A team-by-team look at the Big 12 women's basketball team race in 2026-27

(All coaches' quotes are from Big 12 media day interviews)

1. OKLAHOMA STATE COWGIRLS

Location: Stillwater, Okla.

Last season: 24-10 overall, 12-6 Big 12 (4th/tie), NCAA second round

Coach: Jacie Hoyt (84-45-35 in four seasons at Oklahoma State, 165-110 in nine seasons overall)

Key players: C Audi Crooks (Iowa State transfer, 25.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg), G Liv McGill (Florida transfer, 22.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg), G Stailee Heard (11.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

She said it: “This is by far the most talented roster that I've ever been privileged to coach. Ultimately, they came here to win, write a legacy for themselves, write a legacy for Oklahoma State University. I get to be around that every day. It's just been so fun.” — Hoyt

2. TCU HORNED FROGS

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Last season: 32-6 overall, 15-3 Big 12 (1st), NCAA Elite Eight

Coach: Mark Campbell (87-72 in three seasons at TCU, 126-46 in five seasons overall)

Key players: C Clara Silva (9.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.8 bpg), G Jadyn Wooten (North Carolina transfer, 12.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg), G Lanie Grant (10.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

He said it: “This is a brand-new group with brand new personalities, and we’re trying to create our identity. Last year’s group was highly successful and now we start over from scratch.” — Campbell

3. BAYLOR BEARS

Location: Waco, Texas

Last season: 25-9 overall, 13-5 Big 12 (3rd), NCAA second round

Coach: Nicki Collen (127-45 in five seasons at Baylor and overall)

Key players: G Taliah Scott (19.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg), F Kyle Abraham (4.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg), F Kayla Nelms (4.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

She said it: “We re heavy on player development. We’re not a plug and play program.... It's about getting great players and putting them in position to be successful.” — Collen

4. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Location: Morgantown, W.Va.

Last season: 28-7 overall, 14-4 Big 12 (2nd), NCAA second round

Coach: Mark Kellogg (78-23 in three seasons at West Virginia, 273-78 in 11 seasons overall).

Key players: G Gia Cooke (15.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg), F Skylar Forbes (Marquette transfer, 15.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), C Khyala Ngodu (10.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg)

He said it: “We're just trying to show (new players) the same way and what those standards were that led us to that (Big 12 Tournament) championship, and we hope that they're willing to do the same and invest and work hard. If they do, I think we have a talented group that has the opportunity to do the same thing. — Kellogg

5. KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Location: Lawrence, Kan.

Last season: 22-14 overall, 8-10 in Big 12 (11th/tie)

Coach: Brandon Schneider (165-177 in 11 seasons at Kansas, 261-243 in 16 seasons overall)

Key players: G S’Mya Nichols (17.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg), F Jaliya Davis (19.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg), F Regan Williams (8.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

He said it: “(We’ve seen players’) commitment and their ability to really mesh and blend and build camaraderie off the court. We’ve seen as a staff just a really concerted effort in that regard, and speaks very highly to the veteran leadership of our team.” — Schneider

6. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS

Location: Tempe

Last season: 24-11 overall, 9-9 Big 12 (tie/9th)

Coach: Molly Miller (24-11 in one season at ASU, 141-49-38 in six seasons overall)

Key players: F McKinna Brackens (14.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg), G Rashunda Jones (Michigan State transfer, 11.7 ppg, 3.4 apg), G Ruby Whitehorn (Tennessee transfer, 6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg).

She said it: “We want to be the team that nobody wants to play. Like going to the dentist. With relentless defensive effort.” — Miller

7. BYU COUGARS

Location: Provo, Utah

Last season: 26-12 overall, 9-9 Big 12 (tie/9th), WBIT runner-up

Coach: Lee Cummard (26-12 in one season at BYU and overall)

Key players: G Delaney Gibb (18.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.6 apg), G Sydney Benally (7.6 ppg, 3.9 apg), G Olivia Hamlin (12.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg)

He said it: “It was a fun run (last season). We’ve got a great group, most of the group returning. We're really excited about that. Want to use those postseason games to help us lead into year two. We're really excited about this season.” — Cummard

8. COLORADO BUFFALOES

Location: Boulder, Colo.

Last season: 22-12 overall, 11-7 Big 12 (6th), NCAA Tournament first round

Coach: JR Payne (186-128 in 10 seasons at Colorado, 287-241 in 17 seasons overall)

Key players: G Zyanna Walker (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), F Logyn Greer (9.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg), G Aniya Foy (Kansas State transfer, 4.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg)

She said it: “Our staff did a great job recruiting the right people. We wanted to add perimeter shooting, which was a huge bugaboo for us last year … we have a more balanced team than we’ve ever had. We’re still figuring it out. We have an opportunity to have different types of lineups.” — Payne

9. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Location: Manhattan, Kansas

Last season: 19-18 overall, 8-10 Big 12 (tie-11th), WBIT second round

Coach: Jeff Mittie (237-161 in 12 seasons at K-State, 615-379 in 31 seasons overall)

Key players: G Taryn Sides (12.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.7 apg), F Nastja Claessens (11.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg), G Gina Garcia (6.5 ppg, 5.2 apg)

He said it: The offseason was a “very different preparation than I've ever had as a coach. We only had five on campus this summer. We have a heavy international influence. The good thing was they were playing and they were playing a high level of competition, but they were all spread out across the world.” — Mittie

10. TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Last season: 26-8 overall, 12-6 (tie-12th), NCAA Tournament second round

Coach: Krista Gerlich (103-91 in six seasons at Texas Tech, 224-185 in 13 seasons overall)

Key player: G Jalynn Bristow (10.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg), F Rhema Collins (FIU transfer, 17.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg).

She said it: “Defensively we have a chance to be even better than last year. We went and got the right pieces for that. This team realizes they are underdogs and nobody’s talking about them. They play with a chip.” — Gerlich

11. IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Location: Ames, Iowa

Last season: 22-10 overall, 10-8 Big 12 (7th/tie). NCAA first round

Coach: Bill Fennelly (656-335 in 31 seasons at Iowa State, 822-388 in 38 seasons overall)

Key players: G Ashleigh Connor (La Salle transfer, 15.8 ppg, 3.9 apg), G Arianna Jackson (6.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

He said it: “I tell our team all the time, we get told a lot about what we don't have. I'm big on let's embrace what we do have and not apologize for what we're not. We're going to embrace who we are.” — Fennelly

12. UTAH UTES

Location: Salt Lake City

Last season: 19-13 overall, 10-8 Big 12 (tie/7th), WBIT first round

Coach: Gavin Petersen (38-21 in two seasons at Utah and overall)

Key players: G Filipa Barros (Cal Baptist transfer, 11.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg), G Lena Girardi (7.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg), F Chyra Evans (8.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

He said it: Last season "we had some great wins, but we struggled to find that consistency. So leading into this year, we're going to learn from that… Creating consistency in the Big 12 is tough because you're on an 18-game grind and it's night and night out.” — Petersen

13. ARIZONA WILDCATS

Location: Tucson

Last season: 12-18 overall, 3-15 Big 12 (tie/14h), WBIT first round

Coach: Becky Burke (12-18 in one season at Arizona, 103-78 in six seasons overall)

Key players: G Sumayah Sugapong (11.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg), G Aliyahna “Puff” Morris (California transfer, 7.0 ppg, 3.1 apg), F Gerda Raulusaityte (USC transfer, 2.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

She said it: “I think we played extremely hard last year and I think we were very well-prepared. Now that we feel we've done a great job elevating our talent, we feel like we have a great opportunity to move the bar this year.” — Burke

14. CINCINNATI BEARCATS

Location: Cincinnati

Last season: 11-20 overall, 6-12 Big 12 (13th)

Coach: Katrina Merriweather (49-73 in three seasons at Cincinnati, 200-143 in 11 seasons overall)

Key players: G Caliyah DeVillasee (14.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G Reagan Jackson (9.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg), F Sahnya Jah (SMU transfer, 9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg).

She said it: “We retained seven players who are hungry, who wanted to come back and prove what they are capable of doing. Then we added eight people who understood what happened a year ago and that it’s unacceptable, and are going to work to get things flipped.” — Merriweather

15. HOUSTON COUGARS

Location: Houston

Last season: 7-23 overall, 1-17 Big 12 (16th)

Coach: Matthew Mitchell (7-23 in one season at Houston, 340-185 in 16 seasons overall)

Key players: G Kaelyyn Hamilton (San Diego State transfer, 7.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Raegan McCowan (17.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg)

He said it: “Year one was so valuable for us to create the right type of energy that he wants, to build a championship culture. Grateful for that opportunity. Couldn’t be more excited than to be doing it at the University of Houston. We are on our way.” — Mitchell

16. UCF KNIGHTS

Location: Orlando, Fla.

Last season: 11-19 overall, 3-15 Big 12 (tie-14th)

Coach: Gabe Lazo (first season at UCF and overall)

Key players: G Vittoria Blasigh (Miami transfer, 6.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg), F Mahogany Chandler-Roberts (7.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg), G Mikayla Johnson (Pitt transfer, 13.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

He said it: “I really am not worried about wins and losses right now. I'm worried about growing a culture and progressing on a daily basis. If we win a lot of games, great. But that's not the focus right now. Obviously you want to win. You want to compete. But we're about growing. That's what this is about.” — Lazo