NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Southern Connecticut women's basketball was featured in the Top 10 of the NCAA East Region, in the first week of the NCAA Division II Regional Rankings, as announced on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. The Owls are one of the six NE10 teams featured in the rankings. In this first week, the teams are announced in the top 10, but are not ranked in numerical order. Each team is listed in alphabetical order, not in the ranking of team or in-region record. 

In the ranking through Feb. 15, the Owls have an overall record of 18-5 and an In-Region record of 18-5 as well. The Owls are ranked second in the NE10 with an NE10 record of 14-2. The Owls rank third in all of DII and first in the NE10 in assist/turnover ratio with a 1.29 ratio. Southern leads the NE10 in scoring margin with a margin average of 14.0 points per game. In addition, Southern ranks first in Team Free-Throw Percentage with 75%. The Owls rank first in the NE10 in assists and eighth in all of DII, with an average of 17.63 assists per game. 

Individually, Rheyna Steinauer is ranked fourth in the NE10 for scoring with an average of 15.8 points per game and has recorded the most 30+ point performances this season, with three. Tish Blackwood leads the NE10 in rebounds with an average of 9.3 boards per game, has 10 double-doubles and has been named NE10 Rookie of the Week, for the past five consecutive weeks. Hope Fox is second in the NE10 in free-throw percentage with 87%. Jillian Martin is ranked third in assists in the NE10 with an average of 4.5 assists per game. Rheyna Steinauer is fourth in the NE10 in three-point field goal percentage with 37%. Hope Fox is ranked fourth in the NE10 in steals with an average of 2.3 steals per game.

The Owls will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1:30 pm in the James Moore Field House in an NE10 matchup against Saint Michael's on Senior Day.