Ottawa was picked eighth in the KCAC women’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll, positioning the Braves to improve on last season’s ninth-place conference finish. The team returns three players who earned conference honors: All-KCAC selections Dominique Schutte and McKinley Kruger, and All-Freshman pick Clare Williams.

By the Numbers
  • Ottawa received 95 points and was picked eighth among 14 teams.
  • The Braves went 15-12 overall and 10-12 in KCAC play in 2025-26, tying for ninth.
  • Ottawa was 1 point behind seventh-place Saint Mary and 9 points ahead of ninth-place Bethany.
Yes, But

Ottawa’s eighth-place projection signals room to climb, but the poll puts the Braves near the middle of a tightly grouped field: Saint Mary is just 1 point ahead, while Bethany is 9 points back.

Bottom Line

With three conference-honored players returning, Ottawa has a foundation to outperform its preseason ranking and move up the KCAC standings.