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Western Women’s Basketball Picked 11th in 2025-26 Frontier Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Western Women’s Basketball Picked 11th in 2025-26 Frontier Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

October 20, 2025
Helena, Mont. – Montana Western Women's Basketball was tabbed 11th on the 2025-26 Frontier Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced Monday.
 
New conference member Dakota State landed in the top spot in the poll, with Carroll and Rocky Mountain sharing second place.

"We know where we're starting, and that's okay," Head Coach Ryan Sullivan said. "For us right now it means the same for us to be ranked at the bottom as it would for us to be ranked towards the top. Just have a lot of unknowns with a first-year staff. Our players are buying into a new system, a new standard, and a new culture. We're not worried about where we're ranked right now, we're focused on who we're becoming. I believe in this group and the direction we're heading."
 
The Bulldogs are looking to improve on the 2024-25 season, which saw them finish sixth in the Frontier with a 7-21 overall record (2-13 FC).
 
First-year Head Coach Sullivan returned eight student-athletes from last year's squad, including seniors Isabella Lund and Keke Davis. Both Lund (9.9 ppg) and Davis (8.4 ppg) were in the top five scorers for UMW in 2024-25.
 
Also back for Western are redshirt-freshmen Brooke Deyak, Kasey Hendren, and Kyle Pancost, as well as sophomore Sammi Love, redshirt-sophomore Mila Hawk, and Junior Ava Bellach. Bellach joins Davis as one of two returners to appear in all 28 games for the Bulldogs last season.
 
UMW bolstered this season's roster with seven newcomers. True freshmen Rina Gottula, Kensi Dorn, and Grace Murgel will add depth in all aspects of the game while transfers Maile Wilcox, Gio Horner, Bailee Sayler, and Tayva Phillips will bring needed experience.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bulldogs open the season at the Peggy Sarsfield Basketball Weekend, hosted by Montana Tech. They will take on Southern Oregon Nov. 1 in Butte, Mont., and play host to College of Idaho Nov. 2 in Dillon.

2025-26 Frontier Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
 
Rank School (First Place Votes) Total Points
1 Dakota State (11) 121
T2 Carroll 101
T2 Rocky Mountain 101
4 Providence 91
5 Montana Tech (1) 81
6 Bellevue 68
7 MSU-Northern 58
8 Valley City State 55
9 Mayville State 37
10 Dickinson State 35
11 Montana Western 32
12 Bismarck State 12
 
 
For complete coverage of UMW Women's Basketball, be sure to follow us on social media at @umw_wbb (Instagram), @umw_wbb (X), and @Montana Western Athletics (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.

#GOBULLDOGS!
 
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