NORFOLK, Va. (October 21, 2026) – The MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) unveiled its women's basketball Preseason Order of Finish where Howard University was projected to repeat as champions. The announcement came Wednesday morning.
 
Howard captured the top spot, collecting 86 total points, including 10 first-place votes. Last season, the Bison won 26 games, which is the most by any Howard team, men or women, in program history. Additionally, HU earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which is also the highest in school history.
 
Norfolk State followed closely in second with 76 points while Maryland Eastern Shore secured third place with 56 points (one first-place vote). Coppin State finished fourth in the poll with 47 points, followed by Morgan State (40 points), North Carolina Central (36 points), Delaware State (34 points) and South Carolina State (17 points), respectively.
 
Furthermore, the conference also recognized student-athletes on its 2026-27 Preseason Watch List where fifth-year Bison Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) and sophomore Ariella Henigan (Chicago) made the cut.
 
Stewart made the 2025-26 BOXTOROW HBCU All-American First Team after leading the league with a 43-percent field goal percentage. The All-MEAC First Team selection started all 34 games, ranking among the conference leaders in multiple categories.
 
A year ago, Henigan won MEAC Rookie of the Year after winning the weekly honor four times. She finished 79-percent from the charity stripe, which ranked fourth in the league. The All-Rookie Team selection saw action in 32 contests, including 25 starts.
 
The 2026-27 MEAC Women's Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason Watch List were voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Howard opens its 2026-27 campaign at Missouri Monday (Nov. 2). Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. (ET).
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com or the MEAC website at www.MEACSports.com.