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OU WOMEN BASKETBALL PRESEASON PREDICTION 2026

OAKWOOD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PICKED TO WIN 2026-27 HBCU ATHLETIC CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON TITLE

KEYS NAMED ALL-HBCUAC FIRST TEAM, WHILE MURRAY NAMED TO THE SECOND TEAM

10/22/2026 4:14:00 PM

NEW ORLEANS – Oakwood University was picked to finish first in the HBCU Athletic Conference's Women's Basketball 2026-27 Predicted Order of Finish, league officials announced Wednesday.
 
The Ambassadors finished with 187 points and five first-place enroute to being tabbed the favorite to win their first-ever HBCUAC title.
 
"It's nice to be recognized for what we've done over the last couple of years," Oakwood coach Ronnie Abrams said. "It's really put a target on our back. We're going to get everybody's best shot because we're the favorite.
 
"But I believe we'll be ready. We're hungry to bring a championship to Oakwood
University."
 
In addition to being picked to win the regular-season title, the Ambassadors also placed two players on the All-HBCUAC preseason team.
 
Junior Saniya Keys, who was the league's Player of the Year two years ago as a freshman, was named to the first-team, while Kamaria Murray was named to the second team.
 
Keys averaged 13.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game a year ago while earning second-team All-HBCUAC honors.
 
Murray, a junior guard from Murfreesboro, Tenn., averaged 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season.
 
Rust College center Lauren Bennett was named the league's preseason Player of the Year after averaging 15.4 points and 11.5 rebounds in helping the Bearcats win their fourth HBCUAC championship in the last five years.
 
Fisk University's Ari Branch, Tougaloo's Shalayne Morgan and Wilberforce University's Laniya Early rounded out the first team.
 
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (First-place votes are in parentheses)
  1. Oakwood University 187 (5)
  2. Talladega College 169 (2)
  3. Paul Quinn College 162 (2)
  4. Philander Smith University 151 (1)
  5. Dillard University 141 (1)
  6. Wiley University 124 (1)
  7. Stillman College 120
  8. Wilberforce University 119
  9. Fisk University 118
  10. Tougaloo University 112
  11. Rust College 99 (1)
  12. Huston-Tillotson 69
  13. Voorhees University 62
  14. Southern University at New Orleans 60
  15. Jarvis Christian 50
  16. Virgin Islands 25
 For more information on HBCUAC Women's Basketball prediction and pre-season teams, go to HBCU Athletic Conference presents Women's Basketball Preseason All-HBCUAC Teams, Order of Finish - HBCU Athletic Conference.

Follow the Ambassadors
Visit the official home of Oakwood University athletics at Oakwood University - Official Athletics Website.
 
 
 
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