The 2025–26 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season was the season for Mid-American Conference women's basketball teams. It began with practices in October 2024, followed by the start of the 2025–26 NCAA Division I women's basketball season in November. Conference play will began in December 2025 and concluded in March 2026. The 2026 MAC tournament was at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio for the 26th consecutive season. This season marks the conference's first change in membership since 2005 with the addition of UMass. It will also be the last MAC season for Northern Illinois, which will rejoin the Horizon League in 2026 after a nearly 30-year absence.
Ball State and Miami shared the regular season championship with a 16–2 record Madi Morson of Central Michigan won player of the year. In the 2026 MAC women's basketball tournament, Miami defeated Kent State, Ohio, and Toledo to win the MAC tournament title, their first since 2008, to advance to the 2026 NCAA tournament. Amber Scalia of Miami was named tournament MVP.
Head coaches Coaching changes Buffalo After a 30 win season, a WNIT Championship, and a 61–37 record at Buffalo over three seasons, Becky Burke was hired as the head coach at Arizona on April 14, 2025. On April 18, Buffalo hired Kristen Sharkey, former Buffalo basketball player and assistant coach, as the school's 14th women's basketball head coach.
Northern Illinois Lisa Carlsen resigned from as the Northern Illinois women's basketball coach on March 10, 2025, after a 13–17 season and an overall 147–155 record over nine seasons with the Huskies. On April 1, NIU hired Buffalo associate head coach Jacey Brooks as the new head coach.
Western Michigan Shane Clipfell announced his retirement from coaching on March 17, 2025, after 13 seasons and a 184–209 record as the head coach of Western Michigan University. On March 28, Detroit Mercy head coach Kate Achter was named the seventh head coach in program history.
Coaches Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record School record MAC record MAC titles MAC tournament titles NCAA tournaments NCAA Final Fours NCAA championshipsAkron Ryan Gensler Illinois (Asst.)3 0 0 0 0 0Ball State Brady SalleeEastern Illinois14 1 1 1 0 0Bowling Green Fred Chmiel South Carolina (Asst.)3 † 0 0 0 0 0Buffalo Kristen Sharkey Syracuse (Assoc. HC)1 0 0 0 0 0Central Michigan Kristin Haynie Michigan State (Asst.)3 0 0 0 0 0Eastern Michigan Sahar Nusseibeh Canisius 2 0 0 0 0 0Kent State Todd Starkey Indiana (Asst.)10 0 1 1 0 0Miami Glenn Box Indiana (Assoc HC.)3 0 0 0 0 0Northern Illinois Jacey Brooks Buffalo (Assoc HC.) 1 0 0 0 0 0Ohio Bob Boldon Youngstown State 13 2 1 1 0 0Toledo Ginny Boggess Monmouth 2 0 0 0 0 0UMass Mike Leflar 3 0 0 0 0 0Western Michigan Kate Achter 1 0 0 0 0 0 Notes: Appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Years at school includes 2025–26 season. MAC records are from time at current school only. All statistics and records are through the beginning of the season. Chmiel's overall record does not include his coaching record at Feather River College and Lassen College because it is unknown to the author.
Source:
Preseason
The MAC Men's & Women's Basketball Tip-Off was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Each team had their head coach and a student athlete from both the men's and women's basketball team for interviews.
MAC Women's Basketball Preview Coaches & Student-Athletes Akron: Head Coach Ryan Gensler & Keiryn McGuff (Junior, Guard/Forward) Ball State: Head Coach Brady Sallee & Grace Kingery (Sophomore, Guard) Bowling Green: Head Coach Fred Chmiel & Paige Kohler (Junior, Guard) Buffalo: Head Coach Kristen Sharkey & Gabby McDuffie (Grad., Guard) Central Michigan: Head Coach Kristin Haynie & Zareia Chevre (5th, Forward) Eastern Michigan: Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh & Sisi Eleko (Senior, Forward) Kent State: Head Coach Todd Starkey & Janae Tyler (Junior, Forward) Miami: Head Coach Glenn Box & Amber Tretter (Junior, Forward) Northern Illinois: Head Coach Jacey Brooks & Alecia Doyle (Senior, Guard) Ohio: Head Coach Bob Boldon & Elli Garnett (Grad., Forward) Toledo: Head Coach Ginny Boggess & Patricia Anumgba (Grad., Guard) Western Michigan: Head Coach Kate Achter & Alli Carlson (Senior, Guard)
Preseason women's basketball coaches poll +Women's Basketball Preseason Poll Place Team Points First place votes 1. Kent State 133 5 2. Toledo 118 2 3. UMass 115 3 4. Ball State 112 3 5. Central Michigan 105 -- 6. Bowling Green 101 -- 7. Miami 86 -- 8. Akron 51 -- 9. Western Michigan 48 -- 10. Ohio 44 -- 11. Buffalo 42 -- 12. Eastern Michigan 36 -- 13. Northern Illinois 23 -- MAC tournament champions: Kent State (5), UMass (3), Toledo (3), Ball State (1), Miami (1)
Source
MAC Preseason All-Conference
Honor Recipient Preseason All-MAC First TeamJanae Tyler, Kent State, JuniorKendall Carruthers, Toledo, JuniorMadi Morson, Central Michigan, SophomorePaige Kohler, Bowling Green, JuniorSisi Eleko, Eastern Michigan, Senior Preseason All-MAC Second TeamAmber Tretter, Miami, JuniorAyanna-Sarai Darrington, Central Michigan, SophomoreMegan Olbrys, UMass, SeniorMya Babbitt, Kent State, JuniorYahmani McKayle, UMass, Sophomore
Regular season Ball State and Miami shared the regular season championship with a 16–2 record.
Rankings
Pre Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18 Wk19 Final Akron AP C Ball State AP C Bowling Green AP C Buffalo AP C Central Michigan AP C Eastern Michigan AP C Kent State AP C Miami AP C Northern Illinois AP C Ohio AP C Toledo AP C UMass AP C Western Michigan AP C
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
Postseason
Mid–American Tournament
Miami defeated Kent State, Ohio and Toledo to win their first tournament since 2009 and advance to the 2026 NCAA tournament. Amber Scalia was the tournament MVP.
NCAA tournament
As a 13 seed Miami drew the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first round.
Women's National Invitation Tournament
Ohio was the only program to accepted a bid where they will play UMBC.
All-MAC awards
Mid-American men's basketball weekly awards Source:
WeekPlayer(s) of the WeekSchoolNov 10Bree SalenbienBall StateNov 17Johnea DonahueBowling GreenNov 24Bree Salenbien (2)Ball StateDec 1Sisi ElekoEastern MichiganDec 8Amber TretterMiamiDec 15Sisi Eleko (2)Eastern MichiganDec 22Johnea Donahue (2)Bowling GreenDec 29N/AJan 5Fernanda OvalleEastern MichiganJan 12Madi MorsonCentral MichiganJan 19Emory KlattKent StateJan 26Ilse de VriesMiamiFeb 2Tessa TowersBall StateFeb 9Amber Tretter (2)MiamiFeb 16Bree Salenbien (3)Ball StateFeb 23Megan OlbrysUMassMar 2Ayanna-Sarai DarringtonCentral MichiganMar 9Madi Morson (2)Central Michigan
Postseason awards 2026 Mid-American Women's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Player of the Year Madi Morson, Central MichiganCoach of the Year Glenn Box, MiamiDefensive Player of the Year Johnea Donahue, Bowling GreenFreshman of the Year Peyton Hill, Eastern MichiganSixth Man Award Emory Klatt, Kent State
All-MAC Honors 2026 Mid-American Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams First Team Second Team Third Team Honorable Mention All-Defensive Freshman TeamTessa Towers, Ball StateBree Salenbien, Ball StateMadi Morson, Central MichiganYahmani McKayle, UMasAmber Tretter, MiamiAyanna-Sarai Darrington, Central MichiganSisi Eleko, Eastern MichiganMya Babbitt, Kent StateMegan Olbrys, UMassBailey Tabeling, OhioPaige Kohler, Bowling GreenIlse De Vries, MiamiTamar Singer, MiamiKendall Carruthers, ToledoPatricia Anumgba, ToledoGrace Kingery, Ball StateJohnea Donahue, Bowling GreenPeyton Hill, Eastern MichiganAllie Palmieri, UMassFaith Fedd-Robinson, ToledoShaena Brew, AkronAniss Tagayi, Ball StateAniya Rowe, BuffaloPeyton Hill, Eastern MichiganEmilie Sorensen, Northern IllinoisAniss Tagayi, Ball StateJohnae Donahue, Bowling GreenAyanna Franks, UMassIlse De Vries, MiamiTamar Singer, Miami
See also 2025–26 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season
References