Voters Named Preseason SEC Women’s Basketball Awards
The USA TODAY Sports Network released its preseason picks and rankings for the 2026-27 women's basketball conference season.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Basketball
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Voters have selected the 2026-27 preseason All-SEC women's basketball teams and individual award winners. South Carolina was named the unanimous choice to lead the SEC in the conference order of finish.
Why it matters
These preseason selections establish the baseline expectations for the competitive landscape of the 16-team SEC. The rankings and honors highlight the standout players and programs anticipated to dominate the upcoming season.
Mikayla Blakes earned Player of the Year honors after averaging 27.1 points overall, while Jada Williams joins LSU averaging 15.3 points and 7.7 assists per game. Clara Strack was named Defensive Player of the Year with a 2.5 blocks per game average.
The players
Dawn Staley
She is the South Carolina coach who has now earned SEC Coach of the Year honors seven times and seeks a sixth consecutive regular-season conference title.
Mikayla Blakes
The Vanderbilt standout is the preseason SEC Player of the Year and holds a scoring average of 30.5 points per game in conference matchups.
Clara Strack
The Kentucky player is the preseason SEC Defensive Player of the Year known for her rim protection.
Jada Williams
The former Iowa State player transferred to LSU and earned the preseason SEC Newcomer of the Year title.
The details
Voters selected South Carolina and LSU as the only programs with multiple preseason All-SEC honorees. Mikayla Blakes, Madison Booker, and Joyce Edwards were unanimous selections for the first team.
Timeline
The 2026-27 SEC women's basketball season rankings and awards were announced on October 12, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This preseason poll frames the upcoming 2026-27 campaign as a challenge to South Carolina's dominance within the expanding 16-team SEC. The inclusion of new talent like Jada Williams at LSU indicates an aggressive effort to disrupt the current hierarchy established by South Carolina and Texas.
The unanimous selection of South Carolina sets the bar for all conference matchups this season, establishing them as the team to beat in bracket projections. Fantasy rosters and predictive models should account for high-usage players like Mikayla Blakes who anchor their respective team rotations.
The takeaway
These preseason rankings offer a snapshot of team potential that often shifts once actual conference play begins on the court. Fans should monitor how transfer athletes like Jada Williams integrate into new systems to gauge if the preseason poll holds up against real-game performance.
Further reading
For more on the upcoming college basketball season, visit the United States Basketball section.
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