Texas Woman’s is predicted to win its fifth consecutive Lone Star Conference women’s basketball regular season title according to the 2026-27 preseason poll, it was announced on Monday (Oct. 19) during
LSC Hoops Week. West Texas A&M junior guard/forward Kerbie Cash claimed the preseason player of the year honors.
The preseason poll and preseason player of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
TWU totaled 828 points and collected 31 of the possible 51 first-place votes. Head coach Beth Jillson’s Pioneers went 31-2 overall and a perfect 20-0 in league play last season. TWU also won its third straight and fourth overall LSC tournament (also 2011). The Pioneers, who had a 30-game winning streak during the season, hosted the NCAA Division II South Central Regional and advanced to the championship game. They finished ranked No. 6 in the nation.
West Texas A&M, which has won a record 18 LSC titles is picked as the conference runner-up with 794 points and 10 first-place votes. Head coach Josh Prock’s Lady Buffs went 28-5 overall and 18-2 in LSC play to secure the league’s second-place spot. WT advanced to the LSC tournament title game and earned a berth in regional. They finished the year ranked No. 13 in the country.
UT Tyler is predicted to finish in third place with 755 points and nine first-place votes. The Patriots went 22-11 overall and 16-4 in league play last season and advanced to the regional semifinals.
Lubbock Christian is the fourth-place pick with 743 points. The Lady Chaps went 23-8 overall and 15-5 in LSC play in 2025-26 and earned a berth in the regional. LCU has won three of the last seven conference crowns and three national titles since 2016.
Two-time LSC champion Eastern New Mexico is predicted for a fifth-place finish with 644 points and the final first-place vote. The Greyhounds earned a berth in the regional.
Seven-time conference champion Angelo State is the sixth-place pick with 594 points. St. Mary’s is seventh with 540 points, UT Dallas is eighth with 491 points and UT Permian Basin (484 points) rounded out what would be the potential nine teams to qualify for the LSC tournament.
St. Edward’s rounded out the top 10 with 384 points.
Texas A&M International is picked 11th with 322 points, followed by Oklahoma Christian (301 points), two-time LSC champion Midwestern State (283 points), 2000 LSC champion Texas A&M-Kingsville (278 points), Cameron (167 points), Western New Mexico (109 points points) and Sul Ross State (86 points).
Cash, who is a 6-foot-2 native of Wylie, Texas, averaged 16.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for MSU last season. She had nine double doubles. Cash is a two-time LSC All-Conference selection (first team last year) and was the league’s freshman of the year in 2024-25.
Additionally, 16 players – including Cash – were selected for the LSC Women’s Basketball Preseason Players to Watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution.
Notes:
- The LSC women’s basketball season begins as early as Oct. 30. To see the league schedule, click here.
- LSC Hoops Week is Oct. 19-23. Watch interviews from all 17 women’s basketball teams and the preseason player of the year on the conference’s YouTube page.
- All 17 LSC women’s basketball teams are eligible to win the regular season title and advance to the LSC and NCAA Division II postseason tournaments.
- The nine-team LSC women’s basketball tournament is scheduled for March 2 on campus and March 4, 6-7 at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. Tickets will go on sale in February.
- The NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball South Central Regional is scheduled for March 12-13, 15 at a site to be determined. The Elite Eight is set for March 22, 24, 26 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind.
- All LSC women’s basketball games can be viewed live on FloCollege. Monthly, yearly and family subscriptions are available.
2026-27 LSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL, PLAYER OF THE YEAR, PLAYERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
Texas Woman’s |
31 |
828 |
| 2 |
West Texas A&M |
10 |
794 |
| 3 |
UT Tyler |
9 |
755 |
| 4 |
Lubbock Christian |
|
743 |
| 5 |
Eastern New Mexico |
1 |
644 |
| 6 |
Angelo State |
|
594 |
| 7 |
St. Mary’s |
|
540 |
| 8 |
UT Dallas |
|
491 |
| 9 |
UT Permian Basin |
|
484 |
| 10 |
St. Edward’s |
|
384 |
| 11 |
Texas A&M International |
|
322 |
| 12 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
301 |
| 13 |
Midwestern State |
|
283 |
| 14 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
|
278 |
| 15 |
Cameron |
|
167 |
| 16 |
Western New Mexico |
|
109 |
| 17 |
Sul Ross State |
|
86 |
Preseason Player of the Year
Kerbie Cash, G/F, Jr., West Texas A&M
Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Majik Esquivel |
Angelo State |
G |
Jr. |
Commercial Aviation |
Lubbock, Texas |
| Emmary Elizondo |
Cameron |
G |
So. |
Early Childhood Education |
El Reno, Okla. |
| Cacia Antonio |
Eastern New Mexico |
G |
Sr. |
University Studies |
Luanda, Angola |
| Kennedy Chappell |
Lubbock Christian |
G |
Sr. |
Animal Science |
Heath, Texas |
| Bralyn Peck |
Midwestern State |
F |
Fr. |
Undecided |
Decatur, Texas |
| Taylor Jackson |
Oklahoma Christian |
F |
Gr. |
Marriage & Family Therapy |
McKinney, Texas |
| Allie Garcia |
St. Mary's |
G |
Sr. |
Exercise & Sport Science |
Adelaide, South Australia |
| Leslie Mojica |
Sul Ross State |
G |
Sr. |
Kinesiology & Human Perf. |
El Paso, Texas |
| Bright Eze |
Texas A&M International |
F/C |
Jr. |
Business Administration |
Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria |
| Kaycee Groves |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
G |
Sr. |
Biomedical Sciences |
Faith, S.D. |
| Madi Lumsden |
Texas Woman’s |
G |
Sr. |
Accounting |
Argyle, Texas |
| Umi Otsuka |
UT Dallas |
G |
Sr. |
Computer Science |
Tokyo, Japan |
| Madison Walters |
UT Permian Basin |
G |
Sr. |
Biology |
Paris, Texas |
| Polina Latysheva |
UT Tyler |
G |
Sr. |
Management |
Moscow, Russia |
| Kerbie Cash |
West Texas A&M |
G/F |
Jr. |
Early Childhood Studies |
Wylie, Texas |
| Jordan Sapien |
Western New Mexico |
PG |
So. |
Business |
El Paso, Texas |