RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference released its annual preseason coaches poll for women's basketball on Thursday, and in that release, the Arkansas Tech women's basketball team was picked to finish the 2025-26 campaign in sixth place.
Harding is the preseason favorite after receiving 10 of 12 first-place votes and totaling 120 points. Southeastern Oklahoma garnered the remaining two first-place votes and is slotted second with 108 total points.
Southwestern Oklahoma, Northwestern Oklahoma and Henderson State all totaled at least 80 points and rank third through fifth. SWOSU is third with 87 points, NWOSU is fourth with 82, and HSU is fifth with 80.
The Golden Suns totaled 73 points to rank sixth in the poll and just behind them in seventh place is Southern Nazarene as SNU garnered 69 total points.
East Central (52), Oklahoma Baptist (47) and Southern Arkansas (34) represented the next three spots while Ouachita Baptist (26) and Arkansas-Monticello (14) rounded out the 12-team poll.
Last season, the Golden Suns enjoyed a bounce back year in the final season under head coach Dave Wilbers and finished 19-9 overall and 14-8 in the GAC.
This year, the Golden Suns open a new era in its illustrious history and begin play under first-year head coach
Daryl Fimple.
Fimple will have the return services of seven players from last year's team, highlighted by
AbbiGrace Cunningham, who was Honorable Mention All-GAC after averaging 11.8 points per game on 44% shooting and hauling in 5.6 rebounds per game.
In addition to the returners, the Golden Suns are set to welcome in the addition of six talented newcomers. Three of those newcomers are transfers with
Ari Gordon (Oral Roberts),
Grace Posch (Seward County CC) and
Barbara Perandini (Crowder College).
The remaining three newcomers are all from the prep ranks within the state of Arkansas and include
Katie Fimple (North Little Rock HS),
Laney Marsh (Episcopal Collegiate) and
Kendri Broughton (Dumas HS)
The Golden Suns will begin their 2026-27 season on Monday, November 9 at home against Arkansas-Fort Smith. Tip-off for the season-opener is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Tucker Coliseum.
