FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the results of their 2025-26 Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll. Calvin is the unanimous favorite earning all eight first place votes. Hope College is second with 17 points and earned the Knights' first place vote as coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams. Trine checks in at third with 20 points. The Thunder are the defending MIAA Regular Season Champions and made their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last year.
 
Adrian ranked fourth in the poll with 34 points, Kalamazoo slotted just ahead of Albion and Alma in fifth with 41 points. The Britons and Scots tied for sixth with 42 points. Saint Mary's was eighth with 56 points and The University of Olivet was ninth with 64 points.
 
Head Coach Andy Rang is set for his eighth year leading the Thunder women's basketball team. Rang is 161-35 overall and 93-10 against MIAA competition.
 
Trine returns Erin Sherwood from last season's starting lineup, the senior was a First-Team All-MIAA selection last season. Sherwood averaged 11.3 points per game for the Thunder and added 5.8 rebounds while connecting on 51.8% of her field goals and 83.6% of her free throws.
 
While losing four starters to graduation, the Thunder return four key bench players from last year. Junior three-point sharpshooter Allison Capouch will play key minutes for Trine this season as a shooting guard. She connected on 59 triples last year at a 35% rate and scored 6.8 points per game on 17.6 minutes per night. Zoe Willems returns after a solid freshman season. She played 12.8 minutes per game in a defensive role, collecting 69 rebounds and 32 steals. Offensively, she scored 3.3 points per game and added 35 assists.
 
Addison Hutson made 25 appearances last year and played 11.5 minutes per game while scoring 2 points per game and grabbed 19 steals. Sophomore Hailey Cole will be an important part of the Thunder rotation after scoring 5.5 points and grabbing 3.7 rebounds per game as a freshman. Olivia Marks grabbed 40 rebounds in just 103 minutes of action a season ago.
 
Trine adds senior Gracey Metz as a transfer from Division II Lake Superior State. Metz appeared in 69 games for the Lakers and made 26 starts. She has career averages of 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
 
Trine brings in an exciting group of freshman that look to make an immediate impact following the departure of seven seniors from last years team. Guards Annika Southworth (St. Peter, Minn.), Callie Nichols (Cincinnati, Ohio), and Sophie Gesell (Batesville, Ind.) lead the promising class and will play key roles in the Thunder's season. Also joining the program are Payton Palmer (Midland, Mich.), Ella Mohammed (Bristol, Ind), Maeve Hadden (East Lansing, Mich), Meryl Kolath (Olentangy, Ohio), and Ellianna Foley (Coldwater, Mich.)
 
Trine opens their season on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. tip off against Wisconsin Lutheran.