2025-26 NAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll & Players to Watch

11/6/2025 1:01:49 PM

WATERVILLE, Maine – The 2025 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll results have been tabulated, and Maine Maritime Academy has been selected to claim the North Atlantic Conference title this season according to a vote of NAC women’s basketball coaches.

The Mariners secured nine first-place votes and 98 points overall. 2025 champions SUNY Cobleskill earned second-place with 83 points, while Husson University finished third with 82 points. Rounding out the top five vote getters are UMaine-Farmington (76 points / 1 First-Place Vote) and Thomas College (57 points), finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

In sixth place with 40 points is Vermont State University Lyndon followed by UMaine-Presque Isle and Lesley University who tied for seventh and notched 35 points each. Vermont State University Johnson tallied 31 points and placed ninth with SUNY Delhi (13 points) completing the poll. 

Maine Maritime looks to make their way back to the NAC championship after falling to SUNY Cobleskill 55-53 in last year's title game. The Mariners have claimed seven total NAC championships. Under the leadership of head coach Craig Dagan and his staff (2024-25 Coaching Staff of the Year), the Mariners return 2024 All-NAC Second Team honoree Evelyn Dagan.

Click on each team below to view their capsules and Players to Watch

2025 NAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll 
Institution – Points (First Place Votes)

  • Head Coach:Craig Dagan
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    418-204/24 seasons
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    418-204/24 seasons
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    23-5
    Last Season's Divisional Record13-0/1st
    No. of Starters Returning2
    No. of Starters Lost3
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:9
  • Head Coach:Megan Bowman
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    92-43/Six Seasons
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    92-43/Six Seasons
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    24-5
    Last Season's Divisional Record11-2/1st
    No. of Starters Returning1
    No. of Starters Lost4
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:6
  • Head Coach:Kissy Walker
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    603-309/35th Season
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    603-309/35th Season
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    15-12
    Last Season's Divisional Record11-2/2nd
    No. of Starters Returning2
    No. of Starters Lost3
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:7
  • Head Coach:Nate Carson
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    30-57 4 seasons
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    30-57 4 seasons
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    11-14
    Last Season's Divisional Record7-6
    No. of Starters Returning5
    No. of Starters Lost0
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:11
  • Head Coach:Gavin Kane
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    58-92 (7 Seasons at NCAA at UMPI)
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    First year as Head Coach at Thomas
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    7-18
    Last Season's Divisional Record7-6, 4th
    No. of Starters Returning2
    No. of Starters Lost3
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:9
  • Head Coach:Robin Andrea
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    38-68/four seasons
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    1st season
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    10-15
    Last Season's Divisional Record7-6/2nd West
    No. of Starters Returning3
    No. of Starters Lost2
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:4
  • Head Coach:Mark Knight
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    4-19/One Season
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    4-19/One Season
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    4-19
    Last Season's Divisional Record3-10 Conf Record - 0-8/5th (divisional)
    No. of Starters Returning2
    No. of Starters Lost5
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:3
  • Head Coach:Marcel Pettway
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    96-32/5 seasons 
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    0-0
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    11-17
    Last Season's Divisional Record4-9/3rd place 
    No. of Starters Returning3
    No. of Starters Lost2
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:7
  • Head Coach:Greg Eckman
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    80-234 / 14 Seasons 
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    80-234 / 14 Seasons 
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    3-21
    Last Season's Divisional Record2-11
    No. of Starters Returning3
    No. of Starters Lost2
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:8
  • Head Coach:Rasul Jackson
    Head Coach's Overall 
    Coaching Record/No. of seasons
    1-33/3rd Season
    Head Coach's Coaching 
    Record at School/No. of seasons:
    1-33/3rd Season
    Last Season's 
    Overall Record:
    0-23
    Last Season's Divisional Record0-13/5th
    No. of Starters Returning2
    No. of Starters Lost3
    No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024-25 team:3

2025-26 NAC Players to Watch

  • Kyra Pence | Junior | Guard | Randolph, N.Y.

    Kyra Pence enters her junior season as one of the top defenders in the NAC and a proven playmaker after two years of starting experience. A 1,000-point scorer and first team all-state selection in high school, she will take on a larger offensive role this year. 

    Mady Victorin | Junior | Forward/Guard | Menands, N.Y.

    Mady Victorin, who contributed off the bench behind All-Region forward Logan Thayne, steps into an expanded role in the frontcourt, bringing leadership, rebounding, and scoring ability on both ends.

  • Kapriece Sigler | Junior | Guard | Syracuse, N.Y.

    Kapriece Sigler is a vesatile player who can excel in both guard and forward roles. Sigler is an athletic playmaker who can score the ball, leading the team with 11.7 ppg and shooting 40% (4/10) from the three-point line in her three games played last year. 

    Sereena Palau | Sophomore | Guard | Bronx, N.Y.

    Sereena Palau is a transfer guard that is expected to be a key player for the Broncos. Palau has excellent court vision and passing skills and averaged 5.9 assists per game at her last institution, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, 2nd of all players in NJCAA Region 3. Palau also tossed in 7.1 ppg and 2 rpg, highlighing her willingness to do it all.

  • Kristie Zator | Senior | Forward | Windham, Conn. 

    Badgers' Kristie Zator tallied 214 points during the 2024-25 season averaging 16.5 points per game. She shot 44.6% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc. The senior forward notched 102 rebounds, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. 

    Jaylah Jones | Junior | Guard | Atlanta, Ga. 

    Jaylah Jones joins VTSU Johnson from Southern Crescent Technical College. As a guard, she was a leader for SCTC where she averaged 10.9 points per game, 29.2% from field goal range, 29.3 % from three-point range, and 4.2 rebounds per game. 

  • Saige Evans | Sophomore | Forward | Greenbush, Maine

    Evans is looking to break out in her second season with the Husson women’s basketball program, after appearing in 27 games and making 17 starts as a freshman. Evans averaged seven points a game and 5.7 rebounds in her debut season in the green and gold, in addition to registering six double-digit scoring games and one double-double. Evans was named NAC rookie of the week on Jan. 6 and earned a spot on the NAC winter/spring all-academic team.

    Lilly Roy | Sophomore | Guard | Frenchville, Maine

    Roy will be looking to take a step up for the Husson women’s basketball team, which graduated seven seniors off of last year’s team. Roy appeared in 27 games making 17 starts as a freshman, recording 6.8 points per game and 2.3 rebounds, in addition to just shy of one steal per outing. The sharpshooting wing totaled eight double-figure scoring performances for the Eagles and was named to the NAC winter/spring all-academic team.

  • Leila Chisholm | Senior | Guard | Santa Barbara, Calif.

    Chisholm started in all 25 games for Lesley last season and scored an overall 244 points (9.8 ppg) and 148 in NAC play (11.4 ppg). She led the Lynx in free throws, shooting 80.6%.  She dished out a team-high 76 assists and was tied for 27th in the national in steals with 73. 

    Madalynn Biagi | Senior | Guard | Lincoln, Calif.

    Biagi appeared in 19 and started in 17 games in her first season with the Lynx last year. She finished the 2024-25 season with 92 points (4.8 ppg), 73 assists (3.8 apg), 85 rebounds (4.5 rpg), 29 steals (1.5 spg), and seven blocks. She was one of three Lynx to finish with 70+ assists on the year. 

  • Ella Huntington | Junior | Point Guard | Taylorsville, Utah

    Ella returns after for her senior season and her second as a Hornet.  The 5’5” point guard averaged 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a team best 3.5 assists per game in 2024-25.  She played 33.5 minutes per game last season and is expected to shoulder the lion’s share of Lyndon’s ball handling and playmaking responsibilities again this season.

    Kadienne Whitcomb | Senior | Wing | West Burke, Vt.

    Kadienne, a 5’7” shooting guard entering her fourth season, is expected to again be one of there top long distance shooters in the conference.  She averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game last season, and connected on 60 three-point goals, fourth best in the conference.

  • Evelyn Dagan | Senior | Guard | Castine, Maine

    Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball senior Evelyn Dagan returns for the 2025-26 season after earning North Atlantic Conference All-Conference Second Team honors. Dagan finished third on the team with 11.4 points per game, tallying 64 rebounds, 21 assists, 13 steals and nine blocks. Additionally, Dagan enters her senior season 207 points shy of the 1,000-point mark for her career sitting at 793.

    Hailey Blanchard | Junior | Guard | Colorado Springs, Colo.

    Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball junior Hailey Blanchard returns after starting 22 games at guard for the Mariners during the 2024-25 season. Blanchard averaged 7.7 points 2.9 rebounds and added 57 assists, 22 steals and 14 blocks.

  • Jessica Dow | Junior | Guard/Forward | Saco, Maine

    Dow returns for the Beavers for her junior season after being named to the North Atlantic Conference All-Conference 2nd Team as a Sophomore and leading Farmington to their first playoff appearance since the 2021-22 season. Possessing the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor, Dow averaged a team-high 13.3 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 3.0 assists per game last season. 

    Jaydn Pingree | Sophomore | Guard | Jay, Maine

    After being named the NAC Rookie of the Year a season ago, Pingree will aim to continue her success into a full-time starting role this season. Pingree started just 10 games last season but provided effective scoring, finishing the season averaging 11.0 points per game. Pingree is an efficient scorer, shooting 42.1% from the floor last season, and can score the ball from all three levels. 

  • Lindsay Hamilton | Junior | Forward | Clinton, Maine

    Hamilton comes back for her junior year at UMPI, which promises to be her biggest year yet. Hamilton was bugged by injuries last season, causing her to miss seven games in total, and only start in 12 of 23 games for the Owls. However, when she was in there, she proved to be the X factor for UMPI. Hamilton led the team in field goal percentage at 46.9% as she finished very well in the paint, but also stepped outside to shoot the three. She was a big rebounder for the Owls as well, averaging 5.1 boards per game. Her best performance was an 18 point day on January 20th, in which she went 8-12 from the field in UMPI's win over VTSU-Johnson. She also added a double-double with 14 and 13 against UMA on February 8th. Hamilton will be one of UMPI's biggest scoring and rebounding threats going into this season.

    Aleyah Matheson | Sophomore | Guard | Ludlow, Maine

    Matheson enters her second year as a part of the team but is anxious to play her first official regular season game in college. Last year, during a preseason scrimmage on November 2nd, Matheson suffered an injury in the first half that ended her season before it could begin. But this year, she will be one of UMPI's top shooters and scorers, as she has shown a lot in preseason both last year and this year. 

  • Pryelle Kesse-Beda | Sophomore | Center | Temecula. Calif. 

    Kesse-Beda, the California native, played in 18 games for the Terriers in 2024-25, starting in three games as a first year. She averaged 5.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, had 6 assists and 7 steals. 

    Holly Loring | Junior | Forward | Enfield, Maine

    Junior Holly Loring, played in all 25 games last 2024-25 season, starting in seven as a sophomore. She averaged 4.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, had 20 steals, and 6 blocks.