DePauw Named Favorite in Women's Basketball Coaches Poll

CLEVELAND, OH – DePauw has been selected as the favorite for the 2025-26 North Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball season, based on votes submitted by league coaches.
 
The Tigers, in search of their 12th NCAC title, earned five of the possible eight first-place votes to top the league poll with 58 points. Denison collected the remaining three first-place votes and totaled 53 points to narrowly edge John Carroll, which ranked third with 52 points. Wittenberg placed fourth with 38 points, followed by Ohio Wesleyan (35), Oberlin (27), Wooster (14) and Kenyon (11) to round out the eight-team poll.
 
Led by Head Coach Kris Huffman and Assistant Coach Annie Bourne, the DePauw Tigers enter 2025-26 coming off a 20-7 overall record and a 12-2 mark in NCAC play. Last season, DePauw led the NCAC in free-throw percentage (.744), total rebounds (39.4 rpg), and rebounding margin (10.7), while ranking second in scoring defense (52.6 ppg allowed), scoring margin (16.1), opponent field-goal percentage (.377), and three-point percentage (.343). The Tigers return two All-NCAC honorees, including junior forward Olivia Hart (Murfreesboro, TN/Central Magnet) and senior guard Riley Mont (Aurora, IL/West Aurora). In 14 conference games, Hart averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest to rank 12th in the league in scoring and ninth in rebounding. The junior also ranked fourth in the league in blocked shots (1.1 bpg) and ninth in field-goal percentage (.458). Mont followed closely behind, ranking 13th in scoring (10.5 ppg), 10th in rebounding (5.4 rpg), and 13th in field-goal percentage (.395), while also tying for fifth in three-point field goals made (1.6/game). Hart earned second-team honors in 2025, while Mont, a three-time All-NCAC selection, collected third-team recognition in 2025 after earning second-team honors in 2024 and third-team accolades in 2023.
 
The 2025-26 season begins on November 7, while the first league games are set for December 3 with Oberlin hosting Wooster, Denison traveling to DePauw, and John Carroll taking on Ohio Wesleyan at home. The NCAC Tournament is slated for the end of February, featuring quarterfinals on February 24, semifinals on February 27, and the tournament final on February 28.
 
2025-26 North Coast Athletic Conference
Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll
Place Institution (1st Place Votes) Total Points
1 DePauw (5) 58
2 Denison (3) 53
3 John Carroll 52
4 Wittenberg 38
5 Ohio Wesleyan 35
6 Oberlin 27
7 Wooster 14
8 Kenyon 11

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