WICHITA, Kan. – The Ottawa University women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the 2026-27 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference office announced on Monday afternoon. The Braves received 95 points in the voting by conference head coaches.
Ottawa enters the 2026-27 season looking to build on last year's campaign, which saw the Braves finish with an overall record of 15-12 and a 10-12 mark in KCAC play, tying for ninth place in the conference standings.
The Braves return a trio of conference-honored players from last season, including All-KCAC performers
Dominique Schutte and
McKinley Kruger, along with
Clare Williams, who earned a spot on the KCAC All-Freshman Team. The three returners will look to help lead Ottawa as the Braves aim to climb the conference standings during the upcoming season.
Bethel College secured the top spot in the preseason poll with 162 total points and six first-place votes. The Threshers finished in a tie for second place in the 2025-26 KCAC regular-season standings.
Defending KCAC regular-season and tournament champion Evangel University was picked second with 155 points and four first-place votes. Tabor College, which faced Evangel in last season's KCAC Tournament championship game, was selected third with 149 points and the remaining four first-place votes.
Friends University was picked fourth with 129 points, while Sterling College rounded out the top five with 104 points.
Kansas Wesleyan University was selected sixth with 103 points, followed by the University of Saint Mary in seventh with 96 points, just one point ahead of Ottawa.
Bethany College was picked ninth with 86 points, followed by Avila University (59), Oklahoma Wesleyan University (53), McPherson College (41), York University (26), and Southwestern College (16).
2026 KCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Institution |
Points |
First-Place Votes |
| 1 |
Bethel College |
162 |
6 |
| 2 |
Evangel University |
155 |
4 |
| 3 |
Tabor College |
149 |
4 |
| 4 |
Friends University |
129 |
— |
| 5 |
Sterling College |
104 |
— |
| 6 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
103 |
— |
| 7 |
University of Saint Mary |
96 |
— |
| 8 |
Ottawa University |
95 |
— |
| 9 |
Bethany College |
86 |
— |
| 10 |
Avila University |
59 |
— |
| 11 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan University |
53 |
— |
| 12 |
McPherson College |
41 |
— |
| 13 |
York University |
26 |
— |
| 14 |
Southwestern College |
16 |
— |
Braves Quick Hits
- Ottawa was selected eighth in the KCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 95 points.
- The Braves finished the 2025-26 season with a 15-12 overall record.
- Ottawa posted a 10-12 record in conference play, tying for ninth in the KCAC standings.
- The Braves return All-KCAC performers Dominique Schutte and McKinley Kruger.
- Clare Williams returns after earning KCAC All-Freshman Team honors in 2025-26.
- Ottawa was picked one point behind seventh-place Saint Mary and nine points ahead of ninth-place Bethany.
