LIVINGSTON, Ala. – A new-look West Alabama women's basketball team is set to open the 2026-27 season on Monday, Nov. 9, traveling to take on No. 23 Columbus State in a 5:30 p.m. matchup.

The Tigers enter the season looking to build on the progress made under head coach Tiffany Morton, who begins her third season at the helm of the program. After a significant step forward in her second season, Morton and the Tigers now turn their attention to continuing that momentum with a roster featuring a mix of returning contributors, experienced transfers and new faces.

Building on Last Season's Progress

West Alabama made significant strides during the 2025-26 campaign, highlighted by an 10-win improvement in Morton's career record at UWA. She currently ranks eighth all-time in program history with 18 career victories and sixth all-time among Gulf South Conference coaches with 15 conference wins.

The Tigers' improvement also marked a notable milestone in program history. UWA recorded a 10-win increase from the previous season, matching the largest single-season improvement since Amanda Marks guided the program from an 11-15 record in 2002-03 to a 22-8 finish in 2003-04.

Offensively, West Alabama averaged 69.8 points per game, the fourth-highest mark in the GSC and the program's best scoring average since the 2017-18 season, when the Tigers averaged 68.7 points per contest.

The Tigers also established themselves as one of the conference's strongest rebounding teams, averaging 40.0 rebounds per game to lead the GSC. UWA outrebounded its opponents by an average of 7.3 boards per game, providing a foundation for its success on both ends of the floor.

Replacing a Productive Senior Class

While the Tigers return to the court with momentum, they will have to account for significant production lost from last season. West Alabama graduated or saw the transfer of its top six scorers, leaving several opportunities for the new roster to step into larger roles.

Among the biggest departures is Second Team All-GSC selection Bellah Machen, who graduated after leading the Tigers with 15.4 points per game, ranking sixth in the conference. Machen also averaged 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 44 percent from the field, 30 percent from three-point range and 81 percent at the free-throw line.

UWA also graduated Haley Nichols, who was one of the conference's top frontcourt performers. Nichols averaged 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, with her rebounding average ranking second in the GSC. She shot 60 percent from the field and added 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals per game.

The Tigers will also replace the production of Nailah Mayes, who averaged 10.2 points per game, and Kendall LaCoste, who contributed 10.7 points per contest, following their departures through the transfer portal. Callie Cowan graduated after averaging 8.1 points per game, while Chardai Watkins also departed through the transfer portal after contributing 7.3 points per contest.

With six of the team's top scoring options no longer on the roster, West Alabama will look to its returning players and newcomers to help fill those roles.

Three Returners Provide a Foundation

West Alabama brings back three players from last season, including returning starter Shay Hunter and key contributors Lyric Broussard and Jayda Bernard.

Hunter returns as one of the Tigers' primary playmakers after averaging 6.7 points, 4.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Her 4.1 assists per contest led the team last season, making her experience and ability to distribute the basketball an important piece of the returning roster.

Bernard also returns after showing her scoring potential in opportunities throughout the season. She recorded one of her strongest performances against Christian Brothers, finishing with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting and a perfect 5-of-5 mark at the free-throw line. Against Montevallo, Bernard delivered a career-high 22 points, adding five rebounds and two blocks while shooting 10-of-13 from the field.

Broussard returns as a versatile contributor who brings effort and defensive intensity to the lineup. In 24 appearances last season, she recorded 40 rebounds and nine steals, providing valuable work on the defensive end and helping the Tigers in areas that do not always show up in the scoring column.

Newcomers Bring Experience and Scoring Ability

The Tigers welcome a large incoming class with collegiate experience across multiple levels. Three of those newcomers, Donee' Frazier, Lia Edwards and Amiya Redus were recognized on the GSC Newcomers Watchlist entering the season.

Frazier joins West Alabama as a senior transfer from Christian Brothers after an impressive 2025-26 campaign. In 15 appearances, including nine starts, she averaged 17.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while playing 23.3 minutes per contest. She shot 47.3 percent from the field and 75.7 percent from the free-throw line, finishing the season with 259 points, 82 rebounds, 13 assists and five blocks.

Frazier demonstrated her scoring ability with a career-high 29-point performance against Lee on Jan. 17, going 7-of-13 from the field and 15-of-19 at the free-throw line. She also grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds against AUM on Dec. 20 and recorded a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds against Union on Feb. 2.

Edwards joins the Tigers as a redshirt-junior transfer from Montevallo, bringing three seasons of collegiate experience and the ability to contribute on both ends of the floor. During the 2024-25 season, Edwards appeared in 23 games and made 16 starts, averaging 10.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. She shot 37.8 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three-point range and 73.6 percent from the free-throw line while recording 24 assists, 24 steals and six blocks.

Edwards' career-high performance came against West Alabama on Jan. 11, 2025, when she scored 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, and went 9-of-11 at the free-throw line. She also posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Embry-Riddle on Nov. 9, 2024.

Redus arrives in Livingston as a junior transfer from Shorter following a breakout season with the Hawks. In 29 appearances during the 2025-26 campaign, she averaged 16.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Redus set a Shorter school record and established a career high with 41 points against Flagler on Nov. 15, 2025. Her performance earned her a place on the Conference Carolinas All-Conference Second Team and recognition on the league's preseason watch list. She also earned Dean's List honors in both the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters.

A Deep Incoming Class

Beyond the three GSC Newcomers Watchlist selections, West Alabama adds a group of newcomers who bring experience from NCAA Division I, Division II and junior college programs.

Nicole Sandifer joins the Tigers after spending two seasons at Grambling State. Across 29 appearances and one start, she totaled 85 points, 35 rebounds, nine assists and 11 steals. Sandifer shot 34.0 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Dayshauna Crowley brings an accomplished junior college résumé after two seasons at Kellogg Community College. She appeared in 49 games and made 45 starts, averaging 22.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while playing 33.3 minutes per contest. Crowley finished her JUCO career with 1,091 points, 525 rebounds, 95 assists, 107 steals and 90 blocks.

Trinity Cook is the lone freshman on the roster after a decorated high school career at Callaway High School. She helped lead Callaway to a 6A Women's Basketball State Championship and earned All-6A Region Team honors. Across 99 varsity games, Cook finished with 638 points, 376 rebounds, 150 assists, 152 steals and 13 blocks. As a senior, she averaged 12.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She also scored a career-high 31 points and was active in student leadership as SGA vice president, while earning Honor Roll recognition and membership in the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.

Alina Martin joins West Alabama after appearing in 28 games for Valdosta State during the 2025-26 season, including one start. She averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game, finishing with 228 points, 85 rebounds, 32 assists, seven blocks and 15 steals. Martin recorded a season-high 19 points against West Alabama on Dec. 4, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. She also grabbed a season-best 11 rebounds against Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 29.

Micaiah Satcher adds two seasons of junior college experience from East Mississippi Community College. Across 53 appearances and 46 starts, she totaled 415 points, 211 rebounds, 91 assists, 139 steals and 17 blocks.

Kamiyha Griffin joins the Tigers from Alabama A&M, where she appeared in 32 games during the 2025-26 season. Griffin averaged 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field. She finished the campaign with 96 points, 55 rebounds, 51 assists, 39 steals and two blocks.

Denver Arnold brings experience from Edward Waters and Coastal Alabama Community College. In 14 appearances at Edward Waters during the 2025-26 season, she recorded 32 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals. Prior to that, Arnold played two seasons at Coastal Alabama, appearing in 46 games and making 44 starts. She totaled 526 points, 94 rebounds, 55 assists, 37 steals and seven blocks, averaging 11.4 points per game while shooting 36.2 percent from three-point range.

Terica Smith rounds out the incoming group after two seasons at Meridian Community College, where she started all 60 games. Smith totaled 811 points, 387 rebounds, 109 steals, 63 assists and five blocks while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 66.3 percent from the free-throw line. She also recorded a career-high 30 points during her junior college career.

Opening the Season Against a Ranked Opponent

West Alabama's first opportunity to put its new roster to the test comes against a challenging opponent. The Tigers open the 2026-27 season on Monday, Nov. 9, on the road against No. 23 Columbus State.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. as Morton and the Tigers begin their third season together, looking to build on last year's progress and establish a new identity with a revamped roster.

For updates, schedules and coverage of West Alabama women's basketball, visit uwaathletics.com and follow UWA Athletics on social media.