BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Even with the loss of leading scorers Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia, the experts around the Big Ten don’t think the Indiana women’s basketball is going to stray far from the Big Ten contention.
The Big Ten released its coaches and media polls for women’s basketball on Thursday. In both polls, Indiana was ranked fifth.
Both polls had the same top five. Southern California was the favorite in both polls, trailed by UCLA, Ohio State, Maryland and Indiana.
The Big Ten only ranks the top five teams in the conference.
JuJu Watkins, USC’s super-sophomore guard, was named the Preseason Player of the Year in both polls.
A preseason All-Big Ten team was also selected. Indiana did not have a representative on either the coaches or media teams.
Watkins and UCLA center Lauren Betts were the only unanimous selections on the coaches’ preseason team. Watkins was the only unanimous selection on the media team.
Indiana may have lost Holmes (19.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Scalia (16.3 ppg), but they return guard Yarden Garzon (11.7 ppg), guard Sydney Parrish (10.8 pgg) and point guard Chloe Moore-McNeil (10.2 ppg, 5 apg). In addition, guard Shay Ciezki (11.5 ppg) joined the Hoosiers from Penn State. In effect, Ciezki replaces Scalia.
Center Lilly Meister will step into a starting role at center for the Hoosiers. She proved to be effective when she spelled Holmes in the last two seasons.
Indiana coach Teri Moren has the track record of success that has helped place the Hoosiers among the perennial contenders for the Big Ten championship. Since 2016, Indiana has not won fewer than 21 games. The Hoosiers were Big Ten champions in 2023 and tied for second in 2024.
Indiana has not finished lower than fifth in the Big Ten since the 2019 season when the Hoosiers were 10th.
Indiana begins its season on Nov. 4 when the Hoosiers host Brown. The Hoosiers begin Big Ten action on Dec. 7 at Penn State. Indiana opens its home Big Ten slate when it hosts Wisconsin on Dec. 28.
Big Ten Coaches Rankings
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Ohio State
4. Maryland
5. Indiana
Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team*
Makira Cook, 5th-Yr., G, Illinois
Hannah Stuelke, Jr., F, Iowa
Lucy Olsen, Gr., G, Iowa
Shyanne Sellers, Sr., G, Maryland
Alexis Markowski, Sr., C/F, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Jr., F, Ohio State
Lauren Betts, Jr., C, UCLA
Kiki Rice, Jr., G, UCLA
JuJu Watkins, So., G, USC
Kiki Iriafen, Gr., F, USC
Serah Williams, Jr., F, Wisconsin
*Additional player due to tie in voting
Coaches Preseason Player of the Year – JuJu Watkins
Big Ten Media Rankings
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Ohio State
4. Maryland
5. Indiana
Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Hannah Stuelke, Jr., F, Iowa
Lucy Olsen, Gr., G, Iowa
Shyanne Sellers, Sr., G, Maryland
Alexis Markowski, Sr., C/F, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Jr., F, Ohio State
Lauren Betts, Jr., C, UCLA
Kiki Rice, Jr., G, UCLA
JuJu Watkins, So., G, USC
Kiki Iriafen, Gr., F, USC
Serah Williams, Jr., F, Wisconsin
Media Preseason Player of the Year – JuJu Watkins, So., G, USC
