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NAIA Women’s Basketball Notebook #1

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Marian University women's basketball players in game action during the opening weekend of the 2026 NAIA season

The 2026 NAIA Women’s Basketball season is officially underway! Check out the Top 25 results from the opening weekend below, along with what big games are coming up in the next few weeks.

The Battle for the Red Banner has begun!

Opening Weekend Top 25 vs Top 25 Results

RV St. Francis (Ill.) 38 at RV Indiana Tech 82

RV Friends (Kan.) 47 at No. 18 Hastings (Neb.) 92

No. 8 Campbellsville (Ky.) 84 at RV Indiana Tech 80

RV Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 58 at No. 12 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 59

RV LSU Shreveport (La.) 52 at RV Bethel (Kan.) 66

RV Eastern Oregon 45 at No. 24 Carroll (Mont.) 55

No. 3 Dakota State (S.D.) 87 at No. 23 Oregon Tech 91

RV Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 66 at No. 9 Saint Francis (Ind.) 112

No. 20 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 84 at Campbellsville (Ky.) 79

RV Williams Baptist (Ark.) 54 at No. 4 Bethel (Tenn.) 72

RV Huntington (Ind.) 71 at RV Indiana Tech 70

Top 25 vs Top 25 Upcoming Games | Oct. 30 – Nov. 20

Oct. 30, 12:00 PM — No. 8 Campbellsville (Ky.) at RV Williams Baptist (Ark.)

Oct. 30, 12:00 PM — No. 16 Montana Tech at RV Eastern Oregon

Oct. 30, 2:00 PM — No. 20 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) at No. 4 Bethel (Tenn.)

Oct. 30, 5:00 PM — No. 1 Marian (Ind.) at RV Faulkner (Ala.)

Oct. 30, 8:00 PM — RV Cumberland (Tenn.) at No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan

Oct. 31 — No. 1 Marian (Ind.) at RV William Carey (Miss.)

Oct. 31, 4:00 PM — No. 16 Montana Tech at No. 22 College of Idaho

Nov. 1, 3:00 PM — No. 24 Carroll (Mont.) at RV Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)

Nov. 3, 6:00 PM — No. 20 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) at RV Evangel (Mo.)

Nov. 4, 5:00 PM — RV Friends (Kan.) at RV Mid-America Christian (Okla.)

Nov. 4, 7:00 PM — RV IU South Bend (Ind.) at RV Huntington (Ind.)

Nov. 5, 5:00 PM — No. 25 Spring Arbor (Mich.) at RV Cumberlands (Ky.)

Nov. 6, 1:00 PM — No. 25 Spring Arbor (Mich.) at No. 6 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

Nov. 6, 2:00 PM — No. 2 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at No. 3 Dakota State (S.D.)

Nov. 6, 3:00 PM — RV Bethel (Ind.) at RV Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)

Nov. 6, 4:00 PM — No. 16 Montana Tech at No. 10 Concordia (Neb.)

Nov. 7, 10:00 AM — No. 2 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at No. 16 Montana Tech

Nov. 7, 12:00 PM — No. 3 Dakota State (S.D.) at No. 10 Concordia (Neb.)

Nov. 7, 4:00 PM — RV Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) at RV Corban (Ore.)

Nov. 10, 6:00 PM — RV Indiana Tech at No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan

Nov. 10, 5:30 PM — No. 7 Dordt (Iowa) at No. 3 Dakota State (S.D.)

Nov. 13, 7:00 PM — RV Williams Baptist (Ark.) at No. 20 College of the Ozarks (Mo.)

Nov. 14, 12:00 PM — No. 19 Loyola (La.) at RV William Carey (Miss.)

Nov. 14, 2:00 PM — No. 18 Hastings (Neb.) at No. 2 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)

Nov. 14, 4:00 PM — RV Indiana Tech at No. 9 Saint Francis (Ind.)

Nov. 14, 3:00 PM — RV Columbia (Mo.) at No. 20 College of the Ozarks (Mo.)

Nov. 14, 2:00 PM — No. 23 Oregon Tech at No. 16 Montana Tech

Nov. 14, 6:00 PM — No. 12 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) at RV Corban (Ore.)

Nov. 15, 2:00 PM — No. 1 Marian (Ind.) at RV Cumberlands (Ky.)

Nov. 18, 5:30 PM — RV Bethel (Ind.) at No. 1 Marian (Ind.)

Nov. 18, 5:30 PM — No. 25 Spring Arbor (Mich.) at RV Huntington (Ind.)

PrestoSports Offensive & Defensive Players of the Week — coming in November.

Coaches Top 25 Poll — Preseason poll: October. Next poll: November.

Built for the Next Arena

The next Notebook will feature a new NAIA Women’s Basketball story series that highlights former student-athletes, how they turned lessons from sport into lifelong success, and how they are making an impact beyond the game.

About the NAIA

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships.

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Women’s Exhibition Roundup: NC State Rolls, Stanford Defends, Purdue Escapes

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October 26, 2026

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Four women’s programs closed the preseason weekend in very different fashions: No. 25 NC State in a walkover, Stanford behind a thieving defense, Purdue by the skin of its teeth, and George Mason in a 42-point runaway. With the regular season opening Nov. 2, here’s the wrap on the weekend’s women’s exhibitions beyond the headline ranked matchups.

No. 25 NC State 75, UNC Wilmington 40

The Wolfpack smothered UNCW from the opening tip in Raleigh, leading 22-4 after one quarter, 34-17 at halftime and 57-33 after three, with the largest lead reaching 36. Vanderbilt transfer Khamil Pierre starred with 27 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes, Zamareya Jones added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists, and NC State shot 50% while holding the Seahawks to 26% shooting. Kylah Silver led UNCW with 16 points, and freshman Tia Samuels grabbed 11 rebounds.

Stanford 72, Pacific 45

Stanford scored the game’s first 10 points, led 22-6 after one quarter and pushed the margin to 57-31 after three in a defensive clinic at Maples Pavilion, totaling 21 steals and holding Pacific to 28% shooting. Shay Ijiwoye and rookie Lara Somfai scored 16 points apiece — Somfai in just 17 minutes off the bench — Talana Lepolo added 15 points and four assists, and Nunu Agara finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three steals. Pacific’s individual scoring lines were not published in postgame reports.

Purdue 55, UIC 52

Purdue trailed for most of the first half — down 19-9 after one quarter and 31-24 at halftime — before tying the game 40-40 after three and stealing the win in the final minute, literally: Nya Smith’s steal and layup with 24.8 seconds left put the Boilermakers ahead for good, and UIC’s tying three at the buzzer missed. Taylor Feldman led Purdue with 15 points and six assists, and the Boilermakers survived on the glass, piling up 20 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points despite shooting 30.6%. Julia Coleman’s 13-point, 10-rebound double-double led UIC.

George Mason 99, Mount St. Mary’s 57

George Mason controlled its A-10 vs. NEC exhibition throughout at EagleBank Arena, more than doubling Mount St. Mary’s output across the middle quarters after the Mountaineers hung within single digits early, and closing out a 42-point win. Valentina Saric led the Mount with 15 points and nine rebounds, Wesleigh Ferguson added 13 points and six rebounds, and Lenora Nkangwen scored 11. George Mason’s individual scoring lines were not published in postgame reports.

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