BIRMINGHAM - Coming off the most successful season in program history, the University of Alabama in Huntsville women's basketball has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2026-27 Gulf South Conference Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll, announced by the league Thursday.

The Chargers received seven of the 11 first-place votes and totaled 96 points to claim the top spot in the conference's preseason rankings. Union followed in second with 90 points and three first-place votes, while Lee rounded out the top three with 80 points and one first-place vote.

UAH enters the 2026-27 campaign following a historic season under head coach Allen Sharpe. The Chargers finished 32-6 overall and 21-1 in GSC play, capturing their first conference regular-season championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in program history. UAH also finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally in the final WBCA Coaches Poll.

Senior guard Bella White was named to the five-member Preseason All-GSC Team after earning Third Team All-GSC honors last season. The Cleveland, Tennessee, native returns as a key contributor for the Chargers following a junior campaign in which she ranked among the conference leaders in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.

UAH also placed three student-athletes on the conference's Newcomers to Watch list, with Clare Conzelmann, Emily Mouser and Kylie Waytashek receiving recognition.

Conzelmann, a sophomore guard from Frankenmuth, Michigan, joins the Chargers from Lake Superior State, while Mouser, a sophomore guard from Madison, Alabama, arrives from GSC member Montevallo. Waytashek, a 6-foot-1 forward from Royalton, Minnesota, joins UAH after transferring from Valparaiso.

The Chargers will open the 2026-27 regular season Nov. 9 against LaGrange at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall, with tipoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

2026-27 GSC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll

First-place votes in parentheses

Rank	Team	Points
1	UAH (7)	96
2	Union (3)	90
3	Lee (1)	80
4	Delta State	73
5	Trevecca Nazarene	70
6	Valdosta State	56
7	West Alabama	45
8	Mississippi Christian	34
9	Montevallo	26
10	AUM	25
11	Christian Brothers	10

2026-27 Preseason All-GSC Women's Basketball Team

• Bella White, UAH, Sr., G (Cleveland, Tenn.)

• Libby Privett, Lee, Jr., G (Huntsville, Ala.)

• Jordan Gillies, Trevecca Nazarene, Sr., G (Cookeville, Tenn.)

• Olivia Lee, Union, Sr., G (Jackson, Tenn.)

• Erin Whalen, Valdosta State, Sr., F (Cumming, Ga.)

Listed alphabetically by school.