Grand Valley State selected as GLIAC favorite for 2025 women's basketball season

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the results of its preseason women's basketball poll for the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

The rankings were determined by a vote of the league coaches.

Defending national champion Grand Valley State (100 points) was selected by the conference coaches as the favorite to claim the 2026 title, receiving 10 first-place votes.

The Lakers, which went 19-1 in conference play last season, also won their fourth straight GLIAC regular season title, their third consecutive GLIAC Tournament title and their second Midwest Regional Championship in the past four years.

Senior guard Nicole Kamin (9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), sophomore forward MacKenzie Bisballe (10.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and senior guard/forward Paige Vanstee (8.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) return to lead the Lakers.

Northern Michigan (87 points) was chosen second. The Wildcats went 23-9 a year ago, including a 15-5 mark in GLIAC play, advancing to the NCAA regional semifinals.

Ferris State (84) was tabbed third, receiving one first-place vote. The Bulldogs won 21 games last season, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Parkside (72 points) was voted fourth followed closely by Wayne State (66 points) in fifth.

Just five points separated Michigan Tech (48 points), Saginaw Valley State (46 points) and Roosevelt (43 points), which polled sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

The Cardinals feature the conference's top scorer from 2024-25, junior forward Megan McCalla (16.6 ppg), while the Lakers boast last year's leader in steals, Marie Outlay (3.3 spg).

Davenport (9th, 25), Lake Superior State (10th, 21) and Purdue Northwest (11th, 13) rounded out the 2025-26 poll.