AMC Season Preview: 2025-26 Women's Basketball
October 21, 2025
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - After claiming the American Midwest Conference's first-ever four-peat in last year's AMC Basketball Tournament, the Columbia College Cougars have been selected as the preseason favorites, earning five first-place votes.
The Stephens Stars and the Williams Baptist Eagles each earned two first-place votes. Stephens is slated to finish second, followed by Williams Baptist in third.
The Cougars are aiming for their 10th tournament title and 12th regular-season championship, while Hannibal-LaGrange is seeking its fifth tournament title and sixth regular-season crown. Harris-Stowe is in search of its second tournament trophy, and both Stephens and Williams Baptist are each looking to claim their second regular-season title.
2025-26 AMC Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll:
2024-25 NAIA Poll Tracker:
Top Returners:
New Coaches:
AMC Women's Basketball Tournament:
For the fourth consecutive year, the AMC Women's Basketball Tournament will be held at a single site. Starting this year, it will be a joint championship with the Men's Basketball Tournament and will be played at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on the campus of Mission University in Springfield, Mo. The four-day event (February 26-28, and March 2), will feature women's games at noon and 5:15 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the championship game at 4:00 pm on Monday. Men's games will follow women's contest throughout the Tournament.
The Stephens Stars and the Williams Baptist Eagles each earned two first-place votes. Stephens is slated to finish second, followed by Williams Baptist in third.
The Cougars are aiming for their 10th tournament title and 12th regular-season championship, while Hannibal-LaGrange is seeking its fifth tournament title and sixth regular-season crown. Harris-Stowe is in search of its second tournament trophy, and both Stephens and Williams Baptist are each looking to claim their second regular-season title.
2025-26 AMC Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll:
| Rank | Team (1st place votes) | Points |
| 1 | Columbia (5) | 77 |
| 2 | Stephens (2) | 71 |
| 3 | Williams Baptist (2) | 69 |
| 4 | Central Baptist | 52 |
| 5 | Mission | 48 |
| 6 | Health Sciences & Pharmacy | 47 |
| 7 | Cottey | 43 |
| 8 | Harris-Stowe | 30 |
| 9 | Crowley's Ridge | 29 |
| 10 | Hannibal-LaGrange | 20 |
2024-25 NAIA Poll Tracker:
| Oct. 23 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 11 | Jan. 15 | Jan. 29 | Feb. 12 | Feb. 26 | |
| CC | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV |
| SC | RV | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| WBU | -- | -- | -- | -- | RV | RV | RV | RV |
Top Returners:
| School | Name | Award |
| Central Baptist | Addison Hudspeth | AMC All-Freshman Team |
| Central Baptist | Raigan Head | AMC Third Team |
| Central Baptist | Riley Whittington | AMC All-Freshman Team MC All-Tournament Team |
| Columbia | Lexi Miller | AMC Second Team AMC Tournament MVP |
| Columbia | Mya Miller | AMC Third Team |
| Columbia | Ashtyn Klusmeyer | AMC Freshman of the Year AMC co-Sixth Woman of the Year AMC All-Freshman Team |
| Columbia | Tori Rubel | AMC Honorable Mention |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Ivy Lesley | AMC Honorable Mention |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Ainsley Diepenbrock | AMC All-Freshman Team |
| Harris-Stowe | Cailynn Dilosa | AMC Third Team |
| Health Sciences & Pharmacy | Karsyn Morgan | AMC Honorable Mention |
| Health Sciences & Pharmacy | Montasia McAllister | AMC Honorable Mention |
| Mission | Ireland Jones | AMC All-Freshman Team |
| Stephens | LaiJanique Perry Ellis | AMC Newcomer of the Year AMC First Team |
| Williams Baptist | Sara Crowe | AMC co-Sixth Woman of the Year AMC Honorable Mention |
New Coaches:
| School | Name |
| Cottey | Tim Eatman |
| Crowley's Ridge | Austin Harrell |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Tim Hickman |
| Harris-Stowe | Charmaine Wilson |
| Mission | Darin Meinders |
AMC Women's Basketball Tournament:
For the fourth consecutive year, the AMC Women's Basketball Tournament will be held at a single site. Starting this year, it will be a joint championship with the Men's Basketball Tournament and will be played at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on the campus of Mission University in Springfield, Mo. The four-day event (February 26-28, and March 2), will feature women's games at noon and 5:15 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the championship game at 4:00 pm on Monday. Men's games will follow women's contest throughout the Tournament.