PITTSBURGH — The defending regular season champion Richmond Spiders have been voted as the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball 2025-26 favorite; the second consecutive season Richmond has been picked to win the league. Chosen by a panel of the Atlantic 10 head coaches, the A-10 announced the poll along with the Preseason All-Conference awards on Tuesday morning during the league’s Media Day festivities.  

Coming off a spectacular season in which the Spiders went 28-7 overall, 17-1 in conference play, Richmond enters the 2025-26 campaign with high expectations. The Spiders return a pair of all-conference selections: A-10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan and First Team selection Rachel Ullstrom. The dynamic duo helped lead Richmond to its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory last year, a 74-49 blowout over No. 9 seed Georgia Tech. Doogan averaged 17.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, while Ullstrom contributed 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Richmond led the preseason poll with 188 points, racking up nine first-place votes. Doogan and Ullstrom landed on the Preseason All-Conference First Team, while junior guard Ally Sweeney and Tierra Simon picked up second and third team accolades, respectively.

Defending A-10 champion George Mason followed closely behind Richmond in the preseason poll with 185 points, garnering four first-place votes. George Mason returns two all-conference selections from the 2024-25 team that clinched the Patriots’ first-ever NCAA Tournament bid: redshirt junior forward Zahirah Walton and junior guard Kennedy Harris. Walton averaged 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last year, while Harris averaged 13.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest.

Walton and Harris were named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team, while graduate forward Hawa Komara received second team honors. Both Walton and Komara were named to the Preseason All-Defensive Team as well.

Davidson placed third in the preseason poll with 167 points, earning one first-place vote. The Wildcats return senior guard Charlise Dunn, who lands on the Preseason All-Conference First Team and Preseason All-Defensive Team after averaging 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last year. Junior guard Katie Donovan was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team, while sophomore forward Candice Lienafa received third team accolades.

Rhode Island (137) and Dayton (123) placed fourth and fifth in the preseason poll, respectively, while Saint Joseph’s came in at sixth (120). Rhode Island transfer Brooklyn Gray, named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team, will wear a different A-10 uniform this season after leading Saint Louis with 12.2 points per game last year. Rhode Island senior guard Ines Debroise was named to the Preseason All-Defensive Team as well.

Dayton graduate guard Nicole Stephens represents the Flyers on the Preseason All-Conference Third Team, looking to build off a strong rookie campaign. Saint Joseph’s put together a spectacular run to the A-10 title game last year, receiving strong contributions from A-10 Sixth Woman of the Year Aleah Snead. Snead was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team and Defensive Team, while junior guard Gabby Casey received third team accolades.

The seventh-ranked team in the preseason poll, VCU (110), is led by senior guard Mary-Anna Asare. Asare was named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team, averaging 16.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last year. Duquesne (95), Saint Louis (86), and George Washington (75) rounded out the top 10 slots of the poll. George Washington sophomore guard Gabby Reynolds was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team and Saint Louis graduate guard Alexia Nelson earned a third team nod.

Fordham (63) and La Salle (56) placed 11^th and 12^th, respectively, with the latter landing sophomore guard Joan Quinn on the Preseason All-Conference Third Team. Loyola Chicago (43) and St. Bonaventure (22) rounded out the poll.

The 2025-26 campaign tips off on Monday, Nov. 3, with league play starting on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The season will culminate with the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Henrico, Va. from March 4-8, 2026.