BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In the Preseason SEC Coaches Poll, Ole Miss women’s basketball was selected at No. 7 in the projected order of finish, Talaysia Cooper earned a spot on the first team All-SEC and Jada Richard was named to the second team All-SEC, the conference announced on Wednesday.
This week, the Rebels earned preseason rankings in both the AP poll (No. 19) and USA TODAY/WBCA Coaches poll (No. 23). In the preseason media poll, Ole Miss was also picked seventh in the order of finish, along with Cooper earning Second Team All-SEC honors.
Cooper and Richard become the first Rebel pair to earn individual preseason conference honors in the same poll in program history.
This marks Cooper’s fourth instance earning preseason All-SEC honors, after being named to the end of year All-SEC second team for two consecutive seasons. Richard has earned her first preseason All-SEC recognition as a junior.
Coming off another historic season under Coach Yo, the Rebels are primed to continue their success into the 2026-27 season. Ole Miss has brought in the top transfer portal class in the SEC for the second straight season, while also ranking third nationally, according to ESPN.
Recognized as the No. 7 best transfer available this offseason, Cooper led Tennessee in scoring (16.0 ppg), assists (3.6 apg), steals (2.7 spg) and 3-pointers (61 total) this past season. She has garnered several individual accolades, including All-SEC second team nods in two consecutive seasons, along with a spot on the 2025 SEC All-Defensive Team.
A junior point guard from LSU, Richard was named one of ESPN’s top-15 transfers, and sixth overall from the SEC. She had become one of LSU’s steadiest players by last season’s end, averaging 9.5 points and 3.2 assists, while starting 34 games. Additionally, she was an efficient shooter last year both on the charity stripe (88.6%) and the 3-point line (40.8%).
Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken.
Fans will have the chance to catch the Rebels in action in their lone exhibition of the season, hosting Lane College at the SJB Pavilion on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. CT. Admission is free for all to attend.
Order of Finish
Rank Team
1 South Carolina 239
2 Texas 215
3 LSU 204
3 Vanderbilt 204
5 Kentucky 182
6 Oklahoma 163
7 Ole Miss
8 Tennessee 124
9 Mississippi State 120
10 Texas A&M 93
12 Missouri 78
13 Alabama 55
13 Georgia 55
15 Auburn 44
16 Arkansas 22
Preseason Player of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Preseason First Team All-SEC
Clara Strack, Kentucky (u)
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Mikaylah Williams, LSU (u)
Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina (u)
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
Madison Booker, Texas (u)
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt (u)
Aubrey Galvan, Vanderbilt
Preseason Second Team All-SEC
Kiyomi McMiller, Florida
Me’Arah O’Neal, Kentucky
Jada Richard, Ole Miss
Madison Francis, Mississippi State
Grace Slaughter, Missouri
Sahara Williams, Oklahoma
Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Jordan Lee, South Carolina
Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
Breya Cunningham, Texas
Mia Woolfolk, Vanderbilt
(u) – unanimous