Arizona’s women’s basketball program faces a steep climb this season. The Big 12 coaches’ poll released ahead of the 2026-27 campaign places the Wildcats at 13th out of 14 teams, echoing last year’s 15th‑place finish in the 16‑team league.
Poll details and expectations
The poll reflects coaches’ skepticism that Arizona’s recent influx of transfers and a top‑20 freshman recruiting class, noted by ESPN and 247Sports, will lift the team out of the league’s bottom quarter. If the projection holds, it would be the first time the program has posted back‑to‑back low finishes since the 2016‑17 and 2017‑18 seasons.
Oklahoma State was the clear favorite, garnering 215 points and seven first‑place votes, followed closely by TCU with 212 points and six first‑place votes. Baylor secured two first‑place votes for a third‑place finish, while West Virginia claimed the final first‑place vote to land fourth.
Top of the league and individual honors
The preseason honors spotlight Oklahoma State’s transfer Audi Crooks, a former Iowa State star, who repeats as the preseason conference player of the year. Florida transfer Liv McGill joins her as a preseason newcomer of the year, and TCU’s Jessie‑May Hall was named preseason freshman of the year.
The all‑conference preseason team includes players from ASU, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Kansas, TCU, and West Virginia, but no Arizona athletes made the list for the second consecutive year.
Arizona’s schedule and media exposure
The Wildcats open their season with an exhibition against NAIA opponent Embry‑Riddle on Thursday, Oct. 22, a day after head coach Becky Burke and select players attend media days in Kansas City.
According to Sports Business Journal, the Big 12 will feature eight women’s basketball games on CBS Sports Network this season, bringing the total number of women’s games on linear television to 28.
Looking ahead
While the poll places Arizona near the bottom, the team’s new talent pool offers hope for improvement. Fans will be watching closely to see if the Wildcats can defy expectations and climb the standings as the season unfolds.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
