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 10
th tournament title and 12
th 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.