2026-27 WCC preview | The IX Basketball - RAW CHILI

The 2026-27 season is all about reshuffling for the West Coast Conference (WCC). Gonzaga, which had long been a power in the conference, departed for the reborn Pac-12. There will be a small crop of teams looking to replace Gonzaga for conference supremacy.

Washington State and Oregon State are also back in the Pac-12 after temporarily joining the WCC following the Pac-12’s dissolution. Denver is the new team on the block, and the WCC will be bolstered in 2027-28 with the additions of UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara.

Here’s a quick look at each team in the WCC. Read about each one or skip to a specific team using the links below:

Denver

2025-26 season summary: 11-19 (5-11 in Summit League, sixth in conference); lost in first round of Summit League Tournament to South Dakota

Overview: The lone newcomer in the conference, the Pioneers are entering a new era under first-year head coach Erik Johnson. Amid the coaching change, the team lost a few key players to the transfer portal. There are a couple of important returners, but there isn’t enough talent to radically alter the Pioneers’ fortunes as they adjust to a new conference. Expect an adjustment period this season.

Incoming transfers:

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Safiyah Sugapong (5’5, G)

Loyola Marymount

2025-26 season summary: 21-10 (15-3 in WCC, first in conference); lost to Stanford in first round of WBIT

Overview: The Lions are entering Year 5 under head coach Aarika Hughes. The team has shown marked improvement, culminating with the program’s first winning season under her watch last year. It entered the WCC Tournament as the No. 1 seed but lost to Oregon State in the semifinals after multiple byes.

This season’s roster has a strong mix of returning talent and incoming transfers. The Lions will once again be among the conference’s best teams.

Incoming transfers:

Janay Brantley (Stony Brook, 6’, Sr., G – 12.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg in 2025-26)

Erica Finney (Illinois, 6’, RS Fr., G – did not play in 2025-26 due to injury)

Danae Powell (Fresno State, 5’7, Jr., G – 12.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.2 apg)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Shanayka Ismar (5’7, G)

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Pacific

2025-26 season summary: 11-19 (6-12 in WCC, eighth in conference); lost to Washington State in first round of WCC Tournament

Overview: The Tigers are entering Year 12 under head coach Bradley Davis. They’ve only had three winning seasons and one winning conference record in that span. The program does have several key players returning from 2025-26 as well as a few potential impact freshmen. But the Tigers are still a tier behind the upper half of the conference. A conference tournament appearance is likely in the cards, but not much more than that.

Incoming transfers:

JoJo Nworie (Colorado, 6’5, Gr., F/C – 1.4 ppg in 2025-26)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Payton Montgomery (6’1, F)

Pepperdine

2025-26 season summary: 21-13 (10-8 in WCC, sixth in conference); lost to South Dakota in WNIT round of 16

Overview: The Waves had a highly successful season in Katie Faulkner’s second season as head coach. They were one of the better teams in the conference, and they parlayed that into a WNIT appearance, winning two rounds before falling to South Dakota. It was the program’s first national postseason showing since 2019.

The team took a hit in the offseason with several seniors departing. But with a fairly talented roster remaining, the Waves should still finish in the top half of the conference.

Incoming transfers:

Keandra Koorits (Washington State, 6’2, RS So., G – 6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg in 2025-26)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Landrie Callahan (6’2, F)

Portland

2025-26 season summary: 20-15 (11-7 in WCC, fifth in conference); lost to Montana State in WNIT round of 16

Overview: The Pilots are in Year 8 under head coach Michael Meek, and they’ve been one of the most successful programs in the conference during his tenure. They have made two NCAA Tournament appearances and made a solid run in the WNIT last spring.

The Pilots have one of the most intact rosters returning, which says a lot considering the current state of college basketball and the explosion of the transfer portal. They will be among the contenders vying for the conference crown.

Incoming transfers:

None

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Pahlyss Hokianga (5’6, G)

Carly Gonzalez (6’2, F)

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Saint Mary’s

2025-26 season summary: 15-17 (6-12 in WCC, 10th in conference); lost to San Diego in first round of WCC Tournament

Overview: It’s been a slow build for the Gaels coming into Year 4 under head coach Jeff Cammon. The team has improved by a single win in each season he’s been at the helm while being in the middle of the pack in the WCC. It lost several players to the portal from last season and added seven freshmen. If some of those freshmen can make an immediate impact, the Gaels’ fortunes could improve.

Incoming transfers:

Lihi Azouri (Southeastern Louisiana, 5’8, So., G – 10.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg in 2025-26)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Evelyn Tounkara (6’2, F)

Audrey Bhesania (6’1, G)

San Diego

2025-26 season summary: 11-22 (4-14 in WCC, 11th in conference); lost to San Francisco in second round of WCC Tournament

Overview: The Toreros come into Year 2 under head coach Blanche Alverson. It’s been three seasons now since the program had a winning record. The team welcomes the return of one of the best players in the conference, junior Kylie Ray. While it did lose a few players to the portal in the offseason, there is enough remaining talent, as well as boosts from the portal and incoming freshmen, that the Toreros could make a run at the top half of the conference.

Incoming transfers:

Key returners:

Kylie Ray (Jr., G – 15.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.7 apg)

Incoming freshmen:

San Francisco

2025-26 season summary: 19-15 (9-9 in WCC, seventh in conference); lost to Montana State in second round of WNIT

Overview: This is Year 10 now for head coach Molly Goodenbour, who has consistently made the Dons one of the better teams in the conference in her tenure. They added a few potential impact transfers to go along with a good group of returners, including potential all-conference selection Candy Edokpaigbe. The Dons will be one of the teams fighting to finish in the upper half of the WCC standings.

Incoming transfers:

Keiryn McGuff (Akron, 6’, Sr., G/F – 9.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg in 2025-26)

Lucia Yenes (New Mexico State, 6’, Gr., F – 12.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

Key returners:

Candy Edokpaigbe (Jr., G – 17.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

Incoming freshmen:

Belize Ibañez Mengüç (5’10, G)

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Santa Clara

2025-26 season summary: 24-10 (13-5 in WCC, third in conference); lost to Cal in first round of WBIT

Overview: The Broncos are coming off a successful season in Loree Payne’s first year at the helm. She established herself immediately as one of the conference’s best coaches, and the program now has some of the top returning players in the WCC. Santa Clara will be in the mix for the conference championship and will look to snap its 21-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Incoming transfers:

Emma Najjuna (New Mexico, 6’4, Sr., C – 3.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Brooke Blachly (5’8, G)

Seattle

2025-26 season summary: 5-25 (1-17 in WCC, 12th in conference); lost to Washington State in first round of WCC Tournament

Overview: The Redhawks have a new head coach in John Bonner and the most roster turnover in the conference. Only one player from last season’s team remains following the coaching change. This is a completely new team, made up almost entirely of transfers. There are a couple of freshmen in the mix, but the Redhawks’ success largely hinges on how quickly the transfers can gel.

Incoming transfers:

Sophie Buzzard (Portland State, 5’10, So., G – 4.2 ppg in 2025-26)

Cristina Jones (Cal State Fullerton, 5’10, Jr., F – 16.5 ppg, 9.9 rpg)

Nari Powers (Georgia State, 6’, Jr., F – 2.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg)

Mahliya Wilson (Division II Dominican, 5’8, RS So., G – 15.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

Key returners:

Incoming freshmen:

Gabriela Escorial Ferrero (6’, F)

Lindsay Biddle (5’11, G)

Enjoyed this story? Read more of our conference previews for the 2026-27 season!