CARMEL, Ind. – In a vote of league coaches, Manchester University was selected to finish 8th in the 2025-26 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Women's Basketball race.
The Spartans will look to go against the grain of the poll as they return many key players. In regards to the rest of the poll, Transylvania claimed seven first-place votes en route to 77 points after winning the regular season title and conference tournament championship a year ago. The Mount St. Joseph Lions finished in second with 73 points, and the remaining three first-place votes. The Anderson University Ravens finished in third with 59 points. Claiming fourth place with 52 points was the Hanover College Panthers. The Berea College Mountaineers rounded out the top half of the poll with 48 points.
Listed below is the 2025-26 HCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, the 2024-25 HCAC All-Conference Returners, and the 2025-26 HCAC Players to Watch.
2025-26 HCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
| 1. |
Transylvania University |
77 (7) |
| 2. |
Mount St. Joseph University |
73 (3) |
| 3. |
Anderson University |
59 |
| 4. |
Hanover College |
52 |
| 5. |
Berea College |
48 |
| 6. |
Franklin College |
47 |
| 7. |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
33 |
| 8. |
Manchester University |
29 |
| 9. |
Bluffton University |
22 |
| 10. |
Earlham College |
10 |
HCAC All-Conference Returners from Last Season:
Anderson
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Izzy Davis |
Senior |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
Guard |
| Victoria Detraz |
Junior |
Valparaiso, Ind. |
Center |
Berea
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Lynkaylah James |
Senior |
Bowling Green, Ky. |
Center |
Franklin
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Jordan Coon |
Senior |
Evansville, Ind. |
Guard |
| Erica Buening |
Sophomore |
Franklin, Ind. |
Forward |
Hanover
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Sammy Berman |
Junior |
Independence, Ky. |
Guard |
Manchester
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Abi Rosenkrans |
Senior |
Pendleton, Ind. |
Forward |
| Hailee Kline |
Senior |
Huntington, Ind. |
Guard |
| Hannah Holmes |
Sophomore |
Largo, Ind. |
Forward |
Mount St. Joseph
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Karlee Mills |
Senior |
Fairfield, Ohio |
Guard |
| Morgan Jenkins |
Senior |
Erlanger, Ky. |
Guard |
Transylvania
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Sierra Kemelgor |
Senior |
Louisville, Ky. |
Guard |
| Riley Flinn |
Junior |
Remington, Ind. |
Guard |
| Chloe McKnight |
Sophomore |
London, Ky. |
Center |
2025-26 HCAC Women's Basketball Other Athletes to Watch:
Anderson
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Lauren Smith |
Senior |
Muncie, Ind. |
Guard |
| Sydney Sierota |
Senior |
Charlestown, Ind. |
Point Guard |
| Bella Larrison |
Senior |
Waldron, Ind. |
Guard |
Berea
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Lynkayla James |
Senior |
Bowling Green, Ky. |
Center |
| Madison Howell |
Senior |
Berea, Ky. |
Forward |
| Payton Bugg |
Sophomore |
Danville, Ky. |
Guard |
| Atyia Moss |
Junior |
Clarksville, Tenn. |
Guard |
Bluffton
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Madison Brown |
Senior |
Montpelier, Ohio |
Guard |
| Lacie Fenstermeister |
Senior |
Leipsic, Ohio |
Forward |
Earlham
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Berkley Shelton |
Junior |
Anderson, Ind. |
Forward/Center |
| Amari Wright |
Senior |
Muncie, Ind. |
Guard |
Franklin
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Briley Munchel |
Junior |
Rushville, Ind. |
Guard |
| Payton Seay |
Junior |
Carmel, Ind. |
Forward |
| Molly Schulte |
Sophomore |
Rockport, Ind. |
Guard |
Hanover
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Alexis Wines |
Senior |
Lebanon, Ind. |
Guard |
| Kaitlyn Lorenzi |
Senior |
Nashville, Tenn. |
Forward |
Manchester
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Abi Rosenkrans |
Senior |
Pendleton, Ind. |
Forward |
| Hailee Kline |
Senior |
Huntington, Ind. |
Guard |
| Hannah Holmes |
Sophomore |
Largo, Ind. |
Forward |
| Maddie Smith |
Senior |
Kewanna, Ind. |
Forward |
Mount St. Joseph
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Samantha Price |
First Year |
Westfield, Ind. |
Forward |
| Hailey Guingrich |
Junior |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
Forward |
Rose-Hulman
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| CK Gallegos Rodriguez |
Senior |
El Paso, Texas |
Forward |
| Sophia Reese |
Junior |
Jeffersonville, Ind. |
Point Guard |
| Katelyn Fennel |
Sophomore |
Terre Haute, Ind. |
Shooting Guard |
| Emma Schipp |
Sophomore |
Jasper, Ind. |
Forward |
Transylvania
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Makya Grinter |
Senior |
Louisville, Ky. |
Point Guard |
| Keaton Hall |
Senior |
Richmond, Ky. |
Guard |
| Raegan Barrett |
Junior |
Georgetown, Ky. |
Forward |
