2026-27 Big 12 preview

For as long as anyone can remember, trends have always filled our daily lives, whether we know it or not. Trends dominate what we hear in music, see in fashion, watch on our streaming services and cook in our kitchens. You can discover the newest trends in magazines, highlighted on a morning news show or on TikTok and Instagram. Whether you have curated a new playlist of today’s top trending musicians or were guilted into recording yet another new dance with your children on their phone, we cannot really escape how we navigate the things that influence what we do next.

College basketball has most definitely not been immune to trends in years past, especially as the landscape of the game and college athletics change so often. The Big 12 Conference has seen trends come and go, from expansion to stability to finding a firm footing as one of the deepest and most competitive leagues in the game today. In 2026-27, the trends have circled roster management, and each Big 12 program has done it slightly different. Some dove headfirst into the transfer portal while others have built their team with younger players. Others are leaning heavy on international talent while a handful are relishing in the fact that they kept most of their roster together from a season ago. Many have found a balance between new faces (transfers and recruits) and returners, all looking for a coveted place in the NCAA Tournament field.

The 16 members of the Big 12 are bracing for yet another season where the grind of an 18-game conference schedule can either derail your season or have you trending upwards come March. Depth and competitiveness reigned supreme during the 2025-26 season that saw eight Big 12 teams selected to the NCAA Tournament, tying a league record. Four teams finished the season with at least 26 victories, and it was one of just two leagues nationally to have 75% of its teams ranked within the top 60 of the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) in the regular season. The 2026-27 Big 12 preseason poll, voted on by the 16 head coaches, was released on Oct. 8. Four teams received votes for first place — Oklahoma State (7), TCU (6), Baylor (2) and West Virginia (1) — with all teams voted in the top 10 receiving over 100 points in the voting process. 

Welcome 2026-27 Big 12 Conference preview here at The IX Sports. Who will be able to manage a challenging nonconference schedule before the 18-game league slate begins? Who can blend their new talent together the best so that they are a name that will be trending all season? Will there be upsets? You can count on it because the message has never been clearer — underappreciate the talent and coaching in the Big 12 and it will prove to be a costly mistake.

*The order of teams in this preview reflects the preseason coaches’ poll. All statistics noted are sourced from university and conference provided statistics.

Oklahoma State

24-10 overall, 12-6 in Big 12 play in 2025-26 (AP Preseason Poll No. 22)

The past several years have shown us that you can swing big in the transfer portal and land the big names, but you better then be able to put the entire season together. The 2026-27 Cowgirl roster has just one returner from a season ago, but for head coach Jacie Hoyt, you could not ask for a better veteran to build around. Oklahoma State’s 5’11 guard Stailee Heard has spent her entire career in Stillwater and is poised for a stellar senior year. The Sapulpa, OK native averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 boards per game on her way to second team All-Big 12 honors.

Hoyt and her staff went all in on a transfer class of nine, including what were seen as the top two players in the portal. 6’3 All-American center Audi Crooks tore up the record books in her three seasons at Iowa State and now will be the center point of OSU’s gameplan. Junior guard Liv McGill (Florida) scored over 1,000 points in just two seasons with the Gators and was a First-Team All-SEC selection as a sophomore. Backcourt additions include sophomore LA Sneed (Utah), junior Zoe Canfield (Missouri State), Callin Hake (Nebraska) and senior sharpshooter Ellie Brueggemann (Lindenwood). Size and versatility come with 6’2 junior Yuting Deng from Baylor, 6’1 senior Nene Ndiaye from Rutgers and the Division II Player of the Year from Fort Hays State (KS), 6’ senior Talexa Weeter.

A lot of eyes will be on this rebuilt Cowgirl roster for Hoyt to deliver, especially after she received a contract extension in late September. Tough nonconference tests include matchups at South Dakota State and Washington in November before traveling to South Carolina on Dec. 6. Their interstate matchup against Oklahoma will be on Dec. 12 in Oklahoma City and then Big 12 action tips off at Kansas on Dec. 20. 

TCU

32-6 overall, 15-3 in Big 12 play in 2025-26 (AP Preseason poll No. 15)

For the past two seasons, TCU has fielded the oldest roster in women’s college basketball. Packing your rosters with experienced transfers every season will do that, and head coach Mark Campbell has found the recipe for success in Fort Worth. Back-to-back regular season conference titles have made the Horned Frogs the team to beat in the Big 12. With just three returners (two that played) and nine newcomers, including six transfers on the 2026-27 roster, it will be one of the youngest squads in the nation. 

“We don’t even bring up the hunted to be honest. In college athletics right now you restart from ground zero each offseason, and we have nine new players, six portal additions, three high school kids and three returners; and so this is a brand-new group with brand new personalities and creating their own journey and forming our identity, which is an ongoing process between now and March. And so last year’s group obviously was highly successful, won a Big 12 Championship, and now [with] this group we start over from scratch and try to climb the mountaintop,” said Campbell at Big 12 Media Days on Oct. 21.

TCU’s 6’7 center Clara Silva started every game last year and is the top returning scorer at 9 points per game. The junior from Portugal was the top rebounder a season ago (7.4 boards per game) and is a premier rim protector — she tallied 67 blocks protecting the paint as a sophomore. Sophomore Clara Bielefeld saw time this summer for the German National Team in the FIBA World Cup and can create off the bounce for herself and her teammates. Campbell’s immediate task is to blend the talented transfers into another championship team, which he has proven he can do. Who will run the show out front in the pick-and-roll offense?

Backcourt help comes in the form of junior guards Jadyn Wooten (Oklahoma State), sharpshooter Lanie Grant (UNC) and sophomore Bella Hines (LSU). Sophomores Lara Somfai (Stanford) and Avery Hjelmstad (Utah) will add size, length and scoring at the wing positions. Guard Jessie-May Hall was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year and will be someone Campbell goes to early and often this season as well. TCU will play its first eight games in Fort Worth and then travel to the Fort Meyers Tipoff over Thanksgiving. A Dec. 6 showdown with Texas awaits before Big 12 action tips on Dec. 20 against Cincinnati. 

Baylor

25-9 overall, 13-5 in Big 12 play in 2025-26 

Sixth-year head coach Nicki Collen has had to lean into the roster overhaul trend for the 2026-27 season with just one returning starter back in Waco from a team that was a No. 6 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Collen and her staff targeted productivity and perimeter shooting in the portal, along with size for the frontcourt to help share the scoring burden with senior guard Taliah Scott. The 5’9 senior from Jacksonville, FL was a 2026 First Team All-Big 12 selection after averaging 19.7 points per game last season. She led the Bears in scoring in 27 of their 34 games.

Louisville transfer Skylar Jones and Mississippi transfer Tianna Thompson will add backcourt depth. Thompson shot 41.6% from behind the arc last season, putting her in the top 5 in the SEC. Kate Koval, a late transfer addition for Baylor, will give Collen that much needed rim protection and rebounding in the paint. Reese Ross, a 6’1 senior forward transfer from Utah, has Big 12 experience and is a tenacious rebounder. Returners Kyla Abraham and Kayla Nelms add depth for the Bears as well. The first big test for Baylor will be Nov. 20 when it faces USC in the Hollywood Hardwood Classic in Los Angeles. A host of home games in Waco dot the calendar along with a trip to the Paradise Jam and a matchup with Tennessee in Nashville on Dec. 18. Big 12 action will tip off just over 180 miles from home at Houston on Dec. 21. 

---

Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women’s Sports Daily

We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women’s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women’s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!

---

West Virginia

28-7 overall, 14-4 in Big 12 play in 2025-26 (AP Preseason Poll No. 24)

Some trends end up being the root of an identity for a program. Defense and intensity are the foundation to what has quickly become consistent success for Mountaineer women’s basketball. Head coach Mark Kellogg has led his team to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a No. 4 seed in 2026 that had West Virginia hosting for the first time in the modern era of the tournament. West Virginia captured the 2026 Big 12 Tournament title, and Kellogg wants to ride that momentum into this season with a new-look team. 

“We can talk about it, but we’re just trying to show them the same way and what those standards were that we had last year that led us to that championship, and hope that they’re willing to do the same and invest and work hard. And if they do, I think we have a talented group that has the opportunity to do the same thing,” said Kellogg on Oct. 21 during Big 12 Media Days.

With 10 new players on the roster, it helps to have a seasoned veteran in the backcourt. Redshirt senior Gia Cooke returns after leading the team in scoring last season (15 points per game) and is a unanimous Preseason All-Big 12 selection. Adding versatility and scoring were key gets in the transfer portal to complement the tenacious defense the Mountaineers will play. Forward Skylar Forbes was an All-BIG EAST First Team and Defensive Team selection last season at Marquette. Sophomore guard Alexis Bordas returns to her home state after transferring from Duquesne, where she hit 90 threes as a freshman and averaged 15.5 points per game. Defense always travels and so the second-best in the Big 12 last season will be tested right away in November. A trip to Georgia Tech (Nov. 8) and then at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving has the schedule packed with opponents of all styles of play.  The Big 12 grind begins on Dec. 20 at UCF.

Kansas

22-14 overall, 8-10 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Untimely injuries and stretches of tough losses have plagued the Jayhawks over the past two seasons. Last year, Kansas went 22-14 and fell short of securing a bid to the NCAA Tournament. There is no denying that the talent level in Lawrence is at an all-time high going into the 2026-27 season and this is one that head coach Brandon Schneider needs to make count. Senior S’Mya Nichols, a three-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, who has spent her entire career at KU, knows that getting back to the NCAA Tournament this season is a top priority. 

“I would say we haven’t talked about anything else but the tournament, as if there that there is no other option. And then, as you see my teammates’ work ethic, just being on the court, getting on the court getting their shots in right before practice, their individual trainings, I can see the effort there for that main goal,” Nichols shared during Big 12 Media Days on Oct. 20.

The Overland Park, Kansas, native averaged just under 18 points per game and dished out 167 assists on the season. What better way to divert attention off an all-conference performer than with more elite talent on the floor. That comes in the form of the 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Jaliya Davis. The 6’2 forward led the Jayhawks in scoring last season at 19.8 points per game while shooting 61% from the field and did not attempt a single 3-point shot all year. Her midrange game and ability to finish through contact made her unstoppable through the Big 12 season. 6’3 junior Regan Williams dealt with injuries last year and needs to stay healthy to build off her 8.9 points and 5 boards per game to give KU a big boost. Xavier transfer Mariyah Noel is expected to be a spark for the backcourt as a playmaking guard who can score when needed. Schneider welcomes a second consecutive Top 25 recruiting class (per ESPN.com), headlined by 6’4 center Cydnee Bryant from California, the No. 23 ranked player in the class of 2026. The Jayhawk talent will be put to the test in November with matchups against Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota State and two games at the Cancun Challenge. Big 12 action begins Dec. 20 when they host Oklahoma State.

Arizona State

24-11 overall, 9-9 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Turning around a program in this era of college athletics can be an uphill battle but it was one that Molly Miller attacked head on at Arizona State in her first season. The head coach led the Sun Devils to 14 more wins than the previous season and propelled ASU to a No. 10 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. With the program now trending in the national conversation, Miller and company are retaining and attracting talent to Tempe that can win in the Big 12.

Senior forward McKinna Brackens, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, returns after posting over 14 points per game a year ago and leading the Sun Devils in rebounding (6.4 per game). Michigan State transfer Rashunda Jones, a 5’8 guard, was an All-Big Ten Defensive Team pick last season and posted 19 double-figure scoring games. Ruby Whitehorn, a former McDonald’s High School All-American, lands at ASU after transferring from Tennessee. The 6’ guard is an explosive scorer and playmaker. 6’2 transfer Ayanna-Sarai Darrington (Central Michigan) averaged just under 15 points per game last season and was one of the top rebounders in the MAC.

Miller also brings in the No. 25 ranked recruiting class in the nation (per ESPN.com) which includes sharpshooting guard Averie Lower from North Liberty, Iowa, a Top 60 player in the class of 2026. ASU will learn a lot about themselves with nonconference tests against the likes of UNLV, Gonzaga, Washington State and Stanford in November and December. Year two of the Miller era in the Big 12 will begin on Dec. 21 against Utah.

BYU

26-12 overall, 9-9 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Jealousy may not be a trend, but may be a reality amongst coaches when they see one of their counterparts bringing back over 70% of their scoring from a season ago. Head coach Lee Cummard guided the Cougars to 13 more wins than the previous season and a run to the 2026 WBIT postseason championship. While BYU was on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field, keeping a talented roster together puts them right where they want to be for the 2026-27 season. Cummard was quick to praise his players for what they are building in Provo during Big 12 Media Days on Oct. 21.

“It’s something that I think speaks to the locker room that these ladies have built, the culture that they have there. They all want to be here with each other and build continuity, chemistry, and we’re grateful to have as much back as we are because that isn’t the norm. We actually get another player back from a mission that didn’t play last year that was a pretty good player her freshman season, but we’re really excited and love the continuity and chemistry that they have,” he said.

The Cougars crop of returners is led by First Team All-Big 12 pick Delaney Gibb. The 5’10 guard from Canada averaged 18.3 points per game as a sophomore and most importantly, is healthy heading into her junior campaign. Sophomore guard Olivia Hamlin was an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection after averaging just shy of 13 points per game and tying Gibb as a team leader in steals last season. Sydney Benally, a 5’8 guard from Albuquerque, New Mexico, started all 38 games for the Cougars and dished out 148 assists last year while logging over 29 minutes per game. Junior guard Kailey Woolston, a prolific shooter who scored in double figures 24 times during her freshman season, is back from her mission and will give Cummard yet another weapon on the floor. BYU will start the season with seven home games in Provo before a Thanksgiving trip to the St. Pete Showcase in Florida. They will open Big 12 action on the road at Arizona on Dec. 19.

---

Rep The IX Sports at your next game!

---

Colorado

22-12 overall, 11-7 in Big-12 play in 2025-26

While the new-look roster trend was a thing in Boulder last year, this season has a different spin for the Buffaloes. Seven returners are set to blend with seven newcomers in head coach JR Payne’s 11^th season at Colorado. A focus for Payne and her staff was to add firepower on the perimeter and size at every position to go with the veterans that clawed their way to a No. 10 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Redshirt senior Zyanna Walker, a Preseason All-Big 12 selection, is set to lead the Buffs this season. The 5’11 guard from Wichita, Kansas, averaged just over 11 points per game in Big 12 action last year and is a relentless defender as well.

Forward Logyn Greer had a breakout freshman campaign, appearing in all 34 games and posting 9.2 points and 5 boards per game. Guards Kennedy Sanders and Claire O’Connor return after both suffering season-ending injuries last December. Transfers such as sophomore guard Aniya’ Foy (K-State), 6’5 center Anete Adler (Boston), 6’2 forward Kira Reynolds (UT-Arlington) and guard Brooke Walker (Utah) will be key pieces in the Colorado gameplan. The Buffs will play seven nonconference games at home in November and December as well as hit the beach for the Cancun Challenge over Thanksgiving. Big 12 play starts on the road at Texas Tech on Dec. 20.

Kansas State

19-18 overall, 8-10 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

For decades there have been international players that find a home in the States to play college basketball and get an education. For the 2026-27 season, K-State is hands down leading the international trend in the Big 12. With just a handful of returners, head coach Jeff Mittie has another new-look roster that has taken some time to get to the Little Apple to prepare for this season.

“A very different preparation than I’ve ever had as a coach. I think obviously the transfer portal changes the dynamics of college athletics, but we only had five on campus this summer. We got a heavy international influence, so the good thing was they were playing and they were playing a high level of competition, but they were all spread out across the world. I went to Lithuania in early July to see three of them play, and then we were still recruiting at that time, so we haven’t really had our team on campus until September 15,” Mittie shared during Big 12 Media Days on Oct. 21.

The Wildcats will have the services of sharpshooting guard Taryn Sides back for her fourth season in purple and white. The 5’7 senior from Phillipsburg, Kansas, averaged 31.5 minutes per game last year and a career high of 12.4 points per game. Her backcourt mate, sophomore Gina Garcia of Spain, made 35 starts as a freshman a year ago and had three games of 10 or more assists. Senior forward Nastja Claessens had 22 double-figure games last year and played a big role for the Belgium national team this past summer. Mittie has lost two returners, Brandie Harrod and Ramiya White, for the year with season-ending injuries, opening the door to a handful of newcomers. Guard Teá Cléante (Penn State/France), forward Shaila Nde (Spain) and forward Cristina Osazuwa (Italy) are ones to keep an eye on early for the Wildcats. November will be a monster month for K-State with games against Minnesota, SMU, Missouri and the Fort Myers Tip-off. Big 12 play begins at home on Dec. 19 when Iowa State comes to town.

Texas Tech

26-8 overall, 12-6 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Time and patience are not always things we seem to have in sports, but to build a winning program you need both. Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich has been on an upward trend in her first six years at her alma mater and last season she most definitely got it right. The Lady Raiders had their most overall wins since the 2002-03 season, were back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013 and got their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2005 with a first-round win over Villanova.

The 2026-27 version of Texas Tech looks very different but Gerlich, the 2026 Big 12 Coach of the Year, has confidence in her young group. Just one returner is back in senior Jalynn Bristow, who started all 34 games a season ago on her way to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. Senior transfer Rhema Collins (FIU) was the 2026 Conference USA Player and Newcomer of the Year last season. The 6’2 forward posted 14 double-doubles and averaged just shy of 18 points per game. Senior guard Kiki Smith started 21 games a year ago at Purdue and was their second best 3-point shooter. Gerlich welcomes six freshmen to Lubbock, including hometown star Ambrosia Cole. The 5’7 point guard is a Top 100 player in the class of 2026 and known as a playmaker with explosive speed.

The Lady Raiders will tip off their first four nonconference contests at home before November tests at the WBCA Showcase in Orlando and the Paradise Jam over Thanksgiving. Tech begins Big 12 play Dec. 20 against Colorado. When asked what makes the Big 12 grind so tough, Gerlich did not hesitate. 

“I actually think it is the road environments that are created in the Big 12. Everyone has just an incredible fan base. They have really difficult environments to play in. Everybody loves women’s basketball in the Big 12, which I absolutely love. And so, I think that is something that we have to talk about on a daily basis and that is just being prepared to go into other people’s homes and try to be disruptive and be able to handle that pressure,” she said during Big 12 Media Days.

Iowa State

22-10 overall, 108 in Big 12 play in 2025-26 

If you are looking for someone who has seen a little bit of everything happen in the Big 12, Cyclone head coach Bill Fennelly is that person. With over 800 career wins as a head coach, he has seen trends in the college game come and go faster than a fan can eat a Clone Cone in Hilton Coliseum. His 32^nd year at the helm of the ISU program will be his last as Fennelly has announced he will retire at the end of the 2026-27 season. His team looks quite different than it did a year ago, but he could not be more excited to have this be his last squad in Ames.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I think they’re looking forward it. I tell our team all the time — we get told a lot about what we don’t have. I’m really big on let’s embrace what we do have and not apologize for what we’re not. We are not going to apologize for what we’re not. We are going to embrace who we are, and the 13 people that will put on an Iowa State uniform are going to represent our program as well as any 13 have ever done it. And I’m looking forward to whatever happens with them,” Fennelly said during Big 12 Media Days on Oct. 20.

Big 12 teams can get ready to see a familiar style from Iowa State this year — versatile players who all have the green light to shoot the three and tough defense that makes opponents miserable for 40 minutes. The Cyclones return senior guard Arianna Jackson, a three-year starter who shot 44% last season from behind the arc. Senior Evangelia Paulk returns and should have a bigger impact this season. Transfers Mya Babbitt (Kent State), Ashleigh Connor (La Salle) and Alex-Anne Bessette (Loyola-Chicago) give the Cyclones perimeter firepower. Interstate nonconference matchups against Iowa, Drake and Northern Iowa will be big tests along with a trip to the Baha Mar Hoops tournament in the Bahamas. Fennelly’s last season as dean of the Big 12 coaches begins on Dec. 19 at K-State.

Utah

19-13 overall, 10-8 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Consistency is never a trend for coaches — it’s a reality they’re striving for every day. In practices and games, you need to find it especially in the Big 12 — or this league can swallow you up. For head coach Gavin Petersen, his Utah squad must be able to score consistently and finish games for the Utes to get back to the NCAA Tournament this season.

It helps when one of the most versatile post players in the league, 6’3 Chyra Evans, returns to Salt Lake City. The Australian native, who is a talented passer and playmaker in the paint, had 12 double-figure games a season ago. Petersen and his staff now mix a supporting cast of transfers and freshmen around Evans. Sophomore guard Lena Girardi (Oklahoma State transfer) is a perimeter threat along with 5’9 guard Filipa Barros. Barros was a First-Team All-WAC selection at Cal-Baptist last season, leading them in multiple stat categories and to a berth in the Big Dance.

Highly touted 6’ redshirt freshman guard Ella Todd will make her debut for the Utes this season after missing last year with an injury. Petersen’s freshmen class will add depth and size to the mix, starting with 6’5 forward Rylee Little from Kanab, Utah. November brings a slate of home games for Utah and then a trip to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops tournament over Thanksgiving. Big 12 play commences on Dec. 21 at Arizona State.

Arizona

12-18 overall, 3-15 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

The first season of the Becky Burke era at Arizona was one of highs and lows with a roster that was completely rebuilt from the ground up. Now, as Burke and the Wildcats head into the 2026-27 season, there’s a new outlook for a crop of returners that are joined by transfers and a ranked recruiting class.

“Obviously we knew that we had a talent deficit, and we addressed that in the off season with recruiting our freshman class, the returners that we brought back, but also the transfer portal class that we brought in. We really feel like we’ve narrowed that gap. We understand how hard we have to play in this league every single night to give ourselves a chance. We understand how prepared we have to be every single night, and I think we did those two things last year. I think we played extremely hard, and I think we’re very well prepared. So now that we feel like we’ve done a great job elevating our talent, we feel like we have a great opportunity to move the bar this year,” Burke said at Big 12 Media Days.

Leading this version of the Wildcats will be the only two returners from a season ago in senior Sumayah Sugapong and sophomore Molly Ladwig. Sugapong started 27 games last year and averaged 11 points per contest. Cal transfer Puff Morris was one of the best freshman guards in the ACC last season and will be a playmaker in the backcourt for Arizona. Gerda Raulušaityte, a 6’3 forward arrives from USC with both Power 4 and Lithuanian national team experience. The Wildcats welcome the No. 17 ranked recruiting class to Tucson (per ESPN.com), headlined by three Top 65 scoring guards — 5’10 Arynn Finley, 5’8 Jasleen Green and 6’1 Makayla Presser-Palmer. November will give Arizona some old Pac-12 throwback matchups when they battle Stanford, UCLA and Oregon State. A tough two-game stretch at The Scout Jacksonville Classic will tell us a lot about the Wildcats in the first month. Big 12 play begins Dec. 19 when they host BYU.

Cincinnati

11-20 overall, 6-12 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

Any coach will tell you that anticipating is one of the biggest tasks they navigate daily. They plan for schedules, games and practices, always looking one step ahead. Bearcats head coach Katrina Merriweather had no way of planning or anticipating that she would have nine players last season miss time due to injuries and illness. Those absences meant that her young talent did not get as many minutes as they needed on the floor while others played out of position at many times during the 2025-26 season. Now Merriweather, in her fourth season at her alma mater, has a roster that is built around youth but with splashes for veteran experience.

Senior guard Reagan Jackson started 31 games a year ago and posted 16 double figure games. Point guard Caliyah DeVillasee had a fantastic freshman campaign, leading the team in assists and dropping 20 or more points in six games. DeVillasee was an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection and will be one of the elite playmakers in the Big 12 this season. Fellow sophomore Dee Alexander, who missed the first half of last year with a lower body injury, is back and will need to be a more dominant presence for the Bearcats. SMU transfer guard Sahnya Jah averaged just under 10 points a game last season for the Mustangs and gives Cincinnati more experience in the backcourt. Nonconference tests against Penn State, UNLV and a trip to the Cancun Challenge will give us a look at how the youth trend is working for the Bearcats. Big 12 play begins Dec. 20 at TCU.

Houston

7-23 overall, 1-17 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

When Matthew Mitchell stepped away from coaching women’s college basketball five years ago, the landscape of college athletics looked very different. Today, building a roster can be like speed dating at times but Mitchell is determined to resurrect the Houston program at a university and in a city that has a tradition of basketball success. Year two under his direction will have a roster built around impact transfers and freshman playmakers.

Junior guard Kaelyn Hamilton, the 2026 Mountain West Sixth Woman of the Year, lands in Houston from San Diego State. The McKinney, Texas, native will bring speed and scoring to the lineup. Junior guard Esmeralda Enriquez was the 2025-26 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year out of Eastern Arizona. Raegan McCowan, an All-OVC selection at Western Illinois, is a versatile scorer and ready for the challenges of moving to the Big 12.

“I really wanted to find someone that was going to push me to be the best player that I could possibly be and Coach Mitchell did just that for me. And he’s a perfectionist, and I’m a bit of a perfectionist as well. And so, getting to play under him every day, I always say, it really just scratches an itch that I kind of had that I maybe wasn’t getting beforehand,” McCowan shared during Big 12 Media Days.

The Cougars will be without Texas transfer Justice Carlton, who suffered an ACL injury earlier this fall and will be out of the year. Her younger sister, 6’1 forward Madison, along with a handful of other freshmen will be called upon to contribute early and often. Six of Houston’s first seven games will be at home and then it’s a trip to Fort Meyers for the Coconut Hoops tournament over Thanksgiving. Big 12 play tips off Dec. 21 at home against Baylor.

UCF

11-19 overall, 3-15 in Big 12 play in 2025-26

A season ago, there were multiple coaching changes in the Big 12 but heading into the 2026-27 season there is only one. Gabe Lazo becomes the 14^th head coach in UCF program history and lands in Orlando for his first-ever head coaching job. Crafting a roster that can compete in the Big 12 that is has experience, depth and scoring prowess were keys for Lazo from the start. He knows that making the Knights contenders in the Big 12 will be about doing it their way. 

“You want to compete, but we’re about growing, and that’s what this culture is about. We’re a process-oriented culture, and as a head coach, you have to be about that process. When things go bad, you can’t just shift and say, oh, oh, we didn’t know. Stick with the process one day at a time, and everyone else will follow,” said Lazo during Big 12 Media Days.

Three returners in junior Mahogany Chandler-Roberts, junior Jasmynne Gibson and sophomore Felicia Schölander were the backbone to the Knights’ roster reconstruction. New arrivals include 6’1 guard Mikayla Johnson, who led Pitt in scoring last season at 13 points per game. Senior guard Vittoria Blasigh played in 31 games at Miami a year ago and was the second best 3-point shooter for the Hurricanes. Other transfers that will be called upon include junior Key Roseby (Stephen F. Austin) and sophomores Kya Hurt (Illinois State), Caitlyn Jones (Wake Forest) and Nyla McFadden (Penn State). The Gabe Lazo era at UCF tips off Nov. 3 against Florida A&M. Other non-conference matchups include Florida, Florida State and Charlotte before Big 12 action starts at home Dec. 20 against West Virginia.

Enjoyed this story? Read more of our conference previews for the 2026-27 season!