WASHINGTON – Morgan Paige enters her first season as head coach of the Loyola Chicago women’s basketball team and already her energy radiated through the Westin Hotel press conference room.
Paige comes from a basketball family, her brother Marcus having played for North Carolina and coached while both parents Sherryl and Ellis also climbing the coaching tree as well.
Adorning team colors. Paige was all smiles describing her feelings at Atlantic 10 Media Day about a conference she is both thrilled to join expects to be very competitive.
“Listen, the A10 Conference is an awesome conference for women’s basketball,” Paige stated. “I think that was one of the reasons I was drawn to this program. The depth and ability to be willing to play high-major teams, we’re willing to compete with the best. I think it says a lot about our conference in general on the national stage. The conference itself, we’re in a really good place right now, I think we’re in a position where we can really make a statement in making multiple bids in the new-expanded NCAA Tournament, but that’s a testament to the depth of our league, but also the competition that we all seek out.”
Paige is one of five five new head coaches to the Atlantic 10 this year, joining Chelsea Banbury (VCU), Neil Harrow (Fordham), Alisa Kresge (Richmond) and Colleen Mullen (Rhode Island).
The energy across the board on Monday was positive, with all 14 programs eager to open their seasons.
The Saint Joseph’s Hawks became the first unanimous preseason favorite since 2022 when UMass held that honor. The Hawks return 10 players, including eight of their nine top scorers.
“The team is working very hard,” Saint Joseph’s head coach Cindy Griffin said. “We recognize that we were picked number one, which is pretty awesome, but when you look back at the summer it is ‘Who has the most returning?’ And there were a couple of teams. I think that we expected something like this, maybe not unanimous, but we certainly appreciate the confidence that the league has in the Hawks.”
Davidson, which has two consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship semifinal berths, is eager to take the next step as a program and has earned respect across the conference, as evidenced by being placed second in the preseason poll.
The Wildcats return four starters and bring multiple significant bench pieces back. It’s why head coach Gayle Fulks expressed optimism and a sense of pride for a side she believes is ready to take the next step.
George Washington enjoyed a successful first season under head coach Ganiyat Adeduntan and their five key returners led to placing third in the preseason poll.
Adeduntan keyed the importance of building off the momentum achieved from last season, a campaign which resulted in a WNIT Great 8 berth. GW added eight newcomers to its roster, and Adeduntan has emphasized to them the importance of getting connected with the returners.
“Our team, we’re talented but we also understand that’s just talent on paper,” she said. “It’s about what we do as a coaching staff to develop that talent, to help them create and form a talented team of connectivity that can play well together. Expectations are really high for us, but we also realize and understand once you set those expectations it’s about every single day… so looking forward to what the season has ahead for us.”
George Mason will have a new look, specifically nine Patriots making their green and gold debuts this upcoming season, but head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis can lean on preseason all-conference second tea and all-defensive team honoree Mary Amoateng to build off. With a highly-touted transfer class, including former Austin Peay standout Anovia Sheals, the fourth-ranked Patriots could be considered one of the league’s best once again.
Dayton earned its best preseason ranking of head coach Tamika Williams-Jeter’s tenure (fifth), and she expressed appreciation on Monday for how far the squad has come.
The Flyers felt like they got a bite last season, having their postseason cut short in a buzzer-beating fashion which still stings, but the ending being will be used as fuel to take that next step as a program, something Dayton is hungry for.
Saint Louis has shaken off an up-and-down 2025-26 season, returning two key pieces in reigning A10 Rookie of the Year Alyssa Koerkenmeier and sophomore Jahda Denis.
Koerkenmeier was a force for SLU, finding ways to improve her game as the Billikens look to make improvements on the defensive side of the ball.
VCU earned some respect as Banbury brought her Big South Player of the Year Macy Spencer with her from High Point, and everything has mixed together to form a crew that is determined to show up every single night and compete.
“The talent in this league, the coaches in this league are super competitive and I’m ready to ready to get it started,” emphasized Banbury. "I think the players would agree that practices started to get long and they’re ready to see some outside competition. I can’t believe that it’s going to be here in two weeks but I’m excited to see what this team has.”
Richmond brings back a preseason first team selection in Ally Sweeney who keeping finding ways to improve her game as she prepares for her senior season.
Kresge acknowledged with her hire that there is a lot of work to do, but between the six players who stayed from the previous roster, there is an eagerness to build the “Richmond way”.
Defending A10 champion Rhode Island is in a similar state to Richmond – bringing in a new coach and a key returner to the program – in this case senior point guard Sophia Vital. This, when combined with a trio consisting of Amaya Stewart, Martina Borrellas and Delanie Hill that Mullen brought over from UAlbany, gives the Rams a head start in its process this upcoming season.
La Salle has a core group returning, though head coach Mountain MacGillivray acknowledges his team’s continued youth. Because of this, it Is his hope that those who have played meaningful minutes carry the team as best as possible as the new players get up to speed.
St. Bonaventure made significant strides last season and all 10 players eligible to return have made the decision to remain, a sign that the team has bought into the culture and accepts the university’s values.
“It’s very fun bringing a lot of people to this community, and also making a statement for our school,” junior guard Mackenzie Pettinelli said. “Getting postseason play last year showed the community that we are having an upward trend. We want to get the people in the community back involved in our women’s basketball team. I think playing hard every single night will keep fans interested. I’m very close with my professors, meeting a lot of people at school, the staff, our connection with Coach (Jim) Crowley, it just develops a lot over the years and makes me very proud to be a Bonnie.”
Duquesne head coach Dan Burt recognizes the Dukes did not meet the expectations that he expected last season, but confirms he has recruited proven talent which he believes will lead to a far better outcome in 2026-27.
For Fordham, Harrow believes he is ready to build the program a day and a step at a time. He has established a roster full of versatile shot makers, maximizing efficiency within their skill sets and exuding positive energy.
Loyola Chicago will look to identify overlooked talent that did not have the opportunity to realize its full potential at previous institutions. The Ramblers are also in the process of becoming aggressive and confident.
The result? A team Paige believes is deeper and longer than it is being given credit for.
Indeed, excitement is in the air with opening day (Nov. 2) fast approaching as all 14 teams set to go out achieve non-conference success before what will surely be a thrilling conference race.
Zac Weiss is a college athletics beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, primarily reporting on Duquesne Athletics. Across his career, he has covered over 1,000 A10 sporting events.