SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The 2026-27 women’s basketball season officially tips off for the Summit League Monday at 11 a.m. CT. All eight league members will be in action throughout the opening week, with 16 games on the slate.
Reigning regular season champion North Dakota State opens its season on the road on Monday, traveling to Spokane, Wash., for a matchup with Gonzaga at 8 p.m. CT. Tournament champion South Dakota State, also in action on Monday, hosts Creighton at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, Oral Roberts and Omaha open their seasons on the road against Power Four opponents, with the Golden Eagles visiting TCU and the Mavericks heading to Kansas.
Game | Stream | Central Time
Monday, Nov. 2
Baker at Kansas City | SLN | 11 a.m.
St. Thomas at Northern Iowa | ESPN+ | 6 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston at North Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m.
Creighton at South Dakota State | SLN | 7 p.m.
York at South Dakota | SLN | 7:30 p.m.
North Dakota State at Gonzaga | 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 3
Oral Roberts at TCU | ESPN+ | 6:30 p.m.
Omaha at Kansas | ESPN+ | 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 4
Bethel at St. Thomas | SLN | 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 5
Augustana at North Dakota State | SLN | 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6
UTRGV at South Dakota | SLN | 11 a.m.
Wichita State at Kansas City | SLN | 5:30 p.m.
Northern Iowa at South Dakota State | SLN | 6 p.m.
Cameron at Oral Roberts | SLN | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7
Avila (Mo.) at Omaha | SLN | Noon
Sunday, Nov. 8
Minot State at North Dakota | SLN | 1 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 9
Rogers State at Oral Roberts | SLN | 11 a.m.
Kansas City at Arkansas | SECN+ | 6:30 p.m.
Western Illinois at Omaha | SLN | 6:30 p.m.
Creighton at North Dakota State | SLN | 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Oral Roberts at Kansas | ESPN+ | 6:30 p.m.
St. Catherine at St. Thomas | SLN | 7 p.m.
Key: ESPN+ (ESPN Plus), SECN+ (SEC Network Plus) SLN (Summit League Network)
AROUND THE LEAGUE
• Preseason Player of the Year Avery Koenen of North Dakota State was among 25 players named to the watch list for the 2026 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats.
• 2025-26 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer also returns this season for South Dakota State following a season that saw her lead the conference with 22.4 ppg and add 8.6 rpg. Her 2,097 career points is the third-highest active total in DI.
• Two non-conference women’s basketball games will be a part of the Summit League’s national television lineup on CBS Sports Network this season. The slate begins with a showdown between No. 22 Oklahoma State and reigning Summit League tournament champion South Dakota State on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. The slate closes on Feb. 7 when defending regular season champion North Dakota State will travel to the Twin Cities for a 1 p.m., tip-off at St. Thomas.
• The Bison rank seventh CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll after reaching the WBIT last season.
• South Dakota State ranks 11th in the Mid-Major preseason poll after reaching the NCAA Tournament a season ago and South Dakota received votes after a WNIT Fab Four.
• The Bison, picked first in the preseason poll, return their top five scorers from last season, including Koenen, the 2025-26 Summit League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged 19.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in Summit play a year ago while ranking second in both field goal percentage (.638) and blocked shots (1.6 bpg).
• Karrington Asp, the Sixth Woman and Freshman of the Year last season, also returns for the Bison.
• The Jackrabbits were tabbed second in The Summit League Preseason Poll. Meyer is joined by Emilee Fox, Maggie Hartwig and Kate Vaseka as players who started at least 20 games last season.
• There are two new head coaches in Summit League women’s basketball this season.
• Mandy Pearson takes over for Ruth Sinn at St. Thomas, selected fourth in the preseason poll, following a dominant 11-year run at Minnesota Duluth.
• Pearson enters the fold with a roster that includes 2025-26 All-Summit League First Team forward Alyssa Sand. Sand powered the Tommies on both ends of the floor, averaging14.1 ppg, third-highest among League returners, on 50.3 percent shooting, while adding 1.1 blocks per contest in league play.
• Candi Whitaker returns to Kansas City, where she served as head coach from 2006-12, after two seasons at North Alabama.
• Whitaker inherits a team picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll and a pair of All-League honorees in sisters Elauni and Emani Bennett. Elauni was named to the League’s preseason first team after averaging 10.0 ppg and 7.9 rpg while Emani Bennett was tabbed All-League second team after scoring 12.4 ppg last season.
• South Dakota was selected to finish third and look to continue its ascent towards the top of the Summit. Molly Joyce is back after averaging 15.8 ppg earning Newcomer of the Year honors a season ago.
• Selected fifth in the conference preseason poll was Oral Roberts. They will look for another step 2025-26 All-Freshman honoree Kayten Donley, who leads all returning Golden Eagles with 12.2 ppg in conference play last season.
• Omaha was picked to finish seventh and return plenty of production from last season’s team. Regan Juenemann (14.2 ppg) and Avril Smith (11.9 rpg) were also selected to the All-Freshman team after powering a young Maverick bunch a season ago.
• Rounding out the preseason poll is North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks return six student-athletes from last season’s team, including Sydney Piekny, who led the team with 44 made 3-pointers last year.
#SummitWBB
