SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Oregon State has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2025-26 West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball regular season title in a vote of the conference’s 12 head coaches after garnering nine of the 12 first-place votes, the conference office announced Thursday.
Oregon State collected 119 points, while second-place Gonzaga picked up the other three first-place votes and 111 points.
Washington State finished third in the coaches’ poll with 94 points. Portland came in right behind the Cougars in fourth with 91 points. Rounding out the top half of the poll was Santa Clara in fifth with 84 points and San Francisco in sixth with 70 points.
The Beavers, who captured the 2025 Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Basketball Championship title, also led the way on the all-conference preseason team with three selections - Tiara Bolden, Catarina Ferreira and Kennedie Shuler. Bolden averaged 8.1 points per game last season, reaching double figures in scoring 10 times. Shuler started all 35 games last season as a sophomore, averaging 7.9 ppg.
Gonzaga and Santa Clara each had two representatives on the preseason all-conference team.
The Bulldogs' honorees were Allie Turner and Zeryhia Aokuso. Turner captured West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year honors last season and was an Honorable Mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Aokuso transferred to Gonzaga after spending her first two collegiate seasons at Saint Mary's where she was voted the 2024 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, as well as a selection to the all-conference second team.
The Broncos' two preseason all-conference selections are Sophie Glancey and Maia Jones. Glancey joined the Broncos from Northern Arizona where she earned first team All-Big Sky accolades and was also tabbed to the conference's all-defensive team last season. Jones joined the Santa Clara program after transferring from Saint Mary’s where she averaged 12.2 ppg last season. She scored in double figures 18 times during the 2024-25 campaign.
Portland's Dyani Ananiev garnered all-conference preseason team honors after averaging 7.4 ppg through the first 10 games of last season before missing the rest of the campaign due to injury. LMU's Maya Hernandez was also tabbed to the preseason team after playing in 30 games last season while averaging 12.8 ppg and 7.8 rpg.
Washington State's Eleonora Villa was named to her second straight preseason all-conference team. She also boasted all-conference second team recognition last season. Villa started 34 games and her 188 field goals made ranked fourth in the league.
The 2025-26 regular season begins on Monday, Nov. 3 and conference play starts on Sunday, Dec. 28. The 2026 Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Basketball Championship presented by Air Force Reserve will be held from March 5-10 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
2025-26 West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| RANK |
TEAM (1st Place Votes) |
POINTS |
| 1 |
Oregon State (9) |
119 |
| 2 |
Gonzaga (3) |
111 |
| 3 |
Washington State |
94 |
| 4 |
Portland |
91 |
| 5 |
Santa Clara |
84 |
| 6 |
San Francisco |
70 |
| 7 |
Saint Mary’s |
55 |
| 8 |
Pacific |
52 |
| 9 |
LMU |
38 |
| 10 |
Pepperdine |
36 |
| 11 |
San Diego |
31 |
| 12 |
Seattle U |
11 |
2025-26 West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Team
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
| Dyani Ananiev |
So. |
G |
Portland |
| Zeryhia Aokuso |
Jr. |
G |
Gonzaga |
| Tiara Bolden |
Sr. |
G |
Oregon State |
| Catarina Ferreira |
Sr. |
G |
Oregon State |
| Sophie Glancey |
Gr. |
F |
Santa Clara |
| Maya Hernandez |
Jr. |
F |
LMU |
| Maia Jones |
Jr. |
G |
Santa Clara |
| Kennedie Shuler |
Jr. |
G |
Oregon State |
| Allie Turner |
So. |
G |
Gonzaga |
| Eleonora Villa |
Jr. |
G |
Washington State |