SCSU Women's Basketball Receives Votes In 2026-27 WBCA Preseason Poll

Women's Basketball 10/29/2026 10:43:00 AM

SCSU Women's Basketball Receives Votes In 2026-27 WBCA Preseason Poll

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball received votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The Owls earned four points in the national poll, which is voted on by a committee of head coaches from Division II conferences. Grand Valley State, the two-time defending national champion, opened the season at No. 1 with 575 points and all 23 first-place votes. Northeast-10 Conference rival Bentley was ranked No. 11.

The national recognition follows a 2025-26 season in which Southern Connecticut went 25-6 overall and 16-2 in the NE10. The Owls won the 2026 NE10 Championship, their first conference title since 2006-07, with a 59-50 win at top-seeded Bentley.

Southern Connecticut then earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II East Region and hosted the regional at James Moore Field House for the first time since 2007, the year the Owls won the national championship. The Owls beat Saint Michael's 56-49 in the quarterfinals before falling to Holy Family 61-51 in the semifinals. Holy Family went on to win the region.

The 24 wins Southern Connecticut had going into the NCAA tournament were its most since the 2011-12 season, and the trip was the program's second straight NCAA appearance and ninth overall.

Southern Connecticut was picked second in the 2026-27 NE10 Preseason Coaches' Poll on Oct. 21, receiving 69 points and one first-place vote. Bentley was picked first with 81 points and nine first-place votes.

The Owls return five players and add eight newcomers: four freshmen and four transfers. Junior guard Taeya Steinauer, who transferred from Purdue Fort Wayne, is back for her second season after ranking third on the team in scoring (11.2 points per game), second in steals (2.0 per game) and tying for first in blocks (0.7 per game).

Also returning are Jaycee Merizalde, Lovie D'Onofrio and Gianna Donnarummo, all key players off the bench last season. Graduate student forward Jada Williams returns after an injury-shortened season in which she scored in double figures five times and posted a double-double in nine games.

Newcomers include 2026 NE10 Second Team and All-Defensive Team pick Jayla Tyler, who averaged 13.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game at Saint Michael's in 2025-26, and junior forward Addison Sulikowski, who averaged 9.2 points per game at Division I New Haven. Morgan White (Daemen), Angelina Tirado (Monroe) and Josephine Vebiu (Hill) also transferred to SCSU and will be joined by first-year players Addyson Brissey, Reilly Chernovetz and Kamri Rowland.

Southern Connecticut opens the season against Georgian Court at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at James Moore Field House. The Owls host Mercy at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.

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