program.
McCarthy and Purifoy earned SWAC Preseason All-First Team recognition, and the distinction was well-earned. Both finished among the conference’s top 10 scorers last season, giving the Rattlers a potent backcourt combination that can impact games in multiple ways.
“We felt like we had a great chance of winning last year, but it’s unfinished business in year four,” Gordon said to The IX Sports during SWAC media day. “What you can’t control is what people gonna think about you or say about you. But what you can control is getting one percent better every day and putting in the work. That’s our focus. …The only thing that has hindered us in the past was injuries, so I’m praying to my God up above just to keep us healthy, safe, and protect us.”
McCarthy led FAMU in scoring and ranked eighth in the SWAC at 12.6 points per game. She scored in double figures 22 times, including the Rattlers’ final seven contests, and topped 20 points three times. A three-level scorer and lights-out shooter, McCarthy gives FAMU somebody capable of making tough shots late in the shot clock and against difficult defenses.
Purifoy is one of the conference’s dynamic players and sets the tone on both ends of the floor. She is the SWAC’s returning assists leader (4.2) after finishing second in the conference last season. Purifoy had at least five assists in seven of FAMU’s final eight games, including 10 against Alabama A&M in the SWAC Tournament.
Her scoring and defense complement her playmaking. Purifoy averaged 10.6 points, ranking 10th in the SWAC, and scored in double figures 15 times. She also ranked second in the conference in steals at 2.0 per game.
While McCarthy and Purifoy are the headliners, the Rattlers are also excited to welcome back 5’6 sophomore Cornelia Ellington, 6′ junior Miya Giles-Jones, 5’7 sophomore guard Niah Rhodes, 5’9 sophomore guard Brooklyn Swann, 6’1 senior forward Thailan Payne, and 6’3 sophomore center Zana Justice.
Ellington and Giles-Jones provided another productive tandem alongside McCarthy and Purifoy. Ellington averaged 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds, scoring in double figures seven times. Her best performance was a 22-point effort at Southern in which she made six 3-pointers. Giles-Jones averaged 8.0 points and 5.8 rebounds and closed the season by scoring in double figures in each of the Rattlers’ final four games.
Rhodes, who played two games last season, was off to a promising start after scoring 16 points against Howard. Swan averaged 3.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 27 games. Payne also saw action in 28 games, averaging 7.6 minutes per game. Justice played in 19 games. They are expected to play a bigger role for FAMU this season.
Florida A&M’s roster will feature high-impact transfers in 6′ junior guard Rose Jamison (Bellamaire), 6’2 junior forward Breasia Coit (Livingstone College), 6′ junior guard Kamryn Grant (Dayton), 5’10 junior guard Lia Sims (Lemoore College), and 5’9 junior guard/forward Persais Williams (Winthrop)
Jamison appeared in 15 games with 14 starts and logged 28.9 minutes per game before sustaining a season-ending injury. She averaged 9.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Jamison scored in double figures in seven games, with a season high of 20 points behind a season-best three 3-pointers against Arizona. She also put up 17 points and eight rebounds against Notre Dame.
Jamison, who has a great mid-range game and is difficult to stop at the rim, has persevered throughout her career overcoming a significant knee injury at Napa Valley College. Jamison amassed 1,112 points in slightly over two seasons at Napa Valley while earning California Community College Athletic Association first-team All-Bay Valley Conference honors, third-team CCCAA All-State accolades and CCCAA Academic All-State laurels.
A physical presence around the rim, Coit led Livingstone in scoring (13.1) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in rebounding (12.3). She received All‑CIAA First‑Team honors and was named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year. She anchored Livingstone’s defense with relentless rebounding and a specialty for altering shots. Coit’s presence could enhance the Rattlers’ transition game. Coit was second in field goal percentage, sixth in blocked shots (2.0), and seventh in scoring.
Grant appeared in 22 games over two seasons at Dayton. This past season, Grant scored a season-high seven points in 14 minutes. Sims averaged 16.1 points and 11.0 rebounds in 29 games. Sims reached double digits in scoring 27 times. Williams averaged 3.3 points over 26 games last season. She made two starts and scored a season-best 14 points against Clinton.
Named the 6A Player of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association, Kristen Johnson had a decorated high school career as a three-time state champion and two-time regional MVP, scoring over 2,000 points.
With McCarthy and Purifoy controlling the backcourt, Coit adding muscle inside, and plenty of experienced pieces surrounding them, Gordon has options at every position. For a FAMU team with proven scorers, disruptive defenders, and newcomers ready to make an immediate impact, FAMU believes it has everything it needs to keep climbing and make some noise.
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Jackson State
2025-26 record: 12-19 (10-8 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 8th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 9th in offense, 59.0 points per game; 5th in defense, 63.5 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 23.7%
Percentage of points returning: 19.0%
Jackson State head coach Margaret Richards enters her third year at the helm with 12 new players, including 10 transfers. The Tigers have three returning players from a squad that finished tied for fifth in the SWAC standings with 10 wins after capturing five of its last six regular-season contests.
One familiar face and foundational pillar of success is 6′ sophomore forward Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua, the 2026 SWAC Freshman of the Year. She is Jackson State’s returning leading scorer (7.7 points per game) and rebounder (5.5 per game). Tcheuhchoua played in 31 games and made 11 starts while shooting 45.8% from the field.
Tcheuhchoua had three double-doubles as she emerged as a consistent force as the season progressed, including a 10-point, 11-rebound effort in a road win against Alcorn State during its season-ending surge. She had a career-high 16 rebounds against Prairie View A&M. Tcheuhchoua also scored in double digits 11 times and scored 10 points against Southern in the SWAC tournament.
“You can expect a lot of competitive, hard-nosed, tough basketball from our young ladies,” Richards said. “One thing that I’m very impressed with right now at this time is our physicality. So, I’m very impressed with that.”
Also returning for the Tigers are 5’9 senior guard Camryn O’Neil and 6’2 sophomore forward Laila Grant. O’Neil played her first two years at Fort Valley State before playing 30 games for the Tigers last season. O’Neil averaged 2.2 points and 1.9 rebounds. She scored a season-best seven points twice in road games against Arkansas and Florida A&M. Grant played in 20 games for the Tigers, scoring 41 points and grabbing 40 rebounds.
Five of the 10 transfers played last season at either Division I or Division II programs: 5’11 junior forward Ne’Vaeh Buntley (Daemen), 6′ junior forward Joi Johnson (Fairleigh-Dickinson), 5’8 junior guard/forward Taj Hunter (Western Carolina), 5’6 senior guard Selina Gutierrez (Morgan State), and 5’6 senior guard Shamya Reid (Alabama State).
Buntley and Johnson were part of NCAA tournament programs in each of their first two seasons.
An instant bucket-getter, Buntley was one of the nation’s elite players last season, helping Division II Daemen advance to the Sweet 16 and qualify for the NCAA tournament for the seventh straight season. She scored 818 points in two years at Daemen. After averaging 17.2 points per game last season, Buntley earned All-East Coast Conference First Team honors, was named ECC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and was selected to the NCAA tournament East Region All-Tournament Team.
Johnson played 56 games over two years at FDU as the Knights made the NCAA tournament each season. She averaged 2.6 points last season. Johnson had a 10-point, four-rebound effort against Notre Dame last season and had 10 points in a win over Mercyhurst. She played in NCAA tournament games against Iowa (2026) and TCU (2025).
Reid has experience in the SWAC, averaging 8.6 points for the Hornets, who advanced to the conference championship game. Reid also led the Hornets in assists (2.1 per game) while making 20 starts in 31 games. Gutierrez, playing at her fourth school in four years, competed in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season, averaging 5.1 points in 19 games for Morgan State. Hunter averaged 10.2 points per game in 29 games. She was Western Carolina’s second leading scorer.
The other half of Jackson State’s transfers bring significant junior college experience.
Jackson State will have plenty of hardwood electricity this winter, starting with 5’6 junior guard Cassidy Gladney, a WBCA Two-Year College All-American and First Team All-Panhandle Conference selection, who averaged 13.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists at Pensacola State College last season. Gladney, who scored in double digits 20 times last season, has been described as a game-changer who can score, create, and lock down opponents on defense. Gladney started her career at Lincoln University in Missouri.
Adding more excitement to the Tiger program this season are 5’5 junior guard Rhianna Battles (Kilgore College), 6’2 junior Valajah Jackson (Paris Junior College), 5’8 junior guard/forward Taler Thornton (Tyler Junior College) and 5’8 junior Sierra Tuliau (Sacramento City College).
They bring scoring ability and should help Jackson State improve on its 59.0 points-per-game average last season.
Tuliau earned Female Athlete of the Year honors after averaging 20.3 points per game. She scored over 900 points in her two-year career. With a 50-point performance against Diablo Valley on Jan. 8, Tuliau earned BIG-8 First Team All-Conference recognition while also excelling academically with BIG-8 All-Academic and 2026 3C2A All-State Academic honors.
Meanwhile, Thornton averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. Jackson averaged 7.7 points and 7.5 rebounds, while Battles showcased her playmaking skills by handing out 59 assists last season. Freshmen Justine Tcheuhchoua and Madison Eddings complete Jackson State’s roster.
Jackson State may have plenty of fresh faces, but the newcomers bring experience and a winning pedigree to a program accustomed to excellence. Richards clearly prioritized scoring during this recruiting cycle. She has assembled experienced scoring options around its returning trio. With plenty of players who can light up the scoreboard and the Tcheuhchoua sisters poised to have opponents seeing double, Jackson State looks to climb the SWAC standings this season.
Bethune-Cookman
2025-26 record: 7-26 (4-14 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 9th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 11th in offense, 55.8 points per game; 7th in defense, 67.1 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 10.3%
Percentage of points returning: 0.8%
There’s fresh energy and optimism at Bethune-Cookman under first-year head coach Demteria Frank, who returns to her alma mater looking to restore the winning tradition she helped build. During her time on staff from 2018–2021, the Wildcats recorded three 21-win seasons, captured two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular-season championships, and earned the program’s first MEAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019.
That’s the standard Frank wants to restore. Helping her lay the foundation are two returnees from last season’s squad: 5’6 senior guard Keiara Gregory and 6’2 junior forward Mya Johnson. Gregory averaged 6.1 points in nine games last season. The athletic Johnson gives the Wildcats a shot-swatting presence inside after ranking ninth in the SWAC with 1.0 block per game. She also averaged 3.5 points and 3.6 rebounds across 31 games.
While Gregory and Johnson know the program, they’ll be learning Frank’s system alongside 11 incoming transfers. The newcomers bring a blend of Division I experience and junior college talent as Frank begins shaping the Wildcats in her vision.
“A championship is the standard and the team knows that,” Frank said. “But no, really, I think that coming from we’ve been in this conference for five years and we haven’t had great success at Bethune Cookman. I think last year that we’re seven, eight win season, and so just trying to get us to that 15-16, win mark. 20 wins would be great … Can we can we do the things we need to do every day to be better than they were last year? And I think we can do that.”
The transfers who played at the Division I level are 5’6 senior guard Jarahle Daniels (Little Rock), Amiyah Ferguson (Tennessee State), 5’11 senior guard Mayla Ham (Central Michigan), 6’2 sophomore forward Akilah Shelton (Hampton), and 6’2 graduate forward Allyzee Verdan (Utah State).
Daniels, who played two years at Kilgore College, appeared in 29 games at Little Rock. Ferguson, who also played at Cal State-Northridge and Fordham, averaged 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 30 games last season. She started 14 games and averaged 19.1 minutes. Ferguson scored a season-high 13 points against TCU.
Ham redshirted last season. She’s played in 45 games across Georgetown and Central Michigan. In her last year at CMU during 2024-25, Ham appeared in 28 of 31 games and averaged 13.8 minutes per game. Shelton is another inside anchor. She was second in the Coastal Athletic Association in blocked shots per game (1.7) and finished among the top 15 nationally in blocked shots per game. Shelton averaged 2.1 points and 2.7 rebounds.
A native of French Guiana, Verdan played two seasons at Utah State before signing with Charleston Southern, where she did not appear in an official game. In 2023–24, she made nine starts across 24 appearances for the Aggies, averaging 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds. An injury limited her to five games the following season.
Frank will also turn to transfers who had HBCU experience in 5’10 junior forward Marley Bell (Fort Valley State), 5’8 junior guard Kayla Lee (Fisk), and 6’ junior Jazmin Thornton (Savannah State). Bell averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 24 outings.
Lee averaged 9.1 points in 15 contests. She scored in double digits in eight of those games. Thornton was the second leading scorer on her team with an 11.9 point per game average. Seeing action in 19 games, Thornton also grabbed 5.3 rebounds per contest.
Rounding out the roster are 5’9 junior guard Tahjae Hawes from East Georgia State, junior Kiera Neal from Three Rivers College, and 5’8 junior forward Alannah Nerocker from Angelina College. Hawes averaged 10.4 points across 28 games, while Neal averaged 9.9 points in 33 appearances, reaching double figures 13 times. Nerocker contributed 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 24 games.
Frank knows what winning looks like at Bethune-Cookman. She’s earned her accolades as she graduated as the program’s all-time leader in free throws made (854) and steals (422). Now comes the work of helping a new generation of Wildcats construct a tradition of its own.
Texas Southern
2025-26 record: 10-20 (6-12 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 10th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 1st in offense, 66.2 points per game; 10th in defense, 71.8 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 0%
Percentage of points returning: 0%
In addition to receiving their practice gear and sneakers, it wouldn’t be surprising if each member of the Texas Southern women’s basketball team also received a nametag. The Tigers enter the season with no players returning from last year’s roster. Head coach Vernette Skeete and her staff relentlessly worked the recruiting trail and welcome 14 new faces this season.
Many of the newcomers bring Division I experience, while others are accustomed to winning at a high level. Skeete is also excited about the Tigers’ depth at every position and their abundance of size. While their names may not be familiar to fans across the SWAC yet, Skeete believes she has assembled the pieces necessary for Texas Southern to compete in the rugged conference.
“Sometimes it’s good to have a clean slate because you don’t have any resistance,” Skeete said to The IX Sports during SWAC media day. “Everybody’s coming in. They’re all learning, so they’re all dependent on each other, and it really builds a better team. …Everybody offers something different, and I haven’t had that before. So it’s extremely fun.”
A pair of hometown players are expected to factor into Skeete’s rotation this year: 5’11 junior forward Tobi Ademuwagun (Tulsa) and 5’5 sophomore guard DeAvion Wilson (New Mexico State). Ademuwagun is looking forward to playing after seeing action in one game during her freshman season at Pennsylvania. Wilson made three starts in 27 games last season and averaged 1.9 points. She scored a season-high seven points against Liberty.
The Tigers are excited to see former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foes join forces as teammates in 5’10 senior forward Kaitlyn Adams (Delaware State) and 5’6 junior guard Michaela Bogans (Morgan State). Adams appeared in 18 games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She scored a season-best 15 points against Coppin State.
A defensive dynamo, Bogans played in 47 games for Morgan State across two years. She averaged 5.2 points for the Bears last season. She earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting her first collegiate double-double (10 steals and 11 points) in a win over South Carolina State.
Jayla Cornelius, a 5’8 junior guard, is familiar with the SWAC as she averaged 4.0 points at Arkansas-Pine Bluff last season. She scored in double figures three times and had 14 points against Southern.
Texas Southern has plenty of tall players, which should bolster its defense: 6’2 junior forward Sydney Pettis (North Florida), 6’6 junior center Mame Kane (Kennesaw State), 6’4 sophomore forward Marianah Achol (Troy), and 6’4 sophomore forward Daniela Vallecilla (McNeese State).
Pettis, who played at Mobley Community College, averaged 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds during the 2024-25 season at North Florida. Kane played in 19 games, averaging 3.6 minutes and 1.1 points on 40% shooting. She played in 40 career games for the Owls.
Achol played in nine games, averaging 0.6 points and 2.1 rebounds. She also played against Texas Southern last season, where she had one steal and three rebounds. Also, a Houston native, Vallecilla averaged 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 18 games during the 2024-25 season.
Bailey Burns, a 5’10 senior guard, brings a winning vibe to Texas Southern. In helping Jacksonville win its second Atlantic Sun tournament championship and earn an NCAA tournament appearance, Burns averaged 6.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 29 games. In addition to making five starts, Burns scored a season-high 14 points against Central Arkansas. She played in 54 games for Jacksonville over two years.
Dejah Morris (Maine Fort-Kent) averaged 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds across 23 games for the Bengals. A consistent offensive threat, Morris scored in double figures 17 times for UMFK. Now, the Coatesville, Pa., native brings her scoring punch to the SWAC.
Junior college talent in Jada Landers (Chattahoochee Valley Community College) and 5’9 junior guard Grace Strickland (Eastern Florida State College) enhance Texas Southern’s roster. Landers scored 12.2 points in 30 games. Strickland started her collegiate career at Mercyhurst before averaging 6.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 23 games for EFSC.
Rounding out the Tigers’ roster is 6′ freshman guard Amyna Sarr-Colombel, a native of Paris, France. Sarr-Colombel is one of five international players on the Tigers’ roster this season, joining Kane (Dakar, Senegal), Achol (Rumbek, South Sudan), Vallecilla (Colombia), and Strickland (London, England), giving the Tigers a distinct global presence.
Despite the various paths that brought them to Texas Southern, Skeete and her staff believe the Tigers have the pieces in place for a memorable season. The challenge will be turning 14 newcomers into one cohesive unit while navigating the SWAC’s nightly grind.
For now, the Tigers may still need those nametags, but Skeete hopes it won’t take long before they know each other’s games just as well as they know each other’s names. Ultimately, the goal is simple: By the end of the season, making sure everybody in the SWAC — and beyond — say their names, too.
Mississippi Valley State
2025-26 record: 8-23 (6-12 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 11th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 7th in offense, 59.5 points per game; 12th in defense, 77.9 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 24.3%
Percentage of points returning: 21.9%
Deep in the Delta, Mississippi Valley State sits along Highway 82 amid the region’s farmland. In a place where familiarity carries meaning, the Devilettes have something increasingly valuable in modern college basketball: five returning players who understand Jason James’ system.
They know the campus. They know the expectations. Most importantly, they know each other. In an era of constant roster turnover, that familiarity gives Mississippi Valley State a foundation to build on as the season begins.
Anchoring a talented Mississippi Valley State squad will be 5’9 senior guard Sydnei Marshall, who averaged 9.2 points per game. The versatile Marshall enjoyed a solid season for the Devilettes and will be counted on to do even more this season. Marshall finished 16th in the SWAC in free-throw percentage (66.4%), 18th in steals (1.5), 19th in scoring (9.2), and 20th in blocked shots (0.5).
Marshall scored in double figures 17 times. She had a solid stretch from Dec. 14 to Jan. 17, scoring in double figures in nine of 10 games. Marshall scored a season-high 18 points against Alcorn State. She also had a shining moment when she scored the winning layup in overtime to help the Devilettes hand regular-season champion Alabama A&M its only conference setback. Marshall finished the season strong for MVSU, scoring double figures in six of her last eight games, including a 15-point performance in a season-ending loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“Our expectations are just to be better than last year,” Marshall said. “I’ve improved my skills over the summer. My teammates and I have been working countless hours, and the expectations are through the roof.”
Experienced returnees also include 5’11 sophomore forward Poetrie Dace, 5’10 senior guard Ja’la Douglas, 5’9 junior guard Aaliyah Taylor, and 6’2 junior center Keanna Coburn. Dace, Douglas, and Coburn saw action in at least 18 games last season.
Dace averaged 2.9 rebounds per game. In 28 games, Douglas averaged 2.3 rebounds in 13 minutes per game. Colburn started once in 27 games. Taylor played in six games. James expects them to play a bigger role this season as MVSU navigates multiple conference challenges.
Transfers with previous Division I experience include 5’10 junior guard Mariah Reed-Jones (Jackson State), 6’1 senior center Joyce Mulumba (Western Carolina), and 5’6 graduate guard Bryana Block (Sam Houston State). Reed-Jones played five game last season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.2 assists.
A native of Patterson, Calif., Mulumba brings a reputation as a rebounder to MVSU. Last season she averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 points in 24 games. She played her first year of collegiate competition at Sacramento City College, where Mulumba averaged 18.4 rebounds per game. Block averaged 1.7 points in 31 games. She scored in double digits twice.
Bolstering the Devilettes’ depth will be 5’8 junior guard Courtney Bluitt (Three Rivers Community College), 5’7 junior guard I’Xana Winters (Itawamba Community College), 5’10 junior forward Ka’Mbili Nelson (Arkansas State Mid-South), and 6’ junior forward Te’Lynn Lee-Rose (Hill College).
Together, they bring a blend of scoring, rebounding, size, and experience to the Delta. Winters arrives as the group’s most accomplished scorer after averaging 10.8 points per game in 30 contests. At the same time, Lee-Rose adds another presence around the basket, averaging 7.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in 30 games.
Nelson adds another potential scoring option after averaging 6.3 points in 24 games. Bluitt, who averaged 2.9 points in 31 games, adds another experienced backcourt option.
Their numbers tell only part of the story. Each arrives in the Delta with a chance to carve out a larger role, giving James more options, competition, and versatility throughout his rotation.
Rounding out the roster will be 5’8 freshman guard Kailen Parks and 5’8 freshman guard Jamie Hunter.
James has plenty of pieces to blend, but unlike many teams navigating significant roster turnover, he won’t be starting completely from scratch. Marshall and the other returnees provide familiarity, while the newcomers bring size, experience, and opportunities for James to expand his rotation.
In the heart of the Delta, MVSU has its roots. Now the Devilettes will find out how much they can grow especially with Marshall leading the way.
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Prairie View A&M
2025-26 record: 2-28 (0-18 SWAC)
Preseason ranking: 12th
2025-26 SWAC rankings: 12th in offense, 54.5 points per game; 11th in defense, 75.0 points allowed per game
Percentage of minutes returning: 23.7%
Percentage of points returning: 19.0%
For second-year head coach Tai Dillard and her Prairie View A&M squad, there’s nowhere to go but up following a tough 2025-26 campaign that saw the Panthers go winless against conference competition. That was last year, but nothing is preventing them from changing the narrative this season.
“I think they’ll see a turnaround season,” Prairie View head coach Tai Dillard said when asked about expectations. “Last year we had a lot of bumps and bruises, learned a lot. … Over the summer and into this preseason, we set a standard, and they’ve all been following that standard. They know what to bring each day in and out of practice, and they’re looking forward, and we’re looking forward to seeing them bring that on game day as well.”
One of Prairie View A&M’s best reasons for optimism comes in a small but mighty package: feisty and talented 5’0 sophomore guard Alana Shields. The tough-minded Chicago native plays with plenty of swagger and is one of the key returnees Dillard expects to step into a larger leadership role this season.
A scoring point guard who can also be a defensive menace, Shields averaged 8.6 points per game while finishing second on the Panthers with 63 assists, 47 steals and 33 3-pointers. She made 27 starts and scored in double figures 14 times, including a season-high 18 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Shields also finished her freshman campaign with some momentum, scoring 17 points against Mississippi Valley State in the SWAC Tournament.
Another key returnee for Prairie View is 5’8 senior guard Jacque Giron from nearby Houston. An outside scoring threat, Giron averaged 5.7 points per game in 29 games. She started 22 contests and reached double digits in scoring six times. Giron scored a season-high 18 points against Texas A&M and had 16 points against Alabama State. She sank 28 3-pointers last season.
Dillard is happy to welcome back defensive anchor in 6’6 senior center Ja’nya Polk, who finished third in the SWAC in blocked shots per game (1.4). Polk is the SWAC’s returning leader in blocked shots this season. Polk averaged 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 23 games.
Polk started 19 games for the Panthers. She blocked at least two shots in nine games. Polk had a season-high six blocks along with five rebounds against Alabama A&M. She ended the season with four blocks against Mississippi Valley State in the SWAC tournament.
The only other returning Panther is 6’3 junior forward Awa Jawara, who sat out last season with an injury. She could also provide a boost in the post for Prairie View A&M. Bursting with energy, Prairie View A&M’s core embodies exuberance that defines Dillard’s early vision.
Dillard is excited about transfers in 5’10 sophomore guard Kaylie Carr (Sam Houston State) and 5’7 junior guard Janiya Murphy (Kilgore College). Carr averaged 1.7 points over 25 games last season for the Bearcats. Murphy averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 22 games in helping Kilgore win 20 games and advance to the Region 14 championship game. Dillard says each player is a versatile, three-level scorer.
Freshman Mackenzie Buckner, a 6’ forward from Bella Vista College Prep in Arizona, is expected to make an impact this season. Dillard says she has excellent court vision, passing ability, and a high IQ.
Being picked 12th means Prairie View A&M will have to earn every ounce of respect it receives this season. That’s just fine for a group led by a feisty guard who already plays as if she has something to prove. Shields brings the swagger. Polk brings a formidable presence around the rim. Giron provides experience and perimeter shooting. The newcomers arrive with fresh possibilities.
The Panthers understand exactly how the conference views them. Now comes their opportunity to change the view. Dillard has pieces she believes can begin moving Prairie View A&M forward. The Panthers don’t have to erase last season. They have to make sure this one looks nothing like it.
And if Prairie View A&M is going to change how the SWAC sees it, the 5’0 guard with Chicago bravado could have an outsized role in making it happen.
