Houston Roundball Review Women's Hoops Blog

Los Angeles Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike Wins 2026 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award

2026-10-13T18:24:11.672-05:00

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Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike has been named the recipient of the 2026 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, the WNBA announced today. This is Ogwumike’s second consecutive Sportsmanship Award and fifth overall, extending her league record. She previously won the award in three straight seasons from 2019-21 and in 2025.

The Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award is presented each season to a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, including ethical behavior, fair play and integrity. The award is named in honor of the late Kim Perrot, who helped the Houston Comets win the first two WNBA championships, in 1997 and 1998, before passing away in August 1999 after a seven-month battle with cancer.

Ogwumike received 38 votes from a national panel of 74 sportswriters and broadcasters. New York Liberty forward-guard Rebecca Allen finished second with seven votes, and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell was third with six votes. Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton and Washington Mystics forward Michaela Onyenwere tied for fourth after each received four votes.

In her 15th and final WNBA season, Ogwumike averaged 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and a career-high 3.1 assists per game in 43 games. She led the Sparks in total points and rebounds and started every game she played.

Ogwumike finished her career ranked fourth in WNBA history in both points (8,047) and steals (718) and third in rebounds (3,657). She also became the Sparks’ all-time scoring leader and set the record for career points in the WNBA All-Star Game. Ogwumike is the only player in WNBA history with at least 7,000 career points and a career field goal percentage of at least 50.0 percent. In addition to her on-court performance, Ogwumike has served as the President of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) since 2016.

Below are the voting results for the 2026 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and a list of past recipients.

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2026 WNBA Finals Schedule and Results

2026-10-13T12:02:00.000-05:00

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Updated, 10/13/26 - 12:02 p.m.

Please be advised of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs – Finals Schedule and Results:

Day	Date	Match-up	Game	Time (CT) / Results	TV
Sat	10/17	Atlanta at Golden State	1	2:30 p.m.	NBC / Peacock
Mon	10/19	Atlanta at Golden State	2	7 p.m.	USA / CNBC / Peacock
Wed	10/21	Golden State at Atlanta	3^	7 p.m.	USA / CNBC / Peacock
Sat	10/24	Golden State at Atlanta	4^	12 p.m.	NBC / Peacock
Mon	10/26	Atlanta at Golden State	5*	7 p.m.	USA / CNBC / Peacock
Thu	10/29	Golden State at Atlanta	6*	7 p.m.	USA / CNBC / Peacock
Sat	10/31	Atlanta at Golden State	7*	7 p.m.	USA / CNBC / Peacock

* -- If necessary

^ -- played at State Farm Arena, in Atlanta, GA

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Minnesota Lynx's Cheryl Reeve Wins Third WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award

2026-10-12T14:36:49.922-05:00

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Minnesota Lynx Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Cheryl Reeve has been named the 2026 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year, the WNBA announced today.

Reeve, who also won the award in 2019 and 2024, joins Atlanta Dream Executive Vice President and General Manager Dan Padover with a record three selections. She recently earned her record fifth WNBA Coach of the Year Award, becoming the first person to win Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year in the same season twice (2024 and 2026). Current Dallas Wings General Manager Curt Miller is the only other person to receive both honors in the same season, doing so with the Connecticut Sun in 2017.

The award was determined by a voting panel composed of one basketball executive from each of the WNBA’s 15 teams. Each voter selected three executives in order of preference and could not vote for themselves. The executive who appeared on the most ballots won the award.

Reeve appeared on 13 ballots, followed by Padover on 11 and Golden State Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin on eight. The other executives appearing on ballots were Dallas Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Curt Miller (five ballots); Portland Fire General Manager Vanja Černivec (four); Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger of the Washington Mystics (three); and Toronto Tempo General Manager Monica Wright Rogers (one).

Under Reeve, who oversees basketball operations and completed her 17th season as head coach, Minnesota posted a 33-11 record and earned the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. The Lynx set a WNBA record with 18 road wins and recorded a 10-game winning streak from July 11 through Aug. 12, its longest since 2016.

Before the season, Reeve selected guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA Draft and signed veteran forward Natasha Howard. Miles was the unanimous 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year and set the league’s rookie record with 790 points. Howard started all 44 games and was voted a starter in the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game.

Reeve earned WNBA Coach of the Month honors for June and served as an All-Star head coach for the sixth time. On July 8 against the Connecticut Sun, she earned her 380th victory to become the WNBA’s all-time leader in regular-season coaching wins. She ended the regular season with 397 career victories.

Below is the list of recipients of the WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award since its inception in 2017.

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Texas Women’s Basketball predicted No. 2 in SEC Preseason Media Poll

2026-10-12T10:51:54.498-05:00

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Texas women’s basketball has been predicted to finish second in the Southeastern Conference for the 2026-27 season in a vote of a select panel of both SEC and national media members.

The media panel also voted on Preseason All-SEC First and Second Teams with five players on each. Texas senior Madison Booker earned a spot on the Preseason All-SEC First Team.

The Longhorns are coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances and have won an SEC regular season and tournament championship in two seasons in the league.

Texas has upcoming exhibition games at UConn, on Oct. 19, and they host UCLA in an exhibition game in Cedar Park, Texas, on Oct. 25. A final exhibition game will take place on Oct. 29, at Moody Center, against Eastern New Mexico, and the season opener will be at Moody Center against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 4.

2026-27 SEC Preseason Media Poll

Order of Finish

South Carolina
Texas
LSU
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Tennessee
Mississippi State
Alabama
Texas A&M
Florida
Georgia
Missouri
Auburn
Arkansas

Preseason Players of the Year -- Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Preseason All-SEC First-Team

Madison Booker, Texas

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Joyce Edwards, South Carolina

Clara Strack, Kentucky

Mikaylah Williams, LSU

Preseason All-SEC Second Team

Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma

Tessa Johnson, South Carolina

MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU

Chloe Kitts, South Carolina

Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss

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WNBA Finals; college football; Big 12 and more on Folks Talkin' Sports

2026-10-12T06:41:49.633-05:00

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Watch episode 204 of Folks Talkin' Sports on YouTube (w/ timestamps) featuring Kris Gardner (KG) and Kennetra Pulliams as KG and KP discuss the 2026 WNBA Playoffs with an early look at the WNBA Finals match-up between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries. Plus; upsets galore in college football on Saturday. Also, Big 12 Basketball Media Days on ESPNU?! And more.

Time stamps

00:00 - Intro

01:07 - Condolences to Laquita Thompson and her family

01:45 - Kennetra discusses the Longhorns' loss to the Sooners

04:07 - College football updates

06:28 - What's wrong with the Aggies?

07:34 - Coogs' 35-16 road win over K-State

07:58 - Coogs host Oklahoma State on 10/17 - game should be a sellout; Coach Fritz challenged Coog Nation to attend the game

14:55 - Kennetra explain why she doesn't like TNT Sports' game day production

17:22 - Big 12 Basketball Media Days will be shown on ESPNU and ESPN+

22:46 - 2026 WNBA Finals schedule

26:40 - Is A'ja Wilson the WNBA's version of Michael Jordan?

28:40 - I hope the national media will introduce the Golden State Valkyries to casual basketball

30:05 - Game 1 of the WNBA Finals airs on NBC (2:30 pm CT) will go against SEC college football

33:30 - Golden State or Atlanta. Who ya got?

35:35 - The Golden State Valkyries franchise is one of - if not THE BEST - the most well-run franchises in the W

38:22 - Eight Big 12 WBB games will be sublicensed from ESPN to CBS Sports Network

39:12 - Kingston Flemings documentary

41:01 - What is Houston Athletics doing to incentivize / attract support?

45:20 - Coach Fritz is disappointed with the poor attendance at TDECU Stadium

46:54 - Where else is the competition for the recreational dollars?

48:01 - Thank you, Afrikan Center of Wellbeing.

50:20 - Keep Laquita Thompson and her family in your prayers

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2026 WNBA Playoffs – Semifinals Schedule and Results

2026-10-10T06:25:00.000-05:00

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Updated, 10/10/26 - 6:25 a.m.

Please be advised of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs – Semifinals Schedule and Results:

Day	Date	Match-up	Game	Time (CT) / Results	TV
Sun	10/4	New York at Atlanta	1	Atlanta 92, New York 82.	ABC
Sun	10/4	Las Vegas at Golden State	1	Golden State 71, Las Vegas 60.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	10/7	New York at Atlanta^	2	Atlanta 101, New York 98 - in OT.	ESPN
Wed	10/7	Las Vegas at Golden State	2	Golden State 83, Las Vegas 81.	Peacock / NBCSN
Fri	10/9	Atlanta at New York	3	Atlanta 85, New York 83.	ESPN2
Fri	10/9	Golden State at Las Vegas	3	Golden State 87, Las Vegas 77 - OT.	Peacock / NBCSN

Atlanta won best-of-5 series 3-0 over New York and advances to 2026 WNBA Finals.

Golden State won best-of-5 series 3-0 over Las Vegas and advances to 2026 WNBA Finals.

^ – State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

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Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson Wins Record Fifth WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

2026-10-09T13:51:26.830-05:00

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Thursday, Las Vegas Aces center-forward A’ja Wilson was named the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player.

Wilson extends her WNBA record to five WNBA MVP awards, adding to her honors in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. She also becomes the first player in the 30-year history of the league to win the award in three consecutive seasons. Cynthia Cooper, the winner in 1997 and 1998, is the only other player to have earned the award in back-to-back seasons.

Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes (713 points) from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles (442 points; six first-place votes) finished in second place, followed by Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (287 points; two first-place votes) in third. Indiana guard Caitlin Clark (212 points; one first-place vote) finished fourth and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (171 points) was fifth.

Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.

In her ninth WNBA season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocked shots and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes in 41 games. The 6'4" Wilson led the league in points per game for the third straight season and in blocks per game for the fifth consecutive season and the sixth time overall (2020 and 2022-26). She also paced the WNBA in efficiency rating (30.4).

Wilson’s 26.2 points per game this season rank second in league history, behind her own mark of 26.9 set in 2024. She has increased her career scoring average to 22.1 points, the highest figure in WNBA history. Wilson ranked second in total points this season (1,073), behind Kelsey Mitchell (1,086), and now owns four of the top seven single-season points totals in league history.

The University of South Carolina alum shot 52.7 percent from the field, 40.4 percent from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the free throw line, all the second-best marks of her career. She set career highs with 38 three-pointers made, 94 three-point attempts, 279 free throws made and 323 free throw attempts.

Behind Wilson, Las Vegas finished with a 31-13 regular season record and earned the No. 3 seed in the 2026 WNBA Playoffs. Wilson and the Aces will host the Golden State Valkyries, October 9, in Game 3 of their Semifinals series (7:30 p.m. CT on Peacock/NBCSN). Golden State leads the series 2-0.

In addition to her five WNBA MVP honors, Wilson is an eight-time WNBA All-Star, five-time All-WNBA First Team selection, four-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team choice, three-time WNBA champion, three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and two-time WNBA Finals MVP.

Additional highlights of Wilson’s 2026 season and career are listed below:

Led the league with 13 games of at least 30 points, tying her own WNBA single-season record (2025).
Recorded 33 games with at least 20 points, the third-highest single-season total in WNBA history, behind Mitchell’s 35 this season and her own 34 in 2024.
Scored 45 points against the Connecticut Sun on May 15, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record multiple games of at least 45 points in a career.
Finished the season ranked second in league history with 50 career games of at least 30 points, behind Diana Taurasi (54).
Posted a league-high 19 double-doubles of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, including two stretches of four straight such games – the longest streak in the WNBA this season (May 31 – June 8 and June 28 – July 12).
Recorded a league-high seven double-doubles of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, raising her career total to a WNBA-record 33.
Climbed to 11th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list (6,792 points) after beginning the season 21st. Wilson is now 12 points from passing Sue Bird (6,803) for 10th place.
Wilson earned all four WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month awards in 2026, becoming the first player in league history to sweep a conference’s honors twice in her career (she also did so in 2020). She was recognized as the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week a league-high five times (Weeks 1, 5, 10, 13 and 15).

In honor of being named the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player, Wilson will receive $60,000 and a trophy specially designed by Tiffany & Co.

Below are the voting results for the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and a list of past recipients of the annual honor.

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TNT Sports Tips Off Second Season of BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Coverage with 15-Game 2026-27 Slate

2026-10-08T09:47:27.385-05:00

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TNT Sports and the BIG EAST Conference will tip off their second season of women’s college basketball coverage with a 15-game conference slate, showcasing reigning National Player of the Year Sarah Strong and UConn, along with some of the BIG EAST’s top programs and rising stars throughout the 2026-27 season. Coverage begins Thursday, Dec. 10 with a truTV and HBO Max doubleheader featuring Georgetown at St. John’s at 6 p.m. CT, followed by Villanova at Marquette at 8 p.m.

The 2026-27 schedule builds on a strong inaugural season for BIG EAST women’s basketball on TNT Sports. UConn went a perfect 8-0 across TNT Sports platforms en route to an undefeated BIG EAST regular season, the conference tournament title and the program’s 25th Final Four appearance. Sarah Strong swept the sport’s major National Player of the Year honors, including the AP Player of the Year, Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy.

UConn enters the season with Strong, now a junior and the reigning unanimous National Player of the Year, leading a loaded Huskies roster. The program will make seven appearances on TNT Sports’ networks and platforms, including four on TNT. UConn returns senior leaders KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade and sophomore Blanca Quiñonez, while welcoming McDonald’s All-American Olivia Vukosa, the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2026, as the Huskies pursue the program’s 13th national championship after last season’s undefeated run ended in the Final Four.

The Huskies’ TNT Sports slate opens Thursday, Jan. 7 when Georgetown visits Storrs at 6 p.m. on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. UConn will then take center stage on three consecutive Sundays on TNT, truTV and HBO Max, beginning with UConn at St. John’s on Jan. 24 at Noon, followed by Providence at UConn on Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. and UConn at Marquette on Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m.

Beyond UConn, TNT Sports’ schedule will showcase compelling matchups throughout the BIG EAST race.

Villanova, coming off a 25-win season and return to the NCAA Tournament, makes four appearances behind junior guard Jasmine Bascoe, who surpassed 1,000 career points in just two collegiate seasons and made her Canadian senior national team debut this summer. The Wildcats’ slate includes home dates against Seton Hall on TNT and Creighton, along with road matchups at Marquette and DePaul.

The schedule also features multiple appearances by St. John’s, Marquette, Providence, Creighton and Seton Hall, including a Feb. 7 TNT doubleheader with Seton Hall at Villanova at 11:30 a.m. followed by UConn at Marquette at 1:30 p.m.

In addition to game broadcasts, fans can expect comprehensive coverage with in-depth highlights and storytelling across Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and B/R W Sports, as well as enhanced game-day coverage and player features across digital and social platforms. Additional broadcast details for the 2026-27 BIG EAST women’s basketball season, including commentator assignments, will be announced in the coming weeks.

The 2026-27 season marks the second year of TNT Sports’ media rights agreement with the BIG EAST Conference, a cornerstone of TNT Sports’ expanding college basketball coverage, which also includes BIG EAST and Big 12 men’s basketball and exclusive coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV, which is co-produced with CBS Sports. TNT Sports’ growing roster of women’s sports also includes Unrivaled, the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, U.S. Women’s National Team soccer matches, Roland-Garros, and more.

Date	Match-up	Time (CT)	Network
Dec. 10	Georgetown at St. John’s	6 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Dec. 10	Villanova at Marquette	8 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Jan. 2	Georgetown at UConn	6 p.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max
Jan. 13	Marquette at UConn	6 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Jan. 24	UConn at St. John’s	11 a.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max
Jan. 31	Providence at UConn	11 a.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 4	UConn at Butler	6 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 4	Villanova at DePaul	8 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 7	Seton Hall at Villanova	11:30 a.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 7	UConn at Marquette	1:30 p.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 14	Creighton at St. John’s	11 a.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 21	Creighton at Villanova	1 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 21	Providence at Marquette	3 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 24	Seton Hall at St. John’s	6 p.m.	truTV & HBO Max
Feb. 25	UConn at Providence	6 p.m.	TNT, truTV & HBO Max

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Texas WBB will have 20 games on Linear TV across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and SEC Network

2026-10-07T18:55:17.140-05:00

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ESPN today announced a slate of 130 Southeastern Conferences women’s basketball games and network designations for linear television across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and SEC Network. The Longhorns will have 20 games on linear television, including 13 of their 16 Southeastern conference games.

Texas will have seven non-conference games on ESPN networks, highlighted by the SEC/ACC challenge at home vs. Louisville, the Player’s Era Showcase with games against Duke and UCLA and the Lone Star Series with games in Fort Worth against Ohio State and TCU.

Additionally home games against South Dakota State and Southeastern Louisiana will be televised on SEC Network.

The Longhorns have three conference games that will be televised on ABC with home games against South Carolina and Vanderbilt and a road game at Kentucky. Texas will have four conference games on ESPN or ESPN2 and six conference games on SEC Network.

Games that are not on ESPN networks will be available via SECN+ or ESPN+.

Texas Women’s Basketball ESPN Television Games

Date	Match-up	Time (CT)	Network
Nov. 11	Texas vs. South Dakota State	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Nov. 22	Texas vs. Ohio State	12 p.m.	ESPN
Nov. 25	Texas vs. Southeastern Louisiana	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Dec. 2	Texas vs. Louisville	8:15 p.m.	ESPN2
Dec. 6	Texas vs. TCU	12 p.m.	ESPN2
Dec. 19	Texas vs Duke	5 p.m.	ESPN2
Dec. 20	Texas vs UCLA	4 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 3	Texas vs. South Carolina	2 p.m.	ABC
Jan. 7	Texas vs. Tennessee	6 p.m.	ESPN2
Jan. 10	Texas at Kentucky	1 p.m.	ABC
Jan. 17	Texas vs Vanderbilt	12 p.m.	ABC
Jan. 21	Texas at Texas A&M	8 p.m.	SEC Network
Jan. 24	Texas at Mississippi State	4 p.m.	SEC Network
Feb. 4	Texas at Auburn	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Feb. 8	Texas vs Arkansas	6:30 p.m.	SEC Network
Feb. 11	Texas at LSU	6 p.m.	ESPN
Feb. 14	Texas vs Texas A&M	3 p.m.	SEC Network
Feb. 21	Texas vs Florida	2 p.m.	SEC Network
Feb. 25	Texas at Oklahoma	7 p.m.	ESPN2
Feb. 28	Texas at Ole Miss	1 p.m.	ESPN / ESPN2

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ESPN unveils SEC women’s basketball schedule

2026-10-07T14:47:49.286-05:00

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As the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season draws near, ESPN and the SEC have announced the network designations, with more than 130 linear games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and SEC Network.

Additionally, games will be available on the ESPN App via an applicable subscription.

ESPN tips off its premier coverage of SEC women’s college basketball Monday, Nov. 2 with the Oui-Play Paris event, featuring two SEC programs. No. 1 South Carolina faces Maryland to start the Paris doubleheader at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN, followed by No. 9 North Carolina taking on No. 24 Oklahoma in the second matchup at Adidas Arena (1:30 p.m., ESPN). Later that evening, Southeast Louisiana takes the trip to the Maravich Center to face the 10th-ranked LSU Tigers on SEC Network (6 p.m.) to continue the momentum of day one of play.

ESPN is the home of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

2026-27 SEC on ESPN Women’s College Basketball Schedule Highlights:

Non-Con Showdowns: The season starts with a strong non-conference slate in November. In addition to the Oui-Play Event, the Ally Tipoff sees four perennial powerhouses compete in Charlotte.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, No. 17 Kentucky takes on NC State at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2, followed by a top-10 battle between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 North Carolina on ESPN (5:30 p.m.).
In December, ESPN is home to the Women’s Players Era – featuring No. 1 South Carolina and No. 8 Texas against some of the top teams in the nation in Vegas.
Rounding out non-conference play is the Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational on Dec. 20, which features No. 2 UConn vs. No. 10 LSU at 12 p.m., followed by No. 17 Kentucky vs. Virginia at 2:30 p.m.

SEC WBB on ABC: Beginning in November, ABC is set to air five SEC teams throughout the season. Amongst those matchups, is “The Real SC” which features No. 1 South Carolina against No. 5 USC as the two teams look to crown the “real SC”.

Additionally, the Gamecocks clash with storied rival LSU on Feb. 21 in a matchup that is expected to have major implications on the SEC regular season championship race.
No. 8 Texas, No. 11 Vanderbilt and No. 17 Kentucky also make appearances on ABC throughout the year.

SEC/ACC Challenge: The two-day women’s challenge will see four Top-25 matchups, including No. 10 LSU at No. 9 North Carolina tipping off Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN2.

Immediately following is another Top-10 battle between No. 7 Louisville and No. 8 Texas in Austin at 8:15 p.m. (ESPN2).
Viewers can catch a premier ESPN doubleheader on Thursday, with No. 1 South Carolina heading to No. 3 Duke (6 p.m.), followed by No. 16 Notre Dame against the 11th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores at 8 p.m.
Click HERE for more details on the fourth annual SEC/ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge.

We Back Pat: Once again, the SEC will hold a week-long initiative focused on bringing awareness and recognition to the Pat Summitt Foundation’s fight against Alzheimer’s disease. This season, games begin on Jan. 10 and run through Jan. 17 across ABC, ESPN, SEC Network and SEC Network+. The week is bookmarked with two top-20 matchups on ABC, with No. 8 Texas at No. 17 Kentucky starting action on Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. and No. 11 Vanderbilt facing No. 8 Texas on Jan. 17 at 12 p.m.

SEC Network

SEC Network will showcase more than 80 women’s basketball games during the 2026-27 season, beginning on Nov. 2. The top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks appear on SECN seven times throughout the season, while fellow top-15 conference foes No. 8 Texas (8), No. 10 LSU (6), No. 11 Vanderbilt (6) and No. 15 Ole Miss (6) combined for 26 appearances on the network.

SEC Network+ will stream an additional 160+ games throughout the season.

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ESPN reveals ACC Women’s Basketball Schedule

2026-10-06T13:42:33.908-05:00

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ESPN and the ACC have announced the 2026-27 women’s television basketball schedule, with more than 120 linear games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ACC Network. All games are also available on the ESPN App via an applicable subscription.

Additionally, all ACC women’s basketball games distributed by the CW will also stream live on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.

ESPN’s industry-leading women’s basketball coverage begins on Monday, Nov. 2, with the ninth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels competing against the 24th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the fourth season of Oui-Play Paris. North Carolina’s game is set to tip at 1:30 p.m. CT, on ESPN2.

ESPN is also home of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

2026-27 ACC on ESPN Women’s College Basketball Schedule Highlights:

Non-Con Showdowns: The ACC sees an incredibly strong non-conference schedule throughout November and December, starting with the aforementioned Oui-Play Paris.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, NC State and No. 9 North Carolina compete in the Ally Tipoff, with the Wolfpack starting the action at 2 p.m. against No. 17 Wildcats of Kentucky (ESPN2) and the Tar Heels taking on the top-ranked Gamecocks on ESPN (4:30 p.m.).
No. 16 Notre Dame is heading south to the Battle 4 Atlantis Thanksgiving week to continue the strong November for the league.
Next up, the Fighting Irish take on the No. 2 UConn Huskies on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. on ESPN, followed by No. 7 Louisville taking on in-state rival No. 17 Kentucky at 8 p.m.
Closing out the non-conference on Dec. 19/20 is ESPN’s first Players Era Women’s Showcase, featuring No. 3 Duke and No. 16 Notre Dame each playing two games against some of the toughest competition in the nation: No. 1 South Carolina, No. 5 USC, No. 8 Texas and No. 13 UCLA.

Conference Rivalries: The schedule features eight top-25 intraconference showdowns, according to ESPN.com’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Highlights include a top-20 battle between No. 3 Duke and No. 16 Notre Dame on Sunday, Jan. 10 on ABC (11 a.m.). No. 9 North Carolina travels to Louisville to face the seventh-ranked Cardinals the same day, with action tipping at 2 p.m. on either ESPN or ESPN2.
The final day of conference play on Feb. 28 will feature two games with potential major conference championship implications on the line. No. 16 Notre Dame hosts No. 7 Louisville to start the day at 11 a.m. (ESPN), while the battle of Tobacco Road between No. 9 North Carolina and No. 3 Duke is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN.

SEC/ACC Challenge: The two-day women’s challenge will see four Top-25 matchups, including No. 10 LSU at No. 9 North Carolina tipping off Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN2. Immediately following is another Top-10 battle between No. 7 Louisville and No. 8 Texas in Austin at 8:15 p.m. (ESPN2).

Viewers can catch a premier ESPN doubleheader on Thursday, with No. 1 South Carolina heading to No. 3 Duke (6 p.m.), followed by No. 16 Notre Dame against the 11th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores at 8 p.m. Click HERE for more details on the fourth annual SEC/ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge.

ACC Network

ACC Network will highlight more than 70 women’s basketball games during the 2026-27 season, beginning on Nov. 4. The ACC Network action tips off with Campbell at NC State at 5 p.m., followed by Stetson at No. 7 Louisville at 7 p.m.

ACC Network Extra will stream an additional 180+ games throughout the season.

ACCN will also once again offer extensive studio coverage of ACC women’s basketball throughout the season with its daily flagship studio show ACC PM, the ACC Network Basketball Podcast and its signature basketball show Nothing But Net, all offering insight and analysis of the latest news, storylines and highlights from around the league.

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Cindy Brunson returns to Folks Talkin' Sports to discuss the 2026 WNBA Playoffs and more

2026-10-04T20:45:38.739-05:00

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Watch episode 203 of Folks Talkin' Sports on YouTube (w/ timestamps) featuring Kris Gardner (KG), Kennetra Pulliams, and Laquita Thompson speak with Cindy Brunson, Arizona Wildcats Women's Basketball tv analyst. We discuss the 2026 WNBA Playoffs; WNBA issues; women in sports; and more.

Time stamps

00:00 - Intro

01:47 - Kudos to the Golden State Valkyries

05:27 - Options for the Las Vegas Aces in Game 2 versus the Valkyries

06:27 - Gabby Williams is the real deal

07:37 - Have you seen the billboards for the Houston Comets?

09:59 - Thoughts on who should be the next WNBA Commissioner

13:25 - Who did you pick to win the Aces - Valkyries series?

14:57 - Were you surprised the New York Liberty eliminated the Lynx in the First Round of the WNBA Playoffs?

15:53 - Atlanta Dream - New York Liberty playoff series

22:12 - Napheesa Collier is an unrestricted free agent. Who should the Comets sign in free agency?

26:22 - How did Kelsey Mitchell phrase her thoughts on being a free agent?

27:04 - the Indiana Fever

35:08 - Compare results: Stewie to Caitlin Clark

36:56 - Caitlin Clark needs to help develop her overall skills and her leadership skills

43:40 - Will or should the Indiana Fever re-sign Sophie Cunningham?

46:33 - the Protect College Sports Act

49:06 - College players' eligibility / ineligibility

50:23 - Valhalla reminds me of the Comets' Sea of Red

51:20 - TV networks would probably prefer a WNBA Finals matchup between the Aces and the Liberty

54:19 - Final comments from Coach Cindy Brunson

55:14 - Laquita Thompson's discusses the Rockets' upcoming fall basketball camp for kids

56:32 - Thank you, Byron Riley, CPA.

57:25 - Thanks to Kennetra, Laquita and Cindy Brunson for being part of FTS

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Golden State Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün Unanimously Selected as 2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year

2026-10-04T11:56:34.375-05:00

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Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün has been unanimously selected as the 2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She has earned the honor as the league’s top reserve for the first time, becoming the first Valkyries player to win the award.

Salaün received all 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. To be eligible for the award, a player had to play more games as a reserve than as a starter.

In her second WNBA season, Salaün led all WNBA reserves in scoring with a career-high 12.7 points per game (minimum 20 games played) and in cumulative plus-minus (+160). She came off the bench in all 40 of her appearances, setting WNBA single-season records for points (509), three-pointers made (93) and games with at least 10 points (27) by a reserve.

The 6'2" forward from France finished eighth in the league in three-pointers made, shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. She helped lead Golden State to a 32-12 regular season record and the No. 2 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. The Valkyries will host the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Semifinals today at 3 p.m. CT on NBC.

A WNBA All-Rookie Team selection in 2025, Salaün scored at least 20 points six times this season, tied for the fourth-most such games by a reserve in a single WNBA season. The Valkyries went 6-0 in those games.

In honor of being named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, Salaün will receive $15,000 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.

Below is the list of recipients of the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award since its inception in 2007.

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2026 WNBA Playoffs - First Round Schedule and Results

2026-10-03T02:46:00.000-05:00

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Updated - 10/3, 2:46 a.m.

Please be advised of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs – First Round Schedule and Results:

Day	Date	Match-up	Game	Time (CT) / Results	TV
Sun	9/27	New York at Minnesota	1	New York 91, Minnesota 75.	ABC
Sun	9/27	Indiana at Las Vegas	1	Las Vegas 102, Indian 85.	ABC
Sun	9/27	Washington at Atlanta^	1	Atlanta 92, Washington 77.	Prime
Sun	9/27	Dallas at Golden State	1	Golden State 104, Dallas 80.	USA / CNBC
Tue	9/29	Las Vegas at Indiana	2	Indiana 99, Las Vegas 89.	Prime
Tue	9/29	Minnesota at New York	2	New York 87, Minnesota 71.	USA / CNBC
Wed	9/30	Atlanta at Washington	2	Atlanta 93, Washington 75.	ESPN
Wed	9/30	Golden State at Dallas	2	Dallas 108, Golden State 100 - OT.	ESPN
Thu	10/1	Indiana at Las Vegas	3	Las Vegas 94, Indiana 83.	USA / CNBC
Fri	10/2	Dallas at Golden State	3	Golden State 77, Dallas 73.	ESPN2

New York won best-of-3 series over Minnesota, 2-0. New York advances to the 2nd round.

Las Vegas won best-of-3 series over Indiana, 2-1. Las Vegas advances to the 2nd round.

Atlanta won best-of-3 series over Washington, 2-0. Atlanta advances to the 2nd round.

Golden State won best-of-3 series over Dallas, 2-1. Golden State advances to the 2nd round.

^ – State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

The Semifinals will be played on October 4, 7, 9, 11*, 14*.

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Three Texas Women’s Basketball games slated for ESPN on ABC

2026-10-02T03:32:03.275-05:00

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Thursday morning, ESPN announced their schedule of collegiate basketball games that will be nationally televised on ABC.

The Longhorns will have three regular season conference games on ABC. The first will be when they take on South Carolina at Moody Center on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. CT. When Texas travels to Kentucky on Jan. 10 that game will be on ABC at 1 p.m. CT. Texas will host Vanderbilt on ABC on Jan. 17 at 12 p.m. CT at Moody Center.

Texas played three regular season games on ABC during the 2025-26 season. Their game against Oklahoma on ABC which followed College GameDay in Austin had a viewership of 1.1 million. The Longhorns SEC Tournament championship win over South Carolina on ESPN garnered 1.4 million viewers.

Texas Women’s Basketball games on ABC

Jan. 3 -- Texas vs South Carolina - 2 pm CT

Jan.10 - Texas at Kentucky - 1 pm CT

Jan. 17 - Texas vs Vanderbilt - 12 pm CT

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Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese Wins 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

2026-10-01T13:30:58.987-05:00

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Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese has been named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She wins the award for the first time and becomes the first Dream player to earn the honor.

Reese received 46 votes from a national panel of 74 sportswriters and broadcasters. Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams finished in second place with 20 votes, followed by Las Vegas Aces center-forward A’ja Wilson in third with four votes. Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin finished fourth with two votes, and Golden State guard Veronica Burton and Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard tied for fifth with one vote each.

In her third WNBA season and first with the Dream, Reese ranked third in the WNBA in both steals per game (1.8) and total steals (77), setting career highs in both categories. She also finished third in total defensive rebounds (315) and led the league with 12.1 rebounds per game.

Behind Reese, Atlanta ranked third in the WNBA in defensive rating (103.5). Her rebounding helped the Dream allow a league-low 9.5 second-chance points per game.

Reese set WNBA single-season records with 521 total rebounds and 206 offensive rebounds, becoming the first player in league history to reach 500 rebounds in a season. She also grabbed a WNBA-record 26 rebounds in a road victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 24.

The 6'4" Reese posted a WNBA single-season record of 32 double-doubles and was one of only two players to average a double-double this season. She averaged a career-high 16.4 points per game and earned her third consecutive WNBA All-Star selection.

Reese closed the regular season by earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors in three consecutive weeks. She helped Atlanta finish 30-14 and secure the No. 4 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. The Dream are set to host the No. 8-seeded New York Liberty in the Semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 4.

In honor of being named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Reese will receive $30,000 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.

Below are the voting results for the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and a list of past recipients of the annual honor:

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Dallas Wings' Jessica Shepard wins 2026 WNBA Most Improved Player Award

2026-09-30T18:57:52.939-05:00

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Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard has been named the 2026 WNBA Most Improved Player, the WNBA announced today.

Shepard received 29 of 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin finished in second place with 25 votes, and Portland Fire guard Carla Leite was third with 11 votes. Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey finished fourth with four votes, followed by Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga in fifth with three votes and Los Angeles Sparks guard-forward Rae Burrell in sixth with two votes.

In her sixth WNBA season and first with the Wings, Shepard averaged career highs of 14.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 31.7 minutes, up from 8.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 20.9 minutes with the Minnesota Lynx in 2025. She joined Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese as the only players to average a double-double this season. A starter in all 42 of her appearances, Shepard helped Dallas earn the No. 7 seed in the WNBA Playoffs

Shepard ranked second in the WNBA in rebounds per game, fifth in field goal percentage (57.5) and 11th in assists per game. Her 467 rebounds were the second-highest single-season total in WNBA history, behind Reese’s 521 in 2026. She also helped the Wings lead the league with 22.3 assists per game.

Shepard recorded a league-leading six triple-doubles, tied for the second most in a season in WNBA history, after entering the season with one career triple-double. Her 25 double-doubles, up from 10 in 2025, were the fourth most in a single WNBA season. On May 28, Shepard posted 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory against the Las Vegas Aces, becoming the second player in WNBA history with a 20-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game.

Shepard was selected by the Lynx with the 16th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. After playing five seasons with Minnesota, she signed with Dallas before the 2026 season. Shepard earned her first WNBA All-Star selection this season and was voted a starter for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game.

In honor of being named the 2026 WNBA Most Improved Player, Shepard will receive $15,000 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.

Below are the voting results for the 2026 WNBA Most Improved Player Award and a list of past recipients of the annual honor:

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Minnesota Lynx's Olivia Miles Unanimously Named 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year

2026-09-28T10:35:48.978-05:00

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Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles has been unanimously named the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the WNBA announced today. Miles received all 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

A starter in all 40 of her appearances for Minnesota, Miles averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31.0 minutes and shot 49.2 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three-point range and 87.0 percent from the free throw line.

Miles set all-time WNBA rookie records for total points (790, surpassing Caitlin Clark’s 769 in 2024) and games with at least 20 points (22, surpassing Seimone Augustus’ 20 in 2006). Among rookies in WNBA history, she finished second in total assists behind Clark (337 in 2024), third in scoring average and fifth in assists per game.

Led by Miles, Minnesota (33-11) earned the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. The Lynx continue their pursuit of a record fifth WNBA championship on Tuesday, Sept. 29, when they visit the New York Liberty in Game 2 of their first-round series at 7:30 p.m. CT on USA Network. Minnesota trails the series 1-0.

A Phillipsburg, N.J., native who played for TCU and Notre Dame during her collegiate career, Miles swept the four WNBA Rookie of the Month awards during the regular season and was voted as a starter for Team Spoon in the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game held in Chicago in July.

Selected by Minnesota with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Miles led all rookies in total points, points per game, field goals made (279), defensive rebounds (163), total assists (239), assists per game and efficiency (21.4). She also ranked third among rookies in rebounds per game and three-point field goals made (64), fourth in steals per game and tied for fourth in total blocks (25).

Among all WNBA players this season, Miles ranked seventh in assists per game, eighth in points per game, and ninth in both total points and total assists.

In addition, Miles set Lynx franchise rookie records for points, assists, three-point field goals made and minutes played (1,239). Among Minnesota’s all-time rookies, she ranked second in scoring average (19.8 ppg), behind Seimone Augustus (21.9 in 2006). She also ranked second in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage and defensive rebounds.

Additional highlights of Miles’ 2026 season include:

Became the 11th rookie in WNBA history selected as an All-Star starter.
Was named the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week twice (for games played June 1-7 and Aug. 10-16).
Posted a WNBA rookie-record six games with 20 or more points while shooting at least 50.0 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from three-point range and 90.0 percent from the free throw line.
Set a WNBA single-game rookie record with eight three-point field goals against the Golden State Valkyries on June 4.
Became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 150 assists (26 games), breaking Paige Bueckers’ mark of 28 games set last season.
Became the second rookie in WNBA history to average at least 15.0 points and 5.0 assists and shoot 45.0 percent or higher from the field in a season, joining Bueckers (2025).
Became the third rookie in WNBA history to record multiple games with 20 or more points while shooting at least 80.0 percent from the field, matching Aliyah Boston (2023) and Bueckers (2025) with two such games each.
Became the eighth rookie in WNBA history to score 30 or more points in at least three games.
Became the first rookie and fourth player in WNBA history to record at least 10 points, 10 assists and four blocks in a game, joining Veronica Burton, Clark and Candace Parker. Miles had 14 points, 10 assists and four blocks against the Portland Fire on July 18.
Became the 10th player in WNBA history to have at least 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a game, recording 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against the Seattle Storm on July 20.
Set Minnesota’s single-game rookie scoring record with 33 points against the Phoenix Mercury on July 13.
Scored 10 or more points in each of her first 15 games, the longest such streak by a Lynx rookie.
Dealt a season-high 13 assists against the Dallas Wings on Aug. 9, one shy of the Lynx franchise single-game record shared by Noelle Quinn and Lindsay Whalen.

In honor of being named the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Miles will receive $15,000 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.

Below is a list of past recipients of the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award:

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Minnesota Lynx's Cheryl Reeve Wins 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year Award

2026-09-28T10:01:26.598-05:00

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Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has been named the 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year, the WNBA announced today. Reeve earns the honor for a record fifth time, extending her own league record and previously winning the award in 2011, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Reeve received 40 of 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase finished in second place with 20 votes, followed by Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson in third place with 14 votes.

In her 17th season as Minnesota’s head coach, Reeve guided Minnesota to a 33-11 record and the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. The Lynx continue their pursuit of a record fifth WNBA championship on Tuesday, Sept. 29, when they visit the New York Liberty in Game 2 of their first-round series at 7:30 p.m. CT on USA Network. The Lynx trail in the series 1-0.

After a 2-2 start, Minnesota won 20 of its next 24 games to enter the All-Star break at 22-6. Reeve earned WNBA Coach of the Month honors for June and was selected to serve as an All-Star head coach for the sixth time at the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago in July. The Lynx carried that momentum into the second half, winning nine of their first 10 games after the All-Star break.

Reeve also reached a historic milestone on July 8 against the Connecticut Sun, becoming the WNBA’s all-time leader in regular-season coaching wins with her 380th victory. She finished the regular season with 397 career regular-season wins.

Below are the voting results for the 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year Award and a list of past recipients:

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2026 WNBA Players of the Week - Angel Reese and A'ja Wilson - Week 15

2026-09-25T16:55:57.668-05:00

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Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream averaged 19.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 1.5 bpg (Eastern Conference Player of the Week).

A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces averaged 27.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 3.8 apg (Western Conference Player of the Week).

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Cindy Brunson is special guest on Folks Talkin' Sports

2026-09-20T21:07:06.104-05:00

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Watch episode 201 of Folks Talkin' Sports on YouTube (w/ timestamps) featuring Kris Gardner (KG), Kennetra Pulliams, and Laquita Thompson speak with special guest Cindy Brunson and discuss Big 12 Women's Basketball and linear television; the Protect College Sports Act; Project 2025; women in sports; and more.

Time stamps

00:00 - Intro

01:22 - Cindy's current job assignments

03:09 - What does Kennetra not like about TNT Sports' football studio show?

05:45 - Big 12 and Monster Energy logo

07:00 - Suggestions for studio analysts for TNT Sports' football studio show

09:19 - Cindy explains what she tries to bring to her tv broadcasts

11:35 - Who are the co-hosts for TNT Sports' basketball studio show?

12:30 - Bring in Sheryl Swoopes

13:43 - "We gotta get more games on linear tv."

16:33 - What is the disconnect between the Big 12 Conference and elevating women's basketball?

18:55 - Discussion about the Protect College Sports Act

23:20 - Project 2025

25:13 - The look of FTS is very intentional

27:14 - ESPN finally started promoted the WNBA

30:35 - Linear tv networks and the Big 12 need to commit to televising more Big 12 WBB games.

32:07 - How many games will Audi Crooks and Oklahoma State get on linear tv?

33:15 - SWAC TV FAST channel will show live sports content. What about the Big 12's FAST channel?

38:00 - Cindy says Arizona is the only tv outlet to attend the Big 12 Basketball Media Days

39:55 - Thoughts on the Big 12's decision to have each school's men's and women's teams attend Big 12 Media Day on the same day

46:30 - What will it take for TNT Sports to broadcast Big 12 WBB games?

49:45 - Laquita says her dad is watching more women's basketball games now because the games are being televised

51:08 - Cindy's final comments to the viewers

52:26 - Laquita Thompson final comments and more info regarding "The Playbook Beyond the Game"

54:20 - Folks Talkin' Sports is collaborating with BS3 Network

55:36 - Thanks to Kennetra, Laquita and Cindy for being part of FTS

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Women in Sports. "Don't limit yourself."

2026-09-15T17:13:08.603-05:00

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Women in Sports. What is Lauren's advice to young girls / young women who want to work in the sports industry?

Question from Laquita Thompson to Lauren Sampson. Clip from episode 200 (9/13) of the "Folks Talkin' Sports" livestream show featuring Lauren Sampson, Kennetra Pulliams, Laquita Thompson and Kris Gardner.

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Baylor WBB Adds Kate Koval

2026-09-12T12:21:15.395-05:00

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Baylor women's basketball head coach Nicki Collen announced the signing of Kate Koval, adding her to the 2026-27 roster on Saturday morning.

"We are beyond excited to welcome Kate to Baylor," Collen said. "She has played at an elite level over the last two seasons and has shown the consistent ability to score around the rim and protect the rim. Kate, at 6'5", can be a decision maker on the perimeter both as a scorer and facilitator, which will expand our offense. Her shot-blocking ability will help anchor our defense. She is an elite student with a big heart for others, and our fans will love her on and off the court."

Koval comes to Waco after one season in Baton Rouge, where she made 17 starts and appeared in all 35 games, averaging 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Her 43 blocks on the season ranked 11th in the Southeastern Conference, and she swatted a season-high five blocks twice in SEC play, against Arkansas at home and on the road at Mississippi State.

The Kyiv, Ukraine, native scored a career-high 23 points in non-conference play against Alabama State last season, going 8 of 15 from the floor and adding seven points from the free-throw line. She recorded seven double-doubles during the 2025-26 campaign, bringing her career total to nine, and set career highs in free throws made (7), free-throw attempts (9), field-goal attempts (15) and steals (9).

In her All-ACC Freshman Team season at Notre Dame, Koval made 10 starts, averaging 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while dishing out 40 assists with 55 blocks in South Bend, the fourth-most blocks by a freshman in Fighting Irish history, highlighted by a career-high seven blocks at Lafayette.

Koval recorded her first career double-double against James Madison with 14 points and 16 rebounds, part of a historic run through her first three collegiate games in which she posted 40 points, 33 rebounds, 15 blocks and eight assists, becoming the first freshman in Division I basketball, male or female, to hit those numbers since Anthony Davis.

She was ranked the No. 5 overall prospect and the No. 1 post player in ESPN's HoopGurlz recruiting rankings after being named a McDonald's All-American and a SLAM All-American.

Baylor is gearing up for the new season coming off a 25-9 campaign in 2025-26, finishing third in the Big 12 while extending the nation's second-longest active streaks of 20-win seasons (26) and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (22). The Bears led the conference in blocks per game and 3-point field-goal percentage defense and ranked 14th nationally in field-goal percentage defense. Baylor owns the most victories among Big 12 teams since Collen took over the program ahead of the 2021-22 season, and Collen ranks third among active major-conference head coaches in wins through their first five seasons at their current school and fifth in winning percentage in that same span.

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Texas Women’s Basketball announces complete 2026-27 schedule

2026-09-10T19:09:58.273-05:00

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The Texas women’s basketball program released their complete 2026-27 schedule today.

The Longhorns non-conference schedule includes five teams ranked in the top-25 at the end of the 2025-26 season.

The complete schedule featured a total of 12 ranked teams from the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. Among those 12 six were ranked in the top-10.

A record 7,100 season tickets have been sold for the season with limited quantities remaining.

Texas will take on (rankings from final 2025-26 AP poll): No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 5 Duke, No. 6 TCU, No. 8 LSU, No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 11 Louisville, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 14 Kentucky, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 21 Ole Miss and No. 24 Alabama.

The season gets underway with the home opener against Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday, November 4. The Longhorns will play their first four games at home.

Texas will host Louisville for the SEC/ACC Challenge at Moody Center on December 2. The Longhorns will play a pair of games in Fort Worth at Dickies Arena as part of the Lone Star Series. Those games will be against Ohio State on Nov. 22 and against TCU on Dec. 6.

The Longhorns go back to Las Vegas for the Players Era Showcase Dec. 19-20 where they match up against Duke and UCLA.

Texas opens SEC play on Dec. 31 against Georgia with their SEC home opener coming Sunday, Jan. 3 when they host South Carolina. Other SEC home games include Tennessee (Jan. 7), Alabama (Jan. 14), Vanderbilt (Jan. 17), Missouri (Jan. 28), Arkansas (Feb. 8), Texas A&M (Feb. 14) and Florida (Feb. 21).

The SEC Tournament will go March 3-7 in Greenville, S.C. and the NCAA Tournament starts March 19.

The schedule includes exhibition games at UConn (Oct. 19), vs. UCLA in Cedar Park (Oct. 25) and at Moody Center vs. Eastern New Mexico (Oct. 29).

The 2025-26 season was historic for Texas women’s basketball as they advanced to the Final Four for a second straight season for the first time since 1987. Texas captured the 2026 SEC Tournament Championship and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Texas finished the season with an overall record of 35-4. The Longhorns won a nation-leading 16 games over ranked opponents, including four wins over top-5 teams and six wins over top-10 teams.

Tip times and television designations will be finalized at a later date.

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Baylor WBB Announces 2026-27 Non-Conference Schedule

2026-09-09T17:17:12.963-05:00

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Baylor women's basketball head coach Nicki Collen announced the 2026-27 non-conference schedule Wednesday afternoon, featuring a preseason exhibition at Foster Pavilion followed by eight games live from the Banks of the Brazos.

For the second straight season, the Bears will host West Texas A&M from Canyon, Texas, in an exhibition game for a tune-up ahead of the season opener, when Baylor will ring in the 2026-27 season hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. It will be the first game all-time between the two programs, after FDU had a 30-win season in 2025-26 that ended in a first-round loss to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament as the NEC champion.

Hitting the ground running, the Bears continue the five-game home stand to open the season against Central Arkansas out of the ASUN on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m., for the third meeting between the two teams and the first of the Collen era. BU then welcomes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the second time in three years on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m.

Prairie View A&M is next up for the home team on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m., facing off against Baylor for the first time in 12 years before East Texas A&M's bout with the Bears on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m., closes the homestand for another second matchup in three seasons.

Baylor is off to its first of four neutral-site matchups on Friday, Nov. 20, as it faces Southern California in the already announced Hollywood Hardwood Classic. The game will be live on the Big Ten Network from the LA Clippers’ Intuit Dome at 10 p.m. CT.

With one quick home game up next, Baylor welcomes Northern Kentucky from the Horizon League to Foster Pavilion on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m., in what is the first meeting between the two programs all-time.

The Bears will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in paradise in the already-announced Paradise Jam tournament, facing Penn State on Friday, Nov. 27, at 4:30 p.m., ahead of either Seton Hall or South Florida on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 4:30 or 7 p.m.

Still on the road, BU's lone true road match awaits at The Super Pit in Denton, Texas, as North Texas hosts an interstate bout on Wednesday, Dec. 2, for the second meeting of the Collen tenure at 6:30 p.m.

Baylor is back home for a pair of games, the first featuring UTSA on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m., and the second against Texas Southern on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. The UTSA matchup is the second consecutive in back-to-back seasons, and the Texas Southern game is the annual Future Bears Day, with up to 5,000 local K-8 students in attendance.

The previously announced matchup with Tennessee will close out the non-conference schedule, live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday, Dec. 18.

The Big 12 schedule will be released at a later date, but the matrix will feature BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah and West Virginia at home and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech and UCF on the road.

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