Marshall University Athletics
Photo by: Maria Fonseca
10/19/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Marshall picked fourth in SBC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
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NEW ORLEANS – Marshall University Women's Basketball sophomore Olivia Olson was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team with the program being picked fourth in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Monday.
Olson, a sophomore from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, is coming off a 2025-26 campaign that was cut short by injury after starting in all 16 games she played in while averaging 12.9 PPG with 42 made three-pointers. Olsen tallied a career-high 26 points in overtime victory over JMU (Dec. 20) and finished in double-digit scoring in 13 of 16 games played.
As a team, the Herd was picked fourth in the SBC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 151 points, including a first-place vote.
Juli Fulks enters her third season at the helm of the Herd coming off a season that ended with a program-record 28 wins and a 2026 WNIT Championship.
Marshall prepares for its final exhibition on October 27 against Kentucky Christian in the Cam at 6 p.m. before starting the regular season at UMass on November 2.
2026-27 Sun Belt Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | F | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
*Parentheses indicate first-place votes
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall Women's Basketball, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall Women's Basketball Team.
For all the latest information about Marshall Women's Basketball, follow @HerdWBB on Twitter and follow @HerdWBB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
NEW ORLEANS – Marshall University Women's Basketball sophomore Olivia Olson was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team with the program being picked fourth in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Monday.
Olson, a sophomore from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, is coming off a 2025-26 campaign that was cut short by injury after starting in all 16 games she played in while averaging 12.9 PPG with 42 made three-pointers. Olsen tallied a career-high 26 points in overtime victory over JMU (Dec. 20) and finished in double-digit scoring in 13 of 16 games played.
As a team, the Herd was picked fourth in the SBC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 151 points, including a first-place vote.
Juli Fulks enters her third season at the helm of the Herd coming off a season that ended with a program-record 28 wins and a 2026 WNIT Championship.
Marshall prepares for its final exhibition on October 27 against Kentucky Christian in the Cam at 6 p.m. before starting the regular season at UMass on November 2.
2026-27 Sun Belt Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | F | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
*Parentheses indicate first-place votes
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall Women's Basketball, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall Women's Basketball Team.
For all the latest information about Marshall Women's Basketball, follow @HerdWBB on Twitter and follow @HerdWBB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
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