The Sun Belt has 14 teams in 2026-27, with Louisiana Tech arriving from Conference USA to replace Texas State, which left for the Pac-12. Last season, Georgia Southern won the regular season at 16-2; James Madison won the tournament as a fourth seed; Marshall won the WNIT; and 12th-seeded South Alabama won four tournament games to reach the quarterfinals. Georgia Southern and Georgia State open with new head coaches, and most of the league is working with rosters that look very different from last season’s.
The Big Picture
Georgia Southern finished first at 16-2, Troy was second at 15-3, and Arkansas State and James Madison tied for third at 14-4. Two of the 14 teams have new head coaches: Heather Macy, who coached Division II Nova Southeastern last season, replaced Hana Haden at Georgia Southern after Haden left for Memphis, and Marcilina Grayer, who coached Salt Lake Community College, replaced Gene Hill at Georgia State after Hill resigned. The other 12 coaches are back.
Only one of the 15 players on the three All-Sun Belt teams is back, Arkansas State’s Crislyn Rose. The Player of the Year, Georgia Southern’s Kishyah Anderson, the Defensive Player of the Year, Troy’s Zay Dyer, and the Newcomer of the Year, Marshall’s Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, are all gone, along with Freshman of the Year Kinsea Grimes of Coastal Carolina and Sixth Woman of the Year Mimi McCollister of Arkansas State. Roughly 126 of the 185 players on the 14 rosters are newcomers, and ULM and Old Dominion each added 13. Louisiana Tech is the biggest unknown because it is new to the league, and Marshall won the WNIT but has to replace its Newcomer of the Year.
Skim Milkey’s Predicted 2026-27 Order of Finish
1 - James Madison
2 - Arkansas State
3 - Marshall
4 - Louisiana Tech
5 - Troy
6 - Appalachian State
7 - Southern Miss
8 - Georgia Southern
9 - Coastal Carolina
10 - Louisiana
11 - Old Dominion
12 - South Alabama
13 - Georgia State
14 - ULM
Skim Milkey’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Daisia Mitchell, G, Appalachian State
Joi Williams, G, Appalachian State
Amina Gray, G, Arkansas State
Crislyn Rose, G, Arkansas State
Tessa Grady, G, Coastal Carolina
Kiyah Lewis, G, Georgia Southern
Bree Robinson, G, James Madison
Ja’Quoia Jones-Brown, G, James Madison
Imani Daniel, F, Louisiana
Mikaylah Manley, G, Louisiana
Jordan Marshall, F, Louisiana Tech
Cassie Gallagher, G, Marshall
Olivia Olson, G, Marshall
CJ Wilson, G, South Alabama
Aniya Finger, F, Troy
James Madison
Record: 26-9, 14-4 Sun Belt (3rd, tie, NCAA Tournament appearance)
Coach: Sean O’Regan, 11th season, 236-90
James Madison finished tied for third at 14-4 and won the Sun Belt Tournament as the fourth seed, beating South Alabama 79-54, Georgia Southern 81-53, and Troy 69-52 in the final. The Dukes then lost 71-56 to fifth-seeded Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a 12 seed. Peyton McDaniel, a senior guard, first-team All-Sun Belt selection, and tournament Most Outstanding Player who averaged 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, is gone, along with Ashanti Barnes, a senior forward, second-team and All-Defensive Team selection who averaged 14.9 points and 9.1 rebounds. Kylie Marshall, a junior guard, left for Southern Miss; Angela Williams, a sophomore forward, left for UMBC; and Regina Walton and Maddie Oliver are also gone.
Bree Robinson, a senior guard and All-Defensive Team selection, is the most important returner. She scored 11.9 points and started all 35 games. Zakiya Stephenson, a senior guard, started 34 games and scored 7.9 points, and Grace McDonough, a sophomore forward, started 35 and scored 6.5 points. Fifth-year forward Brianna McLeod and sophomore guard Delilah Soltys add depth, and Jemma Eleby also returns.
The biggest additions are scorers. Ja’Quoia Jones-Brown, a junior guard from Long Beach State, averaged 17.4 points and started all 28 games, and Trynce Taylor, a senior forward from Kennesaw State, averaged 10.1 points and started 24 of 27. Trinity Moore, a sixth-year forward from Stephen F. Austin, averaged 11.7 points in 2024-25 but did not play last season. The freshmen are guards Maddie Leach and Reagan Edsell, forward Demi Gilliam, and guard/forward Kinley Lewis.
I pick James Madison because I trust O’Regan to reload, and he has the pieces to do it. Robinson anchors the defense, Jones-Brown and Taylor arrive with 27.5 combined points from their last stops, and Moore is the wild card if she is ready after a year away. McDaniel and Barnes combined for 33.7 points, so someone has to become the go-to scorer fast, and I am backing Jones-Brown.
Players to watch: Bree Robinson, Ja’Quoia Jones-Brown, Zakiya Stephenson, Trynce Taylor
Arkansas State
Record: 27-10, 14-4 Sun Belt (3rd, tie, WNIT appearance)
Coach: Destinee Rogers, 5th season, 74-57
Arkansas State finished tied for third at 14-4, beat ULM 76-68 in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals, and lost 83-73 to Troy in the semifinals. The Red Wolves then received a first-round bye in the WNIT, beat Radford 83-52 in the second round, Purdue Fort Wayne 83-72 in the third round, and Cleveland State 71-53 in the quarterfinals, and lost 69-62 to Marshall in the semifinals. Zyion Shannon, a senior guard, first-team All-Sun Belt and All-Defensive Team selection who averaged 12.7 points, is gone, along with Mia Tarver, a junior guard who averaged 8.6 points, Bella Weary, a senior guard who averaged 7.8 points, and D’Arrah Allen, a junior guard who averaged 7.6 points. Mimi McCollister, a senior guard and Sixth Woman of the Year who averaged 7.0 points, Wynter Rogers, a senior forward who averaged 6.2 points, and Marlie Dickerson, a junior guard who averaged 6.2 points, are also gone. Sophomore forward Yves Cox left for North Carolina A&T, and Payton Fields is gone.
Crislyn Rose, a senior guard and second-team All-Sun Belt selection, is the most important returner. She scored 11.1 points and started all 36 games. Aniyah Ruddock, a senior guard, scored 5.3 points, and Allyson Ferguson also returns.
Rogers rebuilt around guards from the transfer portal. Amina Gray, a senior guard from Gardner-Webb, scored 12.8 points in 31 starts; Monica Marsh, a senior guard from Grambling State, scored 9.7 points; and Jermesha Frierson, a senior guard from Delaware State, scored 9.1 points. Maya Chocano, a senior guard from UC Riverside, and Angela Carroll, a sophomore forward from Texas State, add depth, and Audreonia Benson, a senior guard from UCF, and Jasmine Jordan, a junior center from Eastern Kentucky, also arrive. Jaidyn Elam, a junior guard from South Georgia Technical College, and freshman guard Ta’Niyah Davis also arrive.
Arkansas State is second because I like the guards. Rose is a proven lead guard, and Gray, Marsh, and Frierson bring 31.6 combined points from their last stops. Shannon and McCollister are gone, along with most of last season’s rotation, so this is a rebuild on the fly, but I would rather bet on the guards than on last season’s depth, and I do not see the Red Wolves falling out of the top half.
Players to watch: Crislyn Rose, Amina Gray, Monica Marsh, Jermesha Frierson
Marshall
Record: 28-9, 13-5 Sun Belt (5th, WNIT champion)
Coach: Juli Fulks, 3rd season, 43-29 (23rd overall, 443-172)
Marshall finished fifth at 13-5 and lost 73-58 to South Alabama in the fourth round of the Sun Belt Tournament. The Thundering Herd then won the WNIT, beating UMBC 66-53 in the second round, Youngstown State 72-46 in the third round, Army 82-65 in the quarterfinals, Arkansas State 69-62 in the semifinals, and Illinois State 66-41 in the final. Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, a senior guard, first-team All-Sun Belt and All-Defensive Team selection, and Newcomer of the Year who averaged 20.2 points, left for Florida State. Peyton Ilderton, a senior guard who averaged 9.3 points, and Meredith Maier, a senior forward who averaged 9.1 points, are gone, along with Timberlynn Yeast, a sophomore guard who averaged 6.3 points, who left for Robert Morris. Blessing King, TreShondra Williams, and Aarionna Redman are also gone.
Olivia Olson, a sophomore guard, is the returner who produced at a high level, scoring 13.3 points in 14 games, all as a starter. Ni’Kiah Chesterfield, a senior forward, and Kassie Ingram, a junior guard, are the other rotation pieces, and Leyocha Marigney and Emari Doby also return.
This is a transfer-built group. Cassie Gallagher, a redshirt junior guard from USC Upstate, scored 15.6 points and started all 29 games. Maddie Moody, a sophomore forward from Northern Kentucky, scored 10.0 points; Anaya Harris, a senior guard from Gardner-Webb, scored 10.1 points; and Paris Gilmore, a senior guard from UMass Lowell, scored 8.0 points. Princess Cassell, a junior guard, comes from Cal State San Bernardino, and Emily Bratton, a junior guard, and Zenthia Stowers, a sophomore forward, were on the roster last season but did not play. The freshmen are guard Bri Wilkins and forward Elizabeth Hunt.
I am less worried about Marshall than the numbers say I should be. Lewis-Eutsey, Ilderton, and Maier combined for 38.6 points, but Gallagher and Olson give Fulks two players who can carry an offense, and the Herd just won a WNIT title. They finished fifth in the league last season, so I am betting on the new pieces more than the old results.
Players to watch: Cassie Gallagher, Maddie Moody, Olivia Olson, Anaya Harris
Louisiana Tech
Record: 26-7, 17-1 Conference USA (1st, WBIT appearance)
Coach: Brooke Stoehr, 11th season, 178-134 (15th overall, 249-192)
Louisiana Tech won the Conference USA regular season at 17-1, beat Delaware 72-43 and Liberty 61-48 in the conference tournament as the top seed, and lost 43-38 to Missouri State in the final. The Lady Techsters then lost 66-61 to Rice in the first round of the WBIT. Paris Bradley, a sophomore guard who averaged 14.8 points, left for Alabama; Jianna Morris, a junior guard who averaged 11.2 points, left for Arkansas; and Averi Aaron, a sophomore forward who averaged 6.5 points, left for Purdue. Jayden Terry and Mackenzie Wurm are also gone.
Jordan Marshall, a junior forward, anchors the returners after scoring 10.4 points in 30 starts. Alexia Weaver, a senior guard, started all 31 games and scored 10.0 points, and Kaleigh Thompson, a fifth-year guard, and Joy Madison-Key, a senior guard, add experience. Hillary Dawson and Isla Airey also return.
Brittani Wells is the key newcomer. The senior guard from UT Martin scored 8.9 points and started all 27 games. Kennedy Evans, a junior guard from Oklahoma State, did not play last season. Alana Obianozie, a junior guard, arrives from Shelton State, and Jordyn McNeal, a junior forward, comes from Murray State College. The freshmen are forward E’Marriha Johnson and guard Pressley Powell.
Louisiana Tech is the toughest team in the league to place. I like what Marshall and Weaver bring back, and Wells looks like a transfer who fits right in, but the Lady Techsters are leaving the league they won at 17-1, and Bradley and Morris combined for 26.0 points. I could see them winning the Sun Belt or landing in the bottom half, and I am putting them fourth because I would rather bet on the roster than on the unknown.
Players to watch: Jordan Marshall, Alexia Weaver, Brittani Wells, Joy Madison-Key
Troy
Record: 25-8, 15-3 Sun Belt (2nd, WBIT appearance)
Coach: Chanda Rigby, 15th season, 280-165 (27th overall, 502-285)
Troy finished 15-3, got a bye to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals, beat Arkansas State 83-73, and lost 69-52 to James Madison in the final. The Trojans then lost 79-70 to Kansas in the WBIT first round. Zay Dyer, a senior forward, Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 14.4 points and 12.9 rebounds, is gone, along with Fortuna Ngnawo, a senior forward and second-team selection who averaged 15.4 points and 10.6 rebounds, and Emani Jenkins, a senior guard and third-team selection who averaged 10.8 points. Ashley Baez, a senior guard who averaged 10.4 points, Rachel Leggett, a senior guard who averaged 10.2 points, and Leilani Guion, a senior guard who averaged 5.7 points, are also gone, along with Kamesha Moore, Lana Korićanac, and Marianah Achol.
Saniya Jackson, a sophomore guard, is the only returner who played a regular role, scoring 5.8 points in 31 games. Shakirah Edwards and Detavia Salter also return.
Aniya Finger, a fifth-year forward from North Carolina Central, scored 11.9 points in 24 games. Aniya Hubbard, a fifth-year guard, comes from Florida Atlantic, where she averaged 17.2 points in 17 games in 2023-24 after winning Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2022-23, and she sat out 2024-25 at UAB and did not play last season. Riana Callihan, a junior forward, arrives from Miami Dade College; Taliah Martin, a junior forward, comes from Collin College; and Tayla Barros, a senior guard, arrives from Harcum College. The freshmen are guards Hannah Smith, Kimora Hughes, and Tiauna King, and forwards Jamonica Chambers and Maliyah Meeks.
Troy is fifth because I am betting on the coach. Rigby is the program’s winningest coach, and the Trojans finished second last season, but Dyer, Ngnawo, Jenkins, Baez, and Leggett combined for 61.2 points, and all of them are gone. Finger and Hubbard are proven scorers, though Hubbard has not played a college game since the 2023-24 season, and Jackson is the only returner in the regular rotation, so this is close to a full rebuild.
Players to watch: Aniya Finger, Aniya Hubbard, Saniya Jackson, Riana Callihan
Appalachian State
Record: 11-19, 4-14 Sun Belt (13th)
Coach: Alaura Sharp, 3rd season, 24-36 (13th overall, 183-183)
Appalachian State finished 13th at 4-14 and lost 68-57 to South Alabama in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Emma Smith, a senior guard who averaged 11.2 points, is gone, along with Elena Pericic, a senior forward who averaged 7.8 points, and Emily Hege, a senior guard who averaged 6.1 points. Jada Burton, a senior guard, is also gone, along with Zoe McCrary and Marta Gutierrez.
Daisia Mitchell, a senior guard, led the returners with 10.2 points and started 27 of 28 games. Jayden McBride, a junior guard, scored 8.6 points, and Feryal Defne Atli, a junior forward, started 27 games. Sophomore forward Addie Biel scored 5.6 points, and Riley Stoker and Isa Roman also return.
Joi Williams changes the roster. The senior guard from Radford scored 15.3 points and started 28 of 34 games. Jadyn Atchison, a senior guard from UT Arlington, scored 8.2 points; Raven Preston, a senior guard from Wake Forest, scored 8.2 points in nine games; and Torin Rogers, a senior guard from UNC Wilmington, scored 6.5 points. Sophomore guard Camiah Muldrow arrives from Cloud County Community College, and the freshmen are guard Jaida McClure and forward Zoe Smith.
I have Appalachian State sixth, which is higher than a 4-14 finish suggests. Mitchell, McBride, and Atli are back, and four senior transfers, Williams, Atchison, Preston, and Rogers, arrive as scorers. The Mountaineers won only 11 games, including four in league play, so Sharp needs the newcomers to make an immediate impact, but this experienced backcourt should be better than last season’s.
Players to watch: Joi Williams, Daisia Mitchell, Jayden McBride, Jadyn Atchison
Southern Miss
Record: 15-16, 8-10 Sun Belt (7th)
Coach: Missy Bilderback, 2nd season, 15-16 (12th overall, 245-82)
Southern Miss finished seventh at 8-10 and lost 89-72 to ULM in the third round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Jakayla Johnson, a senior guard and second-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 15.7 points, is gone, along with Meloney Thames, a senior guard who averaged 13.1 points, Sakyia White, a senior forward who averaged 11.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in 14 games, and Carly Keats, a senior guard who averaged 9.9 points. Brikayla Gray, a senior guard, is also gone, and Morgan Sieper left for Tennessee Tech, along with Je’Mya Evans and Anaisha Carriere.
Hayleigh Breland, a fifth-year guard, leads the returners after scoring 11.4 points and starting all 28 games. Whitney Hart, a redshirt sophomore center, scored 6.5 points, and Timya Thurman, Ramiah Augurson, and Miriam Prince also return.
Chrysta Narcisse, a redshirt junior guard from South Alabama, is the best addition. She was an All-Tournament Team selection, scored 8.2 points, and started 30 of 35 games. Kennedy Langham, a senior guard from Butler, scored 5.9 points, and Kylie Marshall, a senior guard from James Madison, and Nakiyah Allen, a senior forward from Old Dominion, add depth. Mariah Clayton, a junior forward, also comes from Old Dominion; Bruna da Silva, a junior guard, arrives from Eastern Florida State College; and Nadia Norfleet, a sophomore guard, comes from Shelton State. The freshmen are forward/guard Jada Gay and forward Meg Barbour.
Southern Miss is the team I am most nervous about. Johnson, Thames, White, and Keats combined for 50.2 points, and Breland is the only returner who scored more than 6.5. Narcisse gives Bilderback a real scorer, but a team that won 15 games and lost most of its offense is a risk, even in her second year, and I am keeping the Golden Eagles at seventh only because the transfers are real.
Players to watch: Hayleigh Breland, Chrysta Narcisse, Whitney Hart, Kennedy Langham
Georgia Southern
Record: 23-8, 16-2 Sun Belt (1st, WBIT appearance)
Coach: Heather Macy, 1st season, 0-0 (21st overall, 383-212)
Georgia Southern won the regular season at 16-2 as the top seed, received a bye to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals, and lost 81-53 to James Madison. The Eagles then lost 82-56 to Miami in the WBIT first round. Hana Haden, the Coach of the Year, left for Memphis in March, and Macy, who coached Nova Southeastern last season, replaced her. Kishyah Anderson, a senior forward, Player of the Year, and first-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 14.4 points, is gone, along with Destiny Garrett, a senior guard and second-team selection who averaged 14.8 points, and McKenna Eddings, a senior forward and third-team selection who averaged 12.9 points. Shanti Simmons, a senior guard who averaged 11.2 points in 19 games, and Liv Fuller, a junior forward, are also gone, along with Laney Scoggins, McKayla Hosley, Armani Cooke, and Courtenay Lee.
Kayla Cleaveland, a sophomore forward, started 19 of 30 games and scored 6.4 points, and Kyla Bryant, a senior guard, and Jamiria Jones, a junior guard/forward, are the other rotation returners. Lia Anderson and Nevaeh Brown also return.
Kiyah Lewis is the headline newcomer. The sophomore guard/forward from Central Connecticut State scored 13.8 points and started 25 of 27 games, and Kyra Perkins, a senior guard from Austin Peay State, scored 7.0 points. Macy brought three players from her old team at Nova Southeastern: Hailey Chiles, a senior center, Markayla Holland, a fifth-year guard, and Unique Horton, a junior forward. Tamiria Jones, a junior guard, arrives from Chipola College, and freshmen Kiara Anderson and Jailyn Williams join as guard and forward, respectively.
Georgia Southern won the regular season, and I still have the Eagles eighth, which tells you how much I think they lost. Anderson, Garrett, Eddings, and Simmons combined for 53.3 points, and a new coach has to build around Cleaveland, Bryant, and Jones. Lewis is the transfer most likely to take over scoring, and a group from Macy’s Division II program is an unknown at this level, so I would not be shocked by a higher finish, but I am not going to bet on it.
Players to watch: Kiyah Lewis, Kyra Perkins, Kayla Cleaveland, Kyla Bryant
Coastal Carolina
Record: 14-18, 7-11 Sun Belt (8th, tie)
Coach: Kevin Pederson, 5th season, 63-64 (26th overall, 507-255)
Coastal Carolina finished tied for eighth at 7-11 and lost 80-70 to South Alabama in the second round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Kristin Williams, a senior guard and third-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 13.0 points, is gone, along with Tracey Hueston, a senior forward who averaged 11.9 points, and Paige Bradley, a senior guard who averaged 6.9 points. Kinsea Grimes, a freshman forward and Freshman of the Year who averaged 11.3 points, left for SMU, and Hennessey Luu-Brown and J’yana Salton are also gone.
Tessa Grady, a redshirt junior guard, is the engine of what is left. She scored 13.5 points and started all 30 games. Olivia Klanac, a sophomore guard, and D’Yanis Jimenez, a senior guard, are the other rotation returners, and Tateyoina Harris, a senior forward, and Baylee Lowder, a sophomore guard, also return.
Kamryn Kitchen is a redshirt sophomore guard from Arizona. Anja Djukic, a redshirt junior guard, arrives from Weatherford College; Grace Lesko, a redshirt junior forward, comes from Mercy University; and Caroline Mullins, a junior guard, arrives from UVA Wise. The freshmen are guards Ar’Nayshia Griffin, Asia Patin, and Audrey Beyer.
Coastal Carolina will ask Pederson to do a lot with a little. Williams, Hueston, Grimes, and Bradley combined for 43.1 points; Grady is the only returner who scored more than 6.2, and Kitchen is the only transfer with Division I experience. Grady is good enough to keep this team out of the basement, but I do not see a climb out of the middle.
Players to watch: Tessa Grady, Olivia Klanac, D’Yanis Jimenez, Caroline Mullins
Louisiana
Record: 5-26, 2-16 Sun Belt (14th)
Coach: Garry Brodhead, 15th season, 220-207
Louisiana finished 14th at 2-16, beat Georgia State 71-66 in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament, and lost 79-63 to ULM in the second round. Bianca Silva, a junior guard who averaged 5.7 points, left for Lindenwood, and Lily Ba, a junior forward, left for Wichita State. Sophomore guard Stephanie Mosley is gone, along with Marina Artero, Sierra Jones, and Zoriahn Davis.
Mikaylah Manley, a senior guard, led the team with 13.4 points and started 28 of 29 games. Imani Daniel, a sophomore forward, scored 12.7 points, and Amijah Price, a sophomore guard, scored 10.4 points. Jazmyne Jackson, a graduate guard, scored 10.5 points in two games; Kahlen Norris, a senior guard, started 26 games; and Arionna Patterson, a redshirt freshman forward, also returns.
Kennedi Johnson, a junior guard, arrives from Tyler Junior College, and Malaya Jones, a junior guard, comes from Trinity Valley Community College. The freshmen are guards Bailey Timmons, Janja Dragisic, and Kelis Dansby, and forwards Aminata Sowe, Justyse George, Kayllis Walker, and Ndioba Lo.
Louisiana was bad last season, but I do not think it was hopeless. Manley, Daniel, and Price scored between 10.4 and 13.4 points on a team that won five games and only two in the league, which makes me think the problem was the depth around them. Nine newcomers, seven of them freshmen, will not fix that overnight, so I expect improvement without a jump into the top half.
Players to watch: Mikaylah Manley, Imani Daniel, Amijah Price, Jazmyne Jackson
Old Dominion
Record: 18-14, 9-9 Sun Belt (6th)
Coach: DeLisha Milton-Jones, 7th season, 117-73 (9th overall, 149-105)
Old Dominion finished sixth at 9-9 and lost 68-67 to ULM in the fourth round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Simaru Fields, a senior guard who averaged 13.1 points; En’Dya Buford, a senior guard and third-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 12.2 points; and Simone Cunningham, a senior guard who averaged 8.0 points, are gone. Kelsey Thompson, a senior guard who averaged 6.9 points, is also gone, and junior guard Nevaeh Scott left for ULM. Nakiyah Allen, a junior forward, left for Southern Miss, and Mariah Clayton, Jaylen Ponder, Laila Walker, Nisaa Muhammad, Alisha Nunley, T’anna Saddler, and Hama’ya Fielder are also gone.
Riley Stack, a senior forward, is the lone returner with a regular role after scoring 7.8 points in 29 starts. Dalanna Carter, a senior guard, also returns.
Shadasia Brackens, a senior forward from Tarleton State, scored 8.2 points, and Trinity Vance, a junior guard from Delaware, scored 8.7 points. Jaida McDonald, a senior forward from Wichita State, scored 5.1 points, and Mia Davis, a senior guard from Scottsdale Community College, joins after playing at San Diego State. Delaney Snyder, a senior center from Cincinnati, and Jamaya Thomas, a sophomore forward from Northern Kentucky, round out the Division I additions. The junior college group is guard Kara Stricklin from Johnson County Community College, guard Monica Bottley from Tyler Junior College, and forward Landin Kelley and guard Vanessa Sepulveda from Scottsdale Community College. The freshmen are guards Monique Phoenix, Talyah Harris, and Ar’Jayla Elder.
Old Dominion is the hardest team in the middle of the pack to read. Fields, Buford, Cunningham, and Thompson combined for 40.2 points, and Stack is the only returner who played a regular role. Brackens and Vance can score right away, but 13 newcomers mean Milton-Jones will spend much of the season sorting out a rotation, and I would rather see it work before I move them up.
Players to watch: Shadasia Brackens, Trinity Vance, Riley Stack, Jaida McDonald
South Alabama
Record: 17-19, 5-13 Sun Belt (11th, tie, WNIT appearance)
Coach: Yolisha Jackson, 4th season, 32-66
South Alabama finished tied for 11th at 5-13, beat Appalachian State 68-57, Coastal Carolina 80-70, Texas State 69-59, and Marshall 73-58 in the Sun Belt Tournament, and lost 79-54 to James Madison in the quarterfinals. The Jaguars then beat Alcorn State 73-65 in the first round of the WNIT and lost 77-72 to Purdue Fort Wayne in the second round. Cordasia Harris, a senior forward who averaged 11.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, is gone, along with Daniela Gonzalez, a senior forward who averaged 9.9 points. Tamara Ortiz, a sophomore guard who averaged 9.2 points, left for Southern Indiana; Diawna Carter-Hartley, a junior forward who averaged 8.8 points, left for Xavier; and Chrysta Narcisse, a sophomore guard and All-Tournament Team selection who averaged 8.2 points, left for Southern Miss. Ronaltha Marc, a senior guard, is also gone. Jeriyah Baines left for East Texas A&M, along with Alicia Spann, Princess Okafor Nweze, and Chloe Donnell.
Amyah Sutton, a senior guard, is the one returner who produced, scoring 11.6 points and starting all 35 games. Terren Coffil, a junior guard who scored 7.7 points in 27 games in 2024-25, did not play last season, and Miyah Holmes and Aroa Mangas also return.
CJ Wilson, a junior guard from Prairie View A&M, is the biggest addition, scoring 13.5 points and starting all 27 games. Deborah Orianegbena, a junior forward from UNC Asheville, grabbed 7.0 rebounds and started 26 of 30 games, while Esther Kursite, a junior center from Sacred Heart, also joins. The other additions are fifth-year forward Julieta Ceja from Eastern New Mexico, sophomore forward Hannah Dibadjou from Cochise College, junior guard Jaida Redwine from Chipola College, junior guard Jolie Mantz from Dodge City Community College, and fifth-year guard Saneea Bevley from McLennan Community College. The freshman is guard Camryn Golston.
South Alabama proved it can win in March, but I do not buy that as a preview of next season. Harris, Gonzalez, Ortiz, Carter-Hartley, and Narcisse combined for 47.1 points; Sutton is the only returner who played a regular role, and most of the additions come from junior college. Wilson is a legitimate scorer, and the 12-seed run to the quarterfinals was real, but I expect a difficult year.
Players to watch: CJ Wilson, Amyah Sutton, Deborah Orianegbena, Terren Coffil
Georgia State
Record: 10-21, 5-13 Sun Belt (11th, tie)
Coach: Marcilina Grayer, 1st season, 0-0 (8th overall, 146-57)
Georgia State finished tied for 11th at 5-13 and lost 71-66 to Louisiana in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Gene Hill resigned in March, and Grayer, who coached Salt Lake Community College, replaced him. Crystal Henderson, a junior guard and third-team All-Sun Belt selection who averaged 16.6 points, left for Texas State, and Kaleigh Addie, a senior guard who averaged 10.4 points, is gone. Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu, a senior guard who averaged 8.5 points, Cheyenne Holloman, a senior guard who averaged 8.4 points, and Ari Dyson, a junior forward who averaged 7.2 points, are also gone. Gabbie Grooms, a sophomore guard who averaged 5.2 points, left for Chattanooga; Eghosa Obasuyi, a junior guard, left for Hampton; and Savannah Robinson-Holmes, Nari Powers, and Monna Julkunen are also gone.
Grace Lanier, a sophomore guard, started 12 of 29 games and averaged 5.9 points, making her the best returning scorer. Frankee Payne, a junior guard, also returns.
Mariah Knight is a junior forward from Jacksonville. Ana Oliveira Dias, a senior guard, comes from Missouri Western State, and Aryelle Stevens, a graduate forward, arrives from Marquette, where she redshirted last season. Jada Collins, a junior forward from Coppin State, missed last season with an injury. The other Division I transfers are guards Nikole Thomas from Kansas City, Dawson Jemerson from Coastal Carolina, where she redshirted last season, and Kenaya Klintman from High Point. Guards Aaliyah Baldwin from Snow College and Danaeja Romero Ah Sam from Eastern Arizona College come from junior college. The freshmen are guards Makennah Alexis and Aikaterini Yfantopoulou.
Georgia State is the league’s clearest rebuild. Henderson, Addie, Robinson-Nwagwu, Holloman, and Dyson combined for 51.1 points; Lanier is the only returner in the rotation, and Grayer arrives from junior college with 11 newcomers. The best returning scorer put up 5.9 points, so I expect a slow first year and a lot of patience.
Players to watch: Ana Oliveira Dias, Aaliyah Baldwin, Grace Lanier, Aryelle Stevens
ULM
Record: 17-16, 7-11 Sun Belt (8th, tie)
Coach: Scotty Fletcher, 2nd season, 17-16 (12th overall, 181-91)
ULM finished tied for eighth at 7-11, beat Louisiana 79-63, Southern Miss 89-72, and Old Dominion 68-67 in the Sun Belt Tournament, and lost 76-68 to Arkansas State in the quarterfinals. J’Mani Ingram, a guard who averaged 11.7 points, is gone, along with Marcavia Shavers, a forward and All-Tournament Team selection who averaged 11.3 points and 9.3 rebounds, and Nakiyah Mays-Prince, a senior guard who averaged 11.3 points. Jazmine Jackson, a junior guard who averaged 9.5 points, Asjah Inniss, a guard who averaged 7.6 points, and Keshunti Nichols, a forward who averaged 6.5 points, are also gone, along with Asia Barclay, Marissa Gasaway, Kamille Brown, who left for Western Kentucky, and Katelyn Chomko, Nailea Nicholas, Abby Leahy, and Vanessa Schwarzmann.
No one from last season’s roster is back.
Erin Henry, a senior guard from Coppin State, scored 7.4 points and started 27 of 31 games, and Aiyanna Culver, a junior guard from Chicago State, scored 12.8 points in 10 games. Kyla McBride, a senior forward from Texas State, Nevaeh Scott, a senior guard from Old Dominion, and Kayla Lindsey, a senior guard from Mount St. Mary’s, bring more Division I experience. Fifth-year guard Kylee Hunt from Northern Kentucky, sophomore forward Amani Williams from Presbyterian, and fifth-year guard Destini Ward from Georgia Southern, where she was on the roster last season but did not play, are the other Division I transfers. The junior college group includes senior center Roge’Ne’ Hillard from Pearl River Community College, where Fletcher coached; junior forwards Summer Faleafa from North Idaho College and Nuria Mucongo from Clarendon College; and sophomore guards Chardel Terrell from Murray State College and Lea Nadolny from the College of Southern Idaho.
ULM is a shot in the dark, and I mean that as a description, not an insult. Every player on the roster is new, and Ingram, Shavers, and Mays-Prince each averaged at least 11.3 points last season. Henry and Culver are the best-proven scorers, and Fletcher knows the junior college route, but a roster with no returners is the hardest to project in the league, so fourteenth is a guess with a reason.
Players to watch: Erin Henry, Aiyanna Culver, Kyla McBride, Nevaeh Scott
Sun Belt Round-Up
James Madison, Arkansas State, and Marshall have the strongest cases at the top. James Madison won the tournament and has Robinson back, Arkansas State has Rose and four newcomers who scored at least 5.6 points at their last stops, and Marshall won the WNIT and adds four transfers who averaged at least 8.0 points. Louisiana Tech won the Conference USA regular season at 17-1 and returns three of its six leading scorers, and Georgia Southern won the regular season, but its four leading scorers are gone.
This league is hard to predict because so much of it is new: new coaches, new rosters, and more transfers than I can count. The rest of the field is especially hard to sort. Troy has Finger and Hubbard but lost its five leading scorers; Louisiana returns Manley, Daniel, and Price from a team that won five games; and ULM has an entirely new roster. Georgia Southern and Georgia State have new coaches, and Old Dominion added 13 newcomers. With that much movement, I could be way off on multiple teams in this league, and I expect a few of the teams I have in the middle to finish well above or well below where I have them.
Editor’s Note: Records and conference standings reflect the final 2025-26 Sun Belt regular season and postseason. Player stats reflect 2025-26 production, unless noted. All 14 rosters have been confirmed against official, live 2026-27 team pages as of October 28th. Coaching and roster notes reflect known offseason moves as of October 28th. Roster additions may shift rosters before the season opens in November and may affect the order as of this writing.
