HOPEWELL, N.J. – Three Atlantic 10 women’s basketball head coaches were named to the 20-person preseason watch list for the 2027 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats.
 
George Mason head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named to the watch list, while two coaches entering their first year at A10 institutions also made the list: Alisa Kresge (Richmond) and Neil Harrow (Fordham).
 
Blair-Lewis led George Mason to its first-ever share of the Atlantic 10 regular season championship last year, posting a 16-2 record in conference play. The Patriots also advanced to the championship game of the Betterment Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Tournament, recording their third consecutive 20-win season.
 
Kresge arrives in Richmond after eight seasons at Vermont, compiling a 145-89 overall record to become the winningest head coach in program history. She led the Catamounts to three NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons, capturing three America East Tournament titles and multiple regular season championships.
 
Harrow joins Fordham after a spectacular season at LIU, orchestrating a 20-win season in his debut year as head coach. The Sharks posted a 21-11 overall record, 14-4 in the NEC, setting a program record for most wins by a first-year head coach. He guided LIU to the NEC Championship game, LIU’s first appearance in the title game since the 2009-10 season.
 
The 10-person midseason watch list will be announced in January. The five finalists for the award will be announced in March, with the winner being named around the Final Four. Coaches will be assessed across the entire season, including postseason play. Beyond on-court success, other factors such as recruiting, preseason expectations, injuries, and tactical coaching will also be weighed when assessing each candidate. Inclusion on previous watch lists is not a requirement to be considered for future watch lists.