LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama women's basketball team opens the 2026-27 campaign on Monday, Nov. 9, traveling to Columbus, Georgia, for a season-opening matchup against No. 23 Columbus State. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
The Tigers enter the season looking to build on the progress made during head coach Tiffany Morton's second season, while a revamped roster featuring three returning players and a large group of newcomers prepares for its first test against a nationally ranked opponent.
Building on Last Season's Progress
Morton begins her third season leading the Tigers after guiding the program through a significant improvement during the 2025-26 campaign. She enters the season with 18 career victories at West Alabama, ranking eighth all-time in program history, while her 15 Gulf South Conference wins place her sixth among UWA coaches.
The Tigers' 10-win improvement last season marked the program's largest single-season increase since Amanda Marks led West Alabama from an 11-15 record in 2002-03 to a 22-8 finish in 2003-04.
West Alabama also established itself as one of the GSC's most productive offensive and rebounding teams. The Tigers averaged 69.8 points per game, ranking fourth in the conference and marking the program's highest scoring average since the 2017-18 season, when UWA averaged 68.7 points.
On the glass, West Alabama led the GSC with 40.0 rebounds per game and outrebounded its opponents by an average of 7.3 boards per contest.
Replacing Key Production
Despite last season's success, West Alabama faces the challenge of replacing its top six scorers from a year ago.
Second Team All-GSC selection Bellah Machen graduated after leading the Tigers with 15.4 points per game, the sixth-best scoring average in the conference. She also averaged 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44 percent from the field, 30 percent from three-point range and 81 percent at the free-throw line.
The Tigers also graduated Haley Nichols, who averaged 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Nichols ranked second in the GSC in rebounding while shooting 60 percent from the field and contributing 2.0 assists per contest.
West Alabama additionally lost Nailah Mayes, who averaged 10.2 points per game, and Kendall LaCoste, who averaged 10.7 points, to the transfer portal. Callie Cowan graduated after averaging 8.1 points, while Chardai Watkins departed through the transfer portal after contributing 7.3 points per contest.
With those departures, the Tigers will look to a combination of returning contributors and newcomers to fill the scoring and rebounding production left behind.
Three Returners Lead the Way
West Alabama returns three players from last season, including starting guard Shay Hunter and key contributors Lyric Broussard and Jayda Bernard.
Hunter returns as an experienced backcourt presence 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 a key piece in the Tigers' efforts to organize the offense and create opportunities for her teammates.
Bernard returns after showing her scoring potential in two standout performances. Against Christian Brothers, she finished with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting and went a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. She followed that performance with a career-high 22 points against Montevallo, adding five rebounds and two blocks while shooting 10-of-13 from the field.
Broussard brings defensive energy and toughness to the returning group. In 24 appearances last season, she collected 40 rebounds and nine steals, contributing in the areas that often make a difference beyond the scoring column.
Newcomers Bring Proven Production
The Tigers welcome an experienced incoming class, highlighted by three players named to the GSC Newcomers Watchlist: Donee' Frazier, Lia Edwards and Amiya Redus.
Frazier joins West Alabama as a senior transfer from Christian Brothers after an impressive 2025-26 season. In 15 appearances, including nine starts, she averaged 17.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 75.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Frazier's scoring ability was on full display against Lee on Jan. 17, when she recorded a career-high 29 points, 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 arrives as a redshirt-junior transfer from Montevallo, bringing three seasons of collegiate experience. During the 2024-25 campaign, she 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 recorded a career-high 26 points against West Alabama on Jan. 11, 2025, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 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 joins the Tigers as a junior transfer from Shorter following a breakout season with the Hawks. She appeared in 29 games during the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 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 Conference Carolinas All-Conference Second Team recognition and a place on the league's preseason watch list.
Scouting Columbus State
West Alabama opens its season against a Columbus State squad coming off a 25-5 campaign and an 18-2 record in Peach Belt Conference play. The Cougars captured the PBC regular-season championship, advanced to the conference tournament semifinals and earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.
Columbus State closed the 2025-26 regular season with 12 consecutive victories, winning 19 of its final 21 games. The Cougars enter the new season ranked No. 23 nationally and were picked third in the 2026-27 PBC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 83 points and two first-place votes.
The Cougars return several contributors from last season's championship team, including Alana Hankerson and Samara Saunders. Hankerson appeared in 29 games, averaging 10.9 points per contest while shooting 40.1 percent from the field and connecting on 59 three-pointers at a 32.2 percent clip.
Saunders started 27 of her 29 appearances and averaged 9.2 points per game. She finished the season with 267 points while shooting an efficient 52.3 percent from the field, converting 103 of her 197 attempts.
Columbus State will look to replace the production of PBC Player of the Year Letiya Reeves, who averaged 17.8 points per game during her senior campaign. Reeves earned First Team All-PBC and D2CCA All-Southeast Region First Team honors after a career that included three First Team All-PBC selections and two all-region recognitions.
The Cougars are led by head coach Matt Houser, who was named the 2025-26 PBC Coach of the Year after guiding the program to its regular-season championship and a national ranking as high as No. 8, the highest for Columbus State in more than a decade.
Season Opener
The Tigers begin their 2026-27 season with a challenging road test against one of the nation's ranked programs. West Alabama will look to carry last season's momentum into a new campaign while integrating its newcomers and establishing its identity against the defending PBC regular-season champions.
Tipoff between West Alabama and No. 23 Columbus State is set for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, in Columbus, Georgia.
