DALLAS - The 2026 CUSA Women's Basketball season officially begins Monday, Nov. 2, with seven teams taking the court. Conference play begins Jan. 2 until March 6. All 10 teams will compete in the 2027 CUSA Women's Basketball Championship in Huntsville, Ala. from March 9-13.

FIGHTIN’ BLUE HENS PLAN TO FIGHT BACK THIS SEASON 
Delaware added several key pieces to the squad this season, with head coach Sarah Jenkins describing the newcomers as “winners” given their experience with successful programs. Kennise Johnson arrives from Iowa, Sanyiah Littlejohn joins from George Mason and Frances Ulysse transfers from Longwood. These additions will all look to complement returning senior guard Safi Kolliegbo as the team builds for the upcoming season. 

IMPROVING PANTHERS 
FIU was one of 25 DI teams last season to improve its win total by at least 10 (11 -> 21). Only 16 of those teams in that group won at least 21 games in 2025-26. The Panthers secured the No. 2 seed at the 2026 CUSA Basketball Championship, their highest seeding to start the tournament since joining CUSA after securing a program record 12 wins in league play. 

ALABAMA COACHING LEGACY 
Jax State hired Ricky Austin as the new head coach of the Gamecocks. Austin arrives at Jax State following one of the most decorated coaching careers in Alabama high school basketball history. Over nearly three decades at Spring Garden High School, he compiled more than 1,000 career victories and led his teams to multiple state championships, including three consecutive titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

OWLS SOARING INTO NEW SEASON 
Shania Nichols, Kaelyn Flowers, Emaya Lewis and Madyson Elliot headline the returning group in Kennesaw as they begin a new chapter under first-year head coach Tianni Kelly. The group is bolstered by 10 newcomers, including four transfers from Division I programs Minnesota, Valparaiso, Wofford and UAB.

REBOUNDING MACHINES   
Liberty’s active roster has a combined 1943 rebounds at the DI level, most in Conference USA. That also ranks 46th in DI and 18th among all non-major conference teams. Ify Nwaobi led the Lady Flames last season in total rebounds with 265. She also led CUSA with 9.46 rebounds per game.  

BLAIR IS BACK AND EVEN BETTER 
Middle Tennessee’s Blair Baugus was one of four DI players and the only freshman last season to total at least 400 points, 300 rebounds and 60 steals. She is the only one in that group who returned to her team this season.

KAEMYN IS ON AN ISLAND OF HER OWN 
Missouri State’s Kaemyn Bekemeier was one of three DI players in 2025-26 to rank within the top 2 of her conference in points, rebounds and minutes played. The only other CUSA players this century to finish a
campaign with such ranks are Ebony Rowe (2013-14) and Deanna Jackson (2000-01). 

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS 
Head coach Adeinyi Amadou joins the Aggies following a four-season stint as an associate head coach at Rhode Island. Amadou, a native of France, signed nine players from his homeland and two more international additions from Latvia and Serbia. Amadou retained one lone player from the 2025-26 squad in senior guard and Las Cruces native, Emma Christiano. 

PRESSURE DEFENSE MAKES DIAMONDS    
Sam Houston was one of three DI teams last season to average at least 13.0 steals per game and allow 60.0 or fewer points per game (McNeese State, UConn). They are the only CUSA team all-time to do both in a single campaign. 

HOLY TRINITY
Trinity Rowe returns to the Hill after leading WKU in scoring average (10.8), three-pointers (49), three-point field goal percentage (.422) and minutes per game (33.9). Joining Rowe as key returners are Torri James and Tatum Boettjer. James averaged 8.2 points per game with a .520 field goal percentage, while Boettjer recorded 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 campaign.