ATLANTIC SUN CONFERENCE: Women's Basketball Preview, Nov. 5 - Nov. 12

 

CURRENT ASUN STANDINGS

Team OVR CONF

Jacksonville 1-0 0-0

Stetson 1-1 0-0

North Florida 0-0 0-0

Bellarmine 0-1 0-0

FGCU 0-1 0-0

Lipscomb 0-1 0-0

West Florida 0-1 0-0

Queens 0-2 0-0

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STARTING FIVE

• Jacksonville and FGCU each earned 58 total points to be named Preseason favorites in this season’s coaches poll. The Dolphins received four first-place votes while the Eagles garnered three from the league’s eight head coaches. Lipscomb was voted third, followed by Stetson to round out the top-half of the poll. 

• In Special Jennings’ 10th year at the helm, the Dolphins started the season 1-0, earning Jennings’ 50th-career win and remaining the only undefeated ASUN Women’s Basketball team entering week two. 

• Samirah Mamoudou made waves in her collegiate career debut against FIU. Mamoudou recorded 21 points, 11 rebounds and five steals while going 6-of-6 from the line. Her performance marked back to back seasons in which a Jacksonville freshman scored 20 or more points. 

• West Florida head coach Stephanie Lawrence Yelton, has been at the helm of the University of West Florida women’s basketball team since 2012, amassing well over 200 wins and leading the program to notable postseason runs, including an NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance. Under her leadership, the Argonauts built a tradition of competitive consistency in the Gulf South Conference before entering their milestone Division I era and the Atlantic Sun Conference.

• Week two will see North Florida and West Florida take on Florida State, while Jacksonville and Stetson will face off with Miami (FL). 

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ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Thursday, November 5

North Florida at Florida State // Tallahassee, Fla. // 11 AM ET 

West Florida at Western Carolina // Cullowhee, N.C. // 5 PM CT 

Lipscomb at Butler // Indianapolis, Ind. // 5:30 PM CT 

Bellarmine vs Simmons College of Kentucky // Louisville, Ky. // 6:30 PM ET 

Jacksonville at Miami FL // Coral Gables, Fla. // 7 PM ET 

Saturday, November 7 

North Florida vs Palm Beach Atlantic // Jacksonville, Fla. // 12:30 PM ET 

Lipscomb vs Carolina University // Nashville, Tenn. // 1:30 PM CT 

FGCU vs Arkansas State // Fort Myers, Fla. // 2 PM ET 

Sunday, November 8 

Bellarmine at Miami OH // Oxford, Ohio // 1 PM ET 

Stetson at Miami FL // Coral Gables, Fla. // 2 PM ET

Monday, November 9 

West Florida vs Pensacola Christian // Pensacola, Fla. // 10:30 AM CT 

Queens vs Carolina University // Charlotte, N.C. // 7 PM ET 

Tuesday, November 10 

Bellarmine at Bowling Green // Bowling Green, Ohio // 11 AM ET 

North Florida vs Edward Waters // Jacksonville, Fla. // 11 AM ET 

Stetson at FIU // Miami, Fla. // 7 PM ET 

Wednesday, November 11

West Florida at Florida State // Tallahassee, Fla. // 5 PM CT 

Jacksonville at Coastal Carolina // Conway, S.C. // 6 PM ET 

FGCU vs Ave Maria // Fort Myers, Fla. // 7 PM ET

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AROUND THE ARC 

ASUN PRESEASON COACHES POLL | Following a 2026 tournament run that saw the Dolphins earn their second title in program history, 10 years after the first, Jacksonville was selected atop the Preseason Coaches Poll alongside FGCU. FGCU, who has claimed 12 titles in program history - eight consecutive from 2017-2025, received three first place votes to tie Jacksonville for the top spot. Last season, the Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Bellarmine, 94-28 in the first round. 

WEST FLORIDA JOINS THE ASUN | On April 2, the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the UAC announced that the University of West Florida will transition to the NCAA Division I level and join both leagues beginning Fall 2026. UWF will compete in the ASUN as a full multi-sport member, in addition to joining the UAC as a football-playing affiliate. UWF became the 17th member of Unisun Sports.

TOP PLAYERS TO WATCH - NCAA WBB | Jacksonville’s Samirah Mamoudou led the Dolphins’ in an opening night 75-64 victory against FIU after she recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Under first-year head coach Melissa DeVore, Stetson’s Nicole Carreno recorded 12 points, 14 rebounds and an assist. Queen’s Makayla Minshall accounted for 18 of the Royals’ 56 points against Alabama with Ashantay Noble following with 11 points and five rebounds. 

STETSON STANDOUTS | Desireck Nieves and Addison Godby made an impact in Stetson’s pair of games this week. Nieves led the backcourt on the glass with seven rebounds while adding six points and one steal across 22 minutes. Godby added four rebounds, one assist and one steal off the bench for the Hatters. 

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ASUN IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS (TOP 30)

FG Attempts 

T-22: Sophie Locatelli, Stetson - 24

T-22: Makayla Minshall, Queens - 24  

T-27: Desireck Nieves, Stetson - 23

FT Percentage 

T-1: J’Niya Weaver, Jacksonville - 100.00

T-1: Sierra Driessen, Stetson - 100.00 

T-1: Samirah Mamoudu, Jacksonville - 100.00

Minutes per game 

T-3: Tatum Brown, Jacksonville - 40.00 

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DIVISION L WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: ASSOCIATED PRESS

*as of October 20, 2026 

1. South Carolina 

2. UConn 

3. Southern Cal 

4. Duke 

5. Michigan 

6. Texas

7. Louisville 

8. VAnderbilt 

9. LSU

10. Iowa 

11. UCLA 

12. North Carolina 

13. Notre Dame 

14. Kentucky 

15. TCU 

16. Washington 

17. Minnesota 

18. Ohio State 

19. Ole Miss 

20. Maryland 

21. Oklahoma 

22. Oklahoma State 

23. Illinois 

24. West Virginia 

25. NC State

Others receiving votes: Nebraska, Arizona State, Baylor, Virginia, Michigan State, Kansas,    Tennessee, Alabama, Syracuse, Fairfield, Oregon, Rice, Georgia, Colorado, Virginia Tech, Clemson