NORTHAMPTON - With eleven first-place votes, Smith College has secured the top spot in the 2025-2026 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. Coming off its fifth-consecutive NEWMAC Championship and reaching the NCAA National Championship for the second-straight season, head coach Lynn Hersey returns a strong core, including All-Region selection Hannah Martin (North Andover, MA/North Andover), who averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The Bears are also excited to welcome two transfers who will play alongside veterans Ella Sylvester (Everett, WA/Everett) (9.3ppg), Virginia Johnson (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest) (5.6ppg), and Selam Maher (6.7ppg in 2023-24). 

The Bears kick off the season with the 34th Annual Tyler Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, November 8 at 1:00pm against Albertus Magnus. Smith begins the hunt for a sixth-straight NEWMAC Championship on Saturday, January 17 at Coast Guard. 

The NEWMAC women's basketball championship will be held on Sunday, March 1.
 
2025-2026 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll 
1. Smith (11) 
2. Babson (1) 
3. Emerson
4. Springfield
T5. MIT
T5. Coast Guard
7.  WPI
8.  Salve Regina
9.  Clark
10. Wheaton
11. Wellesley
12. Mount Holyoke
 
About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram