MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The Clark University women's basketball was selected to finish second in the NEWMAC Coaches Preseason Poll as announced by the conference office on Thursday morning.
2026-27 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team, Points (First Place Votes)
1. Smith - 121, (11)
2. Clark - 103, (1)
3. Babson - 102
4. MIT - 86
5. Springfield - 82
6. WPI - 76
7. Emerson - 60
8. Coast Guard - 55
9. Wellesley - 40
10. Salve Regina - 33
11. Wheaton - 23
12. Mount Holyoke - 11
Clark, the NEWMAC runner-up a season ago finished second in this year's preseason coaches poll with 103 points and the remaining first place vote. Bridgette Reyes and her staff were named Co-Coaching Staff of the Year alongside Hersey and her staff in 2026-27 after the Cougars went 19-9 and reached their first NEWMAC title game in since 2005. Clark went 8-3 in NEWMAC play and knocked off both WPI and Babson en route to the championship finals a year ago. Among their conference wins were MIT, Springfield, Coast Guard, and Emerson.
The Cougars returns its pair of All-NEWMAC selections from last year in rising sophomore
Atiya Watson and junior
Cyriah Coleman. Seniors
Catherine Antwi,
Emma Drefs, and
Olivia Shipley also return after playing in all 28 games last season.
Clark will open their 2026-27 season on Friday, November 6 when they compete against Nichols in the Worcester City Tournament.
