BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2026–27 Patriot League Women’s Basketball season begins today with eight teams in action, including preseason favorite Navy opening their season at Mount St. Mary’s.
 
For more information on Patriot League women’s basketball dates, times and coverage, visit the women’s basketball composite schedule on the League’s official website - www.PatriotLeague.org.
 
Opening Week Schedule 

Monday, Nov. 2	Time	Watch
Lafayette at St. John’s	2 p.m.	ESPN+
Lehigh at UCLA	2:30 p.m.	BIG+
St. Thomas Aquinas at Army West Point	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Holy Cross at Boston College	6 p.m.	ACCNX
Bucknell at Florida	6 p.m.	SECN+
Boston University at Dartmouth	6:30 p.m.	ESPN+
Notre Dame (Md.) at Loyola Maryland	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Navy at Mount St. Mary’s	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Tuesday, Nov. 3
SUNY Morrisville at Colgate	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Thursday, Nov. 5
Dartmouth at Holy Cross	6 p.m.	ESPN+
American at Georgetown	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Army West Point at Brown	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Wagner at Lafayette	8:30 p.m.	ESPN+
Friday, Nov. 6
Northeastern at Boston University	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Lehigh at Monmouth	6 p.m.	FloSports

Full Schedule

NAVY’S BARNETT-GAY AND ARMY WEST POINT’S SMITH TABBED TO BECKY HAMMON MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESEASON WATCHLIST
Navy senior guard Zanai Barnett-Gay and Army West Point senior forward Kya Smith were named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, presented by Her Hoop Stats.

Barnett-Gay led the Patriot League with 16.9 points per game and ranked third in both rebounding (8.4) and assists (4.0) last season. She helped the Mids secure the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Championship and their first outright regular-season title since the 2013-14 season.

Smith led the Black Knights with 10.2 rebounds per game, ranking second in the Patriot League and 21st nationally. She was the League’s only player to average a double-double, scoring 13.7 points per game. Smith recorded two games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, posting 27 points and 20 rebounds against Howard and 21 points and 21 rebounds against Lafayette in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE WBB RETURNS TOP TALENT
The Patriot League returns several of last season’s top statistical performers, led by Navy’s Barnett-Gay, who paced the League with 16.9 points per game and earned AP All-America honorable mention recognition. Lafayette’s Teresa Kiewiet, who ranked second in scoring (16.3), also returns, along with Army West Point’s Smith, who finished second in rebounding (10.2). Lehigh’s Gracyn Lovette rounds out the League’s returning statistical leaders, averaging 4.2 assists per game last season.

PATRIOT LEAGUE WBB FEATURES YOUNG COACHING TALENT
Four Patriot League head coaches enter their first or second seasons with their current programs. Ben O’Brien takes over at Lafayette after leading the University of Scranton to the NCAA Division III national championship game last season. American’s Kelly Killion and Colgate’s Shannon Bush enter their second seasons, as does Army West Point’s Katie Kuester, who earned the Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year Award and guided the Black Knights to the WNIT Great 8 in her debut season.

NAVY EARNS TOP SPOT IN 2026-27 PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
Navy topped the 2026-27 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll for the second consecutive season, earning 81 points and nine first-place votes. The Mids look to build on last season’s regular-season title and 16-2 League record after increasing their win total for the fourth consecutive season under head coach Tim Taylor.

Navy returns the League’s last three Rookie of the Year honorees in Barnett-Gay, junior guard Julianna Almeida and sophomore guard Zoe Mesuch. Barnett-Gay was named the 2026-27 Preseason Patriot League Player and Defensive Player of the Year, while Mesuch earned Rookie of the Year honors last season. The trio combined to average 39.9 points per game last season, accounting for more than half of Navy’s 69.6 points per game.

2026-27 PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON HONORS
Navy’s Barnett-Gay was selected as the 2026-27 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year, headlining a five-member Preseason All-Patriot League Team that includes three returning All-League honorees and one member of last season’s All-Rookie Team.
Barnett-Gay is joined by Army West Point seniors Camryn Tade and Smith, Lafayette’s Kiewiet and Lehigh sophomore forward Leia Edwards.

PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK
CBS Sports Network will televise four Patriot League women’s basketball games during the 2026-27 season, including both Army West Point-Navy matchups. The Black Knights will host the Mids on Saturday, Jan. 23, before visiting Navy on Saturday, Feb. 20. Both games will tip off at 11 a.m.

Lehigh’s game at American will air on Monday, Feb. 8, at 4:30 p.m. The Mountain Hawks and Eagles split their two regular-season meetings last season.

The Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship Game will air on CBS Sports Network for the 18th consecutive season on Tuesday, March 9, at 5 p.m.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel in both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.