By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Preseason MIAA polls for the 2025-26 season have Washburn women's basketball slotted at No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and No. 3 in the Media Poll released on Monday morning by the conference.
Lora Westling's Washburn women's basketball team has been picked second and third in the MIAA preseason polls. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn is coming off an 18-13 season with a 11-8 mark inside the MIAA that saw them reach the MIAA Tournament semifinals.
In the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll the Ichabods landed at No. 2 with 148 points and six first-place votes, the most among any team in the conference among coaches.
Fort Hays State sits atop the poll with 152 total points and two first-place votes. Pittsburg State is slotted at No. 3 with five first-place votes and 144 points. Central Missouri claims the final first-place nod, with 138 total points at No. 4.
In the media poll Washburn sits at No. 3 with 276 total points and three first-place votes.
Pittsburg State leads the media ballot with 13 first-place votes and 326 total points. Fort Hays State is second with five first-place votes and 299 points. Behind the Ichabods is Central Missouri at No. 4, with the final four first-place votes and 271 total points.
The 2025-26 season for Washburn will begin in Edmond, Okla. on Nov. 14 against St. Cloud State at 5 p.m. in the Central Region Challenge.
2025-26 MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL
1. Fort Hays State [2] – 152 points
2. Washburn [6] – 148 points
3. Pittsburg State [5] – 144 points
4. Central Missouri [1] – 138 points
5. Nebraska Kearney – 135 points
6. Missouri Western – 99 points
7. Missouri Southern – 95 points
8. Northwest Missouri – 78 points
9. Northeastern State – 76 points
10. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 73 points
11. Emporia State – 48 points
12. Central Oklahoma – 44 points
13. Rogers State – 28 points
14. Newman – 16 points
[#] - First Place Votes
2025-26 MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA POLL
1. Pittsburg State [13] – 326 points
2. Fort Hays State [5] – 299 points
3. Washburn [3] – 276 points
4. Central Missouri [4] – 271 points
5. Nebraska Kearney – 268 points
6. Missouri Western – 227 points
7. Northwest Missouri – 187 points
8. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 185 points
9. Missouri Southern – 176 points
10. Emporia State – 127 points
11. Northeastern State – 111 points
12. Central Oklahoma – 92 points
13. Rogers State – 49 points
14. Newman – 31 points
[#] - First Place Votes