After a spectacular sophomore season, USA TODAY Sports activities Community voters picked Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes as preseason SEC Participant of the Yr going into the 2026-27 season.
Blakes was the one participant to earn unanimous choices within the 2025-26 USA TODAY Sports activities Community’s All-SEC awards, successful SEC Participant of the Yr after a historic season. She averaged 27.1 factors on the season and 30.5 factors in SEC video games, which made her the primary SEC participant this century to common 30 factors in convention play.
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South Carolina ahead Joyce Edwards and Texas ahead Madison Booker additionally acquired two votes every for POY. All three gamers had been unanimously voted to the All-SEC first group.
South Carolina and LSU had been the one groups with a number of preseason All-SEC choices, the Gamecocks main the best way with three gamers between the primary and second groups.
LSU guard Mikaylah Williams and Kentucky middle Clara Strack spherical out the primary group, and Strack was picked because the preseason SEC Defensive Participant of the Yr. Strack, who was second within the SEC in blocks final season (2.5), was the one participant to obtain multiple vote. Mississippi State ahead Madison Francis, Ole Miss guard Talaysia Cooper, LSU guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and Booker all acquired a vote for DPOY.
South Carolina coach Daybreak Staley was picked to win SEC Coach of the Yr as she seems to be to guide the Gamecocks to a sixth straight SEC regular-season championship. Staley has received the award seven occasions, together with three straight seasons from 2022-24. The Gamecocks had been additionally the unanimous option to win the SEC.
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LSU level guard Jada Williams was the heavy favourite for SEC Newcomer of the Yr. The senior transferred to play for the Tigers after averaging profession bests of 15.3 factors and seven.7 assists at Iowa State final season.
Listed below are the preseason All-SEC groups and particular person awards as chosen by the USA TODAY Sports activities Community’s SEC protection group:
Contents
First group
G Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt*
F Madison Booker, Texas*
F Joyce Edwards, South Carolina*
G Mikaylah Williams, LSU
C Clara Strack, Kentucky
*Unanimous choice
Mar 23, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks ahead Chloe Kitts, guard Tessa Johnson (5), and ahead Joyce Edwards (8) have a good time a play in opposition to the USC Trojans within the second half at Colonial Life Enviornment. Obligatory Credit score: Jeff Blake-Imagn Pictures
Second group
G Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
G Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
G MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
G Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
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F Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Preseason Coach of the Yr
Daybreak Staley, South Carolina
Preseason Participant of the Yr
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Preseason Newcomer of the Yr
Jada Williams, LSU
Preseason Defensive Participant of the Yr
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Order of End
Ballot individuals: Lulu Kesin, Greenville Information; Aria Gerson, Tennessean; Sam Hutchens, Clarion-Ledger; Cory Diaz, Each day Advertiser; Sam Sklar, Clarion Ledger; Cora Corridor, Knoxville Information Sentinel; Alaina Morris, Louisville Courier-Journal; Colton Sulley, The Oklahoman; Meghan Corridor, USA TODAY; Mitchell Northam, USA TODAY.
This text initially appeared on Knoxville Information Sentinel: Preseason ladies’s basketball All-SEC, awards for 2026-27 USA TODAY Sports activities Community
