10/19/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW ORLEANS - Coastal Carolina redshirt junior guard Tessa Grady was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt First Team, the league announced on Monday.
Grady returns to the Chants after leading the team with 13.6 points per game last season. She ranked third in the league in both three-point percentage (36%) and three-pointers per game (2.6). Her 83 three-pointers last season tied for the fourth-most in program history. Playing her first season with Coastal after transferring from Wisconsin, Grady also averaged 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 41-percent from the field and 36-percent from three-point range.
The Chanticleers were picked tied for 7th along with Southern Miss in the Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. James Madison led the poll, followed by Troy, Arkansas State, Marshall, Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion ahead of Coastal.
Coastal Carolina opens the season at Western Michigan on Nov. 2 at 12 p.m. before their home-opener on Nov. 5 against Johnson University at 12 p.m. at the HTC Center
2026-27 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | G | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
2026-27 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
Parentheses indicate first-place votes
For complete coverage of CCU women's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Grady returns to the Chants after leading the team with 13.6 points per game last season. She ranked third in the league in both three-point percentage (36%) and three-pointers per game (2.6). Her 83 three-pointers last season tied for the fourth-most in program history. Playing her first season with Coastal after transferring from Wisconsin, Grady also averaged 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 41-percent from the field and 36-percent from three-point range.
The Chanticleers were picked tied for 7th along with Southern Miss in the Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. James Madison led the poll, followed by Troy, Arkansas State, Marshall, Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion ahead of Coastal.
Coastal Carolina opens the season at Western Michigan on Nov. 2 at 12 p.m. before their home-opener on Nov. 5 against Johnson University at 12 p.m. at the HTC Center
2026-27 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | G | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
2026-27 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
Parentheses indicate first-place votes
For complete coverage of CCU women's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Players Mentioned
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