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Bridgewater, NJ -- History has a way of repeating itself in NEC women's basketball, and based on the predictions of the league's head coaches, 2025-26 may bring more of the same.

Fresh off bringing the golden ball trophy back to Hackensack for the first time since 1992, FDU was unanimously picked to finish first in the NEC for the second straight year.
 

2025-26 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll                      1. FDU (unanimous)                      2. Stonehill                      3. Chicago State                      4. Le Moyne                      5. CCSU                      6. Mercyhurst                      7. Wagner                      8. LIU                      9. New Haven                     10. Saint Francis    First place votes in parentheses

After making its first NEC title game appearance last March, Stonehill emerged as the top challenger to the Knights, landing at second in the poll to mark its highest finish since joining the league in 2022. After bursting onto the NEC scene last season, Chicago State looks to make an even deeper tournament run after being slotted third in the preseason rankings.

After advancing to the NEC Tournament final in its debut season and the semifinals in each of its first two campaigns, Le Moyne will look to take the next step after coming in at fourth in the preseason rankings. Rounding out the top five was Central Connecticut, which is coming off its best finish in the league standings since 2014-15.

After making a strong impression in its NEC debut last season, Mercyhurst was voted sixth. A veteran-led Wagner team placed seventh and a new-look LIU squad ranked eighth. NEC newcomer New Haven was tabbed ninth and 12-time NEC tournament champion Saint Francis rounded out the poll.

The NEC revealed the results of the poll, along with the five-member Preseason All-Conference team, during #NECWBB Media Week on Monday, October 20.

The conference head coaches have correctly predicted the eventual NEC winner six times in the last seven years and FDU is looking to become the third straight NEC champion to go back-to-back.

En route to 29 wins, a perfect 19-0 record against NEC opponents and the program's third conference title, the Knights dominated on both ends of the court, and they aim to continue that formula this upcoming season. Hackensack was home to the NEC's most prolific offense and stingiest defense last season, as FDU posted an average margin of victory of 11.8 points per game under reigning Brenda Reilly NEC Coach of the Year Stephanie Gaitley, who became just the fourth coach in NCAA history to lead four different programs to the NCAA Tournament. Under Gaitley, FDU returns a roster peppered with championship pedigree - led by 2024-25 NEC Rookie of the Year, first team All-NEC honoree and Preseason All-NEC pick Ava Renninger (Yardley, PA/Archbishop Wood), who ranked among NEC leaders in six individual categories - looking to take the Knights back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history.

Stonehill made history as well as the Skyhawks advanced to the conference championship game in just its second tournament appearance and earned their first national postseason berth since joining Division I, participating in the WNIT. Led by veteran coach Trisha Brown, Stonehill postied the best free throw percentage (80.2 percent) in the league, and ranked third in both field goal and three-point percentage a season ago. The Skyhawks, led by preseason All-NEC guard and reigning NEC Most Improved Player Brooke Paquette (Hudson, NH/Bishop Guertin), who paced the league with 4.4 assists per game last season, have completed their NCAA reclassification process and can now earn the conference's automatic bid to the Big Dance.

After its grand entrance into the world of NEC women's basketball last season, Chicago State shifts its focus to bringing a conference title to the Windy City. The Cougars finished the year strong, highlighted by an upset win at third-seeded CCSU in the 2025 NEC quarters. Returning a scrappy young core under second year head coach Corry Irvin, Chicago State features lightning-quick sophomore guard Aiyanna Culver (Queens, NY/Christ the King), a preseason All-NEC selection and second-team all-star who racked up 14.6 ppg as a frosh last season.

Another team that has quickly made a mark on the #NECWBB scene is Le Moyne. Shooting for a second title game appearance in three years. The Dolphins - guided by second-year head coach Nick DiPillo - return 2024-25 All-Rookie guard and preseason All-NEC pick Eli Clark (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Township) (8.2 ppg) as it looks to build on back-to-back NEC semifinal runs.

Having lost 2024-25 NEC Player of the Year Belle Lanpher to graduation, CCSU's Kristin Caruso sports a young roster that features nine underclassmen as the Blue Devils look to improve on a 10-win conference campaign and two consecutive top-five NEC finishes.

A mixture of returning talent and new additions highlight a Mercyhurst squad that can now qualify for the conference postseason as the Lakers aim to bring a taste of playoff basketball to the shores of Lake Erie. First year head coach Erin Mills-Reid can count on the contributions of senior guard Jenna Van Schaik (Cincinnati, OH/Ursuline Academy),who earned preseason All-NEC recognition after averaging 13.6 ppg a year ago.

Known for their tenacious defense and exceptional guard play, Wagner returns a trio of starters under fifth-year head coach Terrell Coburn, with an eye on the program's first NEC crown in 37 years.

It's a new era in Brooklyn with Neil Harrow taking over as head coach. LIU rolls out a team that features 12 newcomers.  

Fresh off an NCAA appearance last season, New Haven and seventh-year head coach Debbie Buff make their NEC and DI debut this winter.

A program built on a championship legacy with a record 12 NEC titles, SFU looks to write another chapter in the conference record book under the leadership of Chynna Bozeman, who was promoted to head coach in the offseason.

Each NEC program will once again play a 16-game double round-robin schedule that begins on Friday, January 2. The 2026 NEC Women's Basketball Championship will remain an eight-team playoff format with all games taking place at the home of the higher seed. Tournament dates are set for March 9, 12 and 15.
 
Mercyhurst is now eligible for the NEC Tournament, with New Haven set to join the postseason ranks starting in 2026-27.

If Le Moyne or Mercyhurst, both reclassifying institutions, wins the NEC Tournament championship, the tournament runner-up will advance to the NCAA Tournament as the NEC's automatic qualifier, per current policy. In instances where two reclassifying members reach an NEC final in men's and women's basketball, the NEC will stage an "AQ Qualifier" game between the two non-advancing semifinal teams. This will serve as a decisive game to determine the team that will secure the NEC's spot in the NCAA Tournament.
 
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 45th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of ten institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.