ODESSA, Texas (October 19, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team has been picked ninth in the 2026-27 Lone Star Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll of LSC head coaches, media and sports information directors announced by the conference office on Monday morning (Oct. 19). The Falcons received 484 points in the poll, and are projected to make the postseason for the fourth season in a row.

UTPB finished its 2025-26 season 15-14 overall and 10-10 in the Lone Star Conference, but still qualified for the LSC tournament for the third year in a row and for the third time in school history. For the second year in a row, the eighth-seeded UTPB women's basketball team battled against the No. 1 nationally-ranked team in all of NCAA Division II women's basketball, Texas Woman's University, in the quarterfinals of the LSC Tournament. In the end, however, the Falcons fell by 15 points (69-54) against the top-ranked Pioneers. UTPB made it to the postseason thanks to wins of 69-57 at St. Edward's University on Saturday, February 14, in Austin, Texas and 83-66 over Midwestern State University on Thursday, February 19, in Odessa, Texas.

The 2025-26 season saw UTPB battle hard against ranked teams all year long. It started with an eight-point loss (57-49) in overtime against No. 21 Colorado Mesa University (national semifinalist; finished the year ranked No. 3) on Sunday, November 16, followed by a six-point loss (65-59) at No. 4 Lubbock Christian University on Wednesday, December 3. Then as the calendar flipped to 2026, UTPB fell 73-59 vs. No. 3 TWU (later ranked No. 1) on Friday, January 2, and later fell by just four points (60-56) in a rematch against No. 23 LCU on Saturday, February 21. Lastly, like they have so many times this season, the Falcons put up a great effort against one of the top teams in the country, falling this time by just seven points, 73-66, in the regular-season finale at No. 7 nationally-ranked West Texas A&M University on Saturday, February 28.

On Saturday, February 14, 2026, UTPB Head Women's Basketball Coach Rae Boothe earned her 100th win at UTPB with a 69-57 victory on the road at St. Edward's University, becoming the first women's basketball coach to reach the century mark in program history. Earlier in the season on December 11, 2025, Coach Boothe earned her 250th career win as a collegiate head basketball coach with a 67-54 victory at home over Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

The Falcons finished the season tied for seventh in the LSC in points allowed per game (60.6), and were ranked ninth in field goal percentage defense (.386), eighth in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.299), 10th in rebounds per game (35.7), seventh in rebound margin (+2.8), and sixth in steals per game (10.04). Offensively, the Falcons were sixth in field goal percentage (.412), tied for ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (.291), eighth in 3-pointers made per game (5.8), and tied for eighth in free throw percentage (.707). Graduate student Kenadi Rising was named Third-Team All-LSC while junior Madison Walters was named Honorable Mention.

2026-27 LSC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Texas Woman's is predicted to win its fifth consecutive Lone Star Conference women's basketball regular season title according to the 2026-27 preseason poll.

TWU totaled 828 points and collected 31 of the possible 51 first-place votes. Head coach Beth Jillson's Pioneers went 31-2 overall and a perfect 20-0 in league play last season. TWU also won its third straight and fourth overall LSC tournament (also 2011). The Pioneers, who had a 30-game winning streak during the season, hosted the NCAA Division II South Central Regional and advanced to the championship game. They finished ranked No. 6 in the nation.

West Texas A&M, which has won a record 18 LSC titles is picked as the conference runner-up with 794 points and 10 first-place votes. Head coach Josh Prock's Lady Buffs went 28-5 overall and 18-2 in LSC play to secure the league's second-place spot. WT advanced to the LSC tournament title game and earned a berth in regional. They finished the year ranked No. 13 in the country.

UT Tyler is predicted to finish in third place with 755 points and nine first-place votes. The Patriots went 22-11 overall and 16-4 in league play last season and advanced to the regional semifinals.

Lubbock Christian is the fourth-place pick with 743 points. The Lady Chaps went 23-8 overall and 15-5 in LSC play in 2025-26 and earned a berth in the regional. LCU has won three of the last seven conference crowns and three national titles since 2016.

Two-time LSC champion Eastern New Mexico is predicted for a fifth-place finish with 644 points and the final first-place vote. The Greyhounds earned a berth in the regional.

Seven-time conference champion Angelo State is the sixth-place pick with 594 points. St. Mary's is seventh with 540 points, UT Dallas is eighth with 491 points and UT Permian Basin (484 points) rounded out what would be the potential nine teams to qualify for the LSC tournament.

St. Edward's rounded out the top 10 with 384 points.

Texas A&M International is picked 11th with 322 points, followed by Oklahoma Christian (301 points), two-time LSC champion Midwestern State (283 points), 2000 LSC champion Texas A&M-Kingsville (278 points), Cameron (167 points), Western New Mexico (109 points points) and Sul Ross State (86 points).

2026-27 LSC Women's Basketball Preseason Player to Watch
Senior guard Madison Walters was named to the LSC Players to Watch list. A biology major from Paris, Texas, Walters was named Honorable Mention All-LSC last season and is back for her third season as a Falcon. Walters played in all 29 games with 21 starts during the season. She led the team with 1.8 steals per game and 3.3 defensive rebounds per game. She also ranked second in points per game (8.7), assists per game (1.5) and total rebounds per game (4.2), and was tied for second with 29 made 3-pointers.

Walters was named UTPB's Women's Student-Athlete of the Month for January. Her top performance of the season came on January 13 at Angelo State University when she led all players in points (25) and rebounds (8) and shot 9-for-11 from the field and 4-for-5 from three to help the Falcons pull away and earn a big 76-67 victory on the road. It was the most points scored by a Falcon in any game during the season. Walters was also responsible for the most rebounds in any game by a Falcon during the season, securing a double-double with 13 points and 12 points in a win vs. Western New Mexico University (Feb. 7), and had the most steals by any Falcon during the season with five in a rematch vs. Angelo State (Jan. 29).

Start of the Season
The LSC women's basketball season begins as early as Oct. 30.

LSC Hoops Week is Oct. 19-23. Watch interviews from all 17 women's basketball teams and the preseason player of the year on the conference's YouTube page.

All 17 LSC women's basketball teams are eligible to win the regular season title and advance to the LSC and NCAA Division II postseason tournaments.

The nine-team LSC women's basketball tournament is scheduled for March 2 on campus and March 4, 6-7 at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. Tickets will go on sale in February.

The NCAA Division III Women's Basketball South Central Regional is scheduled for March 12-13, 15 at a site to be determined. The Elite Eight is set for March 22, 24, 26 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind.

All LSC women's basketball games can be viewed live on FloCollege. Monthly, yearly and family subscriptions are available.

The Falcons will open their 2026-27 season at home vs. Arlington Baptist University starting at 1 p.m. on Monday, November 9, from the Falcon Dome.