PORTLAND, Ore. — The Montana State Billings women's basketball team is picked to finished fourth in the 2025-26 Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, which was released by the league on Tuesday.
The Yellowjackets, under 22nd-year coach Kevin Woodin, went 25-8 overall last season and 14-4 in the GNAC to finish in a tie for second in the league standings. The Jackets received 64 total voting points in this year's poll, including one first-place vote. Western Washington, with five first-place votes, is picked to win the title, with Central Washington right behind.
2025-26 GNAC women's basketball preseason poll
First-place votes in parentheses
1, WesternWashington, 90 points (5)
2, Central Washington, 89 (4)
3, Saint Martin's, 72
4, Montana State Billings, 64 (1)
5, Northwest Nazarene, 63
6, Alaska Anchorage, 62
7, Simon Fraser, 42
8, Western Oregon, 32
9, Seattle Pacific, 24
10, Alaska, 12
MSUB said goodbye to three program pillars after last year — All-America forward Dyauni Boyce and All-GNAC guards Aspen Giese and Kortney Nelson. But the Yellowjackets do bring back senior forward Kaintlin Grossman and junior guard Layla Baumann.
Grossman averaged 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while starting all 33 contests last season. Baumann was fifth on the team with 7.0 points per game. Both are Billings West graduates.
Junior transfer Allison Kunze, a 5-foot-10 forward, could be a strong addition to the lineup. Kunze earned NJCAA All-America status last year with 17.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at Williston State (N.D.). Otherwise, seven freshmen and four sophomores make up the majority of what will be a young Yellowjacket team.
MSUB's schedule kicks off with the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead on Nov. 7-9 at Alterowitz Gym in Billings.
