Teams are listed in the order they were voted in the Big-12’s official preseason coaches’ poll.

(All quotes from Big 12 preseason media day in Kansas City)

1. TCU HORNED FROGS

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Last season: 34-4 overall, 16-2 Big 12 (1st), NCAA Elite Eight

Coach: Mark Campbell (55-16 in two seasons at TCU, 94-40 in four seasons overall)

Key player: G Olivia Miles (15.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg at Notre Dame)

He said it: “I think we have used the portal as well as anybody in the country and we’ve rebuilt it six players at a time each offseason. This offseason I don’t think it was a rebuild. I think it was a reload.” — Campbell

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2. IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Last season: 23-13 overall, 12-6 Big 12 (7th), NCAA first round

Coach: Bill Fennelly (634-325 in 30 seasons at Iowa State, 800-378 in 37 seasons overall)

Key players: C Audi Crooks (23.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.5 apg), F Addy Brown (15.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 5.4 apg)

He said it: “They’re very mature. Their basketball IQs are very high. They understand what they need to do individually and collectively.” — Fennelly

Jada Williams (2), shown playing for Arizona against Iowa State last season at McKale, is now a teammate of the Cyclones’ Audi Crooks (55). 

Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star

3. BAYLOR BEARS

Last season: 28-8 overall, 15-3 Big 12 (2nd), NCAA second round

Coach: Nicki Collen (102-36 in four seasons at Baylor and overall)

Key player: F Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (13.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.2 apg)

She said it: “We’re one of only four power four programs that have their entire 2022 class that came in together and will go out together, so it goes a long way toward culture and ‘are new players really understanding what we do, why we do it and when to do it?’” — Collen

4. OKLAHOMA STATE COWGIRLS

Location: Stillwater, Okla.

Last season: 25-7 overall, 14-4 Big 12 (3rd), NCAA first round

Coach: Jacie Hoyt (160-35 in three seasons at Oklahoma State, 141-100 in eight seasons overall)

Key players: G Micah Gray (13.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg), G Stailee Heard (16.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)

She said it: “As great as last season was, it’s one thing to want to get back to the tournament but it’s a whole other thing to want to be so hungry that you want to win the tournament. That’s the level of motivation we have right now.” — Hoyt

5. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Location: Morgantown, W.Va.

Last season: 25-8 overall, 13-5 Big 12 (tie-4th), NCAA second round

Coach: Mark Kellogg (50-16 in two seasons at West Virginia, 245-71 in 10 seasons overall)

Key players: G Jordan Harrison (13.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.5 apg)

He said it: “We only have 11 players so that doesn’t go hand-in-hand with depth and balance. But I do think we have a very balanced roster and versatility is really the word that allows us to play different ways.” — Kellogg

6. KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Last season: 16-14 overall, 6-12 in Big 12 (11th)

Coach: Brandon Schneider (143-163 in 10 seasons at Kansas, 239-229 in 15 seasons overall)

Key player: S’Mya Nichols (18.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.7 apg)

He said it: “We’re very fortunate in this era to have seven returners who know and understand and embrace our culture and our standards. It’s their responsibility to set the tone of the intensity level.” — Schneider

7. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Location: Manhattan, Kansas

Last season: 28-8 overall, 13-5 Big 12 (tie-4th), NCAA Sweet 16

Coach: Jeff Mittie (218-143 in 11 seasons at K-State, 596-361 in 30 seasons overall)

Key player: G Taryn Sides (9.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.8 apg)

He said it: “The last couple of years we were right there and last year was a special year. … (it) helped us in recruiting, attracting players who have those goals.” — Mittle

8. UTAH UTES

Last season: 22-9 overall, 13-5 Big 12 (tie-4th), NCAA first round

Coach: Gavin Petersen (19-8 in one season at Utah and overall)

Key player: G Lani White (9.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg at West Virginia)

He said it: “The one thing that has been so refreshing to see from our newcomers, and even our upperclassmen, is just that they’re coachable.” — Petersen

9. COLORADO BUFFALOES

Last season: 21-13 overall, 9-9 Big 12 (9th)

Coach: JR Payne (164-116 in nine seasons at Colorado, 265-229 in 16 seasons overall)

Key player: F Jade Masogayo (12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg), WBIT second round

She said it: “This team reminds me a little bit more of the teams we had before last season (when) we were very defensive-minded. We were very aggressive on both sides of the floor. Last year’s team was not quite as aggressive.” — Payne

10. BYU COUGARS

Last season: 13-17 overall, 4-14 Big 12 (tie-12th)

Coach: Lee Cummard (first season at BYU and overall)

Key player: G Delaney Gibb (17.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg)

He said it: “We’re always going to have a group of girls who can shoot the 3 ball and we’re going to embrace that fully. Defensively, we’re going to take some calculated risk and try to be aggressive in different aspects.” — Cummard

11. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS

Last season: 10-22 overall, 3-15 Big 12 (15th)

Coach: Molly Miller (first season at ASU, 117-38 in five seasons overall)

Key player: G Gabby Elliott (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 apg at Penn State)

She said it: “They’re going to be tough. We’re going to be committed to the defensive end. It’s going to be fun to play, it’s going to be fun to coach and it’s going to be fun to watch.” — Miller

12. CINCINNATI BEARCATS

Last season: 15-14 overall, 7-11 Big 12 (10th)

Coach: Katrina Merriweather (38-53 in three seasons at Cincinnati, 189-123 in 10 seasons overall)

Key player: G Mya Perry (15.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.4 apg at FAU)

She said it: An offseason trip to Italy “gave me an opportunity to play with lineups and we have a very versatile group, especially (the) freshmen.” — Merriweather

13. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Last season: 19-18 overall, 4-14 Big 12 (tie-12th), WBIT quarterfinals

Coach: Krista Gerlich (77-83 in five seasons at Texas Tech, 198-177 in 12 seasons overall)

Key player: G Bailey Maupin (13.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.2 apg)

She said it: These are “a great group of young ladies who are really experienced and really determined. We have a lot of seniors on our team this year and they’re very determined and it’s been fun to watch them.” — Gerlich

14. ARIZONA WILDCATS

Arizona’s Mickayla Perdue gives out a shout after her last shot rattled the rim, leaving her one short in the finals of the three-point contest against Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso at the annual Red-Blue Showcase on Oct. 3, 2025.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Last season: 19-14 overall, 10-8 Big 12 (8th), WBIT first round

Coach: Becky Burke (first season at Arizona, 91-60 in five seasons overall)

Key player: G Mickayla Perdue (20.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.3 apg at Cleveland State)

She said it: “We’re going to have some things that don’t look our favor on paper but I think what they don’t know about our team is our competitiveness, our attention to detail, our blue collar mentality, how gritty these guys are and the chip that they all have on their shoulder.” — Burke

15. HOUSTON COUGARS

Last season: 5-25 overall, 1-17 Big 12 (16th)

Coach: Matthew Mitchell (first season at Houston, 333-162 in 15 seasons overall)

Key player: G Kierra Merchant (9.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.4 spg)

He said it: Houston players “don’t have to have the most talent but they have to have enough to play our style. The next factor is energy, so I want them to channel that in a positive way.” — Mitchell

16. UCF KNIGHTS

Last season: 12-18 overall, 4-14 Big 12 (tie-12th)

Coach: Sytia Messer (38-50 in three seasons at UCF, 92-91 in six seasons overall)

Key player: C Khyala Ngodu (6.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.8 apg)

She said it: “Our team is going to be a gritty defensive team with speed. In the portal, my staff and I did a really good job of identifying players we felt would fit that system.” — Messer

Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe

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