JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The United Athletic Conference (UAC) has announced the Preseason Women’s Basketball Awards with Abilene Christian at the top of the Coaches Poll.
Abilene Christian’s Payton Hull was named the UAC Preseason Player of the Year following a year where she was selected WAC Player of the Year and landed on the All-WAC First Team, All-WAC Defensive Team and WAC All-Tournament Team. Hull led the league in scoring last year with 18.26 points per game and tallied the most 20-point games in the conference with 14 in the 2025-26 season.
The Wildcats were voted as the favorites in the coaches poll with eight first-place votes. Abilene Christian concluded the 2025-26 campaign with a 24-11 overall record while compiling a 13-5 conference record, finishing second in the WAC standings. The Wildcats have gone-back-to-back years making the Super 16 in the Postseason WNIT.
EKU was picked second in the coaches poll after winning the ASUN regular season title last year with a 15-3 conference record and a 25-9 overall record. The Colonels upset No. 1 Utah 72-58 in the first round of the WBIT.
Central Arkansas rounded out the top three in the poll with one first place vote. The Bears finished the 2025-26 season with a 21-11 overall record and a 13-5 ASUN record, tying for second in the conference standings and making an appearance in the ASUN Tournament semifinals.
UAC Preseason Player of the Year: Payton Hull, Abilene Christian
2026-27 Preseason All-UAC Team
Payton Hull, Abilene Christian
Meredith Mayes, Abilene Christian
Erin Woodson, Abilene Christian
Jim’Miyah Branton, Austin Peay
Tiani Ellison, Central Arkansas
Cheyanne Kemp, Central Arkansas
Liz Freihofer, EKU
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, EKU
Mya Cotto, Little Rock
Brynn Lusby, North Alabama
Sydne Tolbert, West Georgia
2026-27 UAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Abilene Christian (8)
2. EKU
3. Central Arkansas (1)
4. Austin Peay
5. UT Arlington
6. Tarleton State
7. Little Rock
8. West Georgia
9. North Alabama
