CARMEL, Ind - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) has announced the results of its women’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll on Thursday afternoon with eight-time defending HCAC Tournament Champion Transylvania looking to continue its conference dominance. The Pioneers earned 81 points in the poll and nine of a possible 10 first place votes.
The 2026 HCAC Tournament runner-up Franklin ranked second in this year’s voting with 68 points and the last remaining place vote. Hanover and Mount St. Joseph took the No. 3 and No. 4 spots with 59 and 56 points, respectively. Rose-Hulman completed the top-five with 53 points.
Bluffton (41 points), Berea (37), Anderson (25), Manchester (18), and Earlham (12) closed out the poll.
The Pios bring back All-HCAC First Teamer Riley Flinn (Remington, Ind.) to lead the team. They’ll also look to
Raegan Barrett (Georgetown, Ky.),
Hannah Glisson (Mayfield, Ky.),
Mackenzie Lombardi (Greenland, N.H.), and
Juliana Stith (Elizabethtown, Ky.) for major contributions.
Following the regular season, the 2027 HCAC Women’s Basketball Championship is scheduled to begin on Saturday, Feb. 20 with the final taking place on Saturday, Feb. 27. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the tournament with the winner earning the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2027 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship.
2026-27 HCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
| 1. |
Transylvania |
81 (9) |
| 2. |
Franklin |
68 (1) |
| 3. |
Hanover |
59 |
| 4. |
Mount St. Joseph |
56 |
| 5. |
Rose-Hulman |
53 |
| 6. |
Bluffton |
41 |
| 7. |
Berea |
37 |
| 8. |
Anderson |
25 |
| 9. |
Manchester |
18 |
| 10. |
Earlham |
12 |
2026-27 Team-by-Team Capsules
Transylvania Pioneers (Lexington, Ky.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = First place with 81 poll points and nine first place votes.
Head Coach = Hannah Kline
2025-26 Results = 24-5 Overall, 16-2 HCAC (Regular-Season Champion, Tournament Champion)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- (1st Team) Riley Flinn, Senior Guard, Remington, Ind.
Other Players to Watch =
- Raegan Barrett, Senior Forward, Georgetown, Ky.
- Hannah Glisson, Sophomore Guard, Mayfield, Ky.
- Mackenzie Lombardi, Junior Guard, Greenland, N.H.
- Juliana Stith, Sophomore, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Franklin College Grizzlies (Franklin, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Second place with 68 poll points and one first place vote.
Head Coach = Ashley Blanch (2025-26 Coach of the Year)
2025-26 Results = 21-7 Overall, 14-4 HCAC (2nd place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- (HM) Payton Seay, Senior Forward, Carmel, Ind.
Other Players to Watch =
- Erica Buening, Junior Forward, Franklin, Ind.
- Briley Munchel, Senior Guard, Rushville, Ind.
- Molly Schulte, Junior Guard, Rockport, Ind.
Hanover College Panthers (Hanover, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Third place with 59 poll points.
Head Coach = John Jones
2025-26 Results = 13-13 Overall, 7-11 HCAC (Tied for 7th place, No. 8 Tournament Seed)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- Emerson Vlcan, Junior Center, Greenwood, Ind. (2025-26 Newcomer of the Year)
Other Players to Watch =
- Sammy Berman, Senior Guard, Independence, Ky.
- Jalynn Brooks, Junior Guard, Erlanger, Ky.
Mount St. Joseph Lions (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Fourth place with 56 poll points.
Head Coach = Shane Cleveland
2025-26 Results = 14-13 Overall, 10-8 HCAC (Tied for 4th place, No. 5 Tournament Seed)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- (HM) Sam Price, Sophomore Center, Westfield, Ind.
Other Players to Watch =
- Bella Crawford, Sophomore Wing, Villa Hills, Ky.
- Ava Harrigan, Sophomore Guard, Columbus, Ohio
- Ali Winchester, Junior Guard, Cincinnati Ohio
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers (Terre Haute, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Fifth place with 53 poll points.
Head Coach = Alley Odell
2025-26 Results = 9-17 Overall, 8-10 HCAC (6th place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2
- (1st Team) Katelyn Fennell, Junior Guard, Terre Haute, Ind.
- (HM) Emma Schipp, Junior Forward, Jasper, Ind.
Other Players to Watch =
- María Godoy Rodriguez, Senior Guard, Las Palmas, Spain
- Kaia Peterson, Sophomore Guard, Cincinnati, Ohio
Bluffton University Beavers (Bluffton, Ohio)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Sixth place with 41 poll points.
Head Coach = Chad Shutler
2025-26 Results = 11-15 Overall, 7-11 HCAC (Tied for 7th place, No. 7 Tournament Seed)
Players to Watch =
- Karlie Niekamp, Sophomore Forward, Tipp City, Ohio
- Alexis Stevely, Senior Guard, Marion, Ohio
Berea College Mountaineers (Berea, Ky.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Seventh place with 37 poll points.
Head Coach = Byron Wimphrie
2025-26 Results = 13-13 Overall, 10-8 HCAC (Tied for 4th place, No. 4 Tournament Seed)
Players to Watch =
- Payton Bugg, Junior Guard, Danville, Ky.
- Atyia Moss, Senior Guard, Clarksville, Tenn.
- Da'Shai Shepard, Freshman Forward, Dayton, Ohio
- Ariyana Sutton, Sophomore Guard, Lexington Ky.
Anderson University Ravens (Anderson, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Eighth place with 25 poll points.
Head Coach = Matt Barreiro
2025-26 Results = 17-10 Overall, 12-6 HCAC (3rd place)
Players to Watch =
- Victoria Detraz, Senior Forward, Valparaiso, Ind.
- Paige Williamson, Junior Guard, Rockford, Ohio
Manchester University Spartans (North Manchester, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Ninth place with 18 poll points.
Head Coach = Josh Dzurick
2025-26 Results= 10-15 Overall, 6-12 HCAC (9th place)
Players to Watch =
- Hannah Holmes, Junior Center, Lagro, Ind.
Earlham College Quakers (Richmond, Ind.)
Predicted 2026-27 HCAC Finish = Tenth place with 12 poll points.
Head Coach = Joe Adams
2025-26 Results = 1-24 Overall, 0-18 HCAC (10th place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- (HM) Berkley Shelton, Senior Center, Anderson, Ind.
Players to Watch =
- Sarah Riley, Sophomore Guard, Enon, Ohio