FARMINGTON, Utah — The hype for the 2026-27 season is only getting louder for Eastern Washington women's basketball as the Big Sky Conference released its preseason polls and All-Conference team today. 

Eastern was slated to finish fourth in both the coaches' and media polls. Kourtney Grossman and Elyn Bowers were both selected to the preseason Big Sky All-Conference team.

The Eagles earned 71 points in the coaches' poll, five behind Northern Colorado for third. In the media poll, the team earned 197 points, 17 points behind UNC. 

Grossman earned Big Sky All-Conference second team selection last season, her second All-Conference honor after earning honorable mention for the 2024-25 season. The junior broke the Big Sky single-season rebounding record with 415 total rebounds in 2025-26, also ranking third all-time in Eastern history. 

Grossman averaged 12.6 rebounds per game to lead the conference and rank fourth in the NCAA. She was third on the Eagles with 13.8 points per game, leading to 20 double-doubles. Grossman's double-double total led the Big Sky and ranked ninth in the nation. From the floor, Grossman shot 43.5 percent, while making threes at a 37.0 percent clip. She was 78.8 percent at the free-throw line. Grossman also created chaos for opposing teams with 44 steals, second on the team. 

Bowers started each of the team's 33 games last season as a true freshman and became an offensive force. She ranked second on the team with 14.8 points per game and scored 488 total points to break the EWU freshman scoring record. Bowers shot 41.0 percent overall and was 32.9 percent from three-point range. The Pinedale, Wyo. native developed into the team's key distributor, racking up 95 assists, second on the team. A true disruptor, Bowers led the Eagles with 46 steals. She was consistent at the line, leading EWU with an 80.2 free-throw percentage. 

For the '25-'26 season, Eastern finished sixth in the standings following a 7-11 record in conference and 15-18 overall. The Eagles advanced to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals after upsetting the No. 3 seed Northern Colorado, 55-53. Along with Grossman, Ella Gallatin earned All-Conference second team honors in her final season in Cheney. During the season, Bowers, Grossman and Jaecy Eggers all earned Big Sky Player of the Week awards. 

Montana State was picked to win the Big Sky, receiving 9 of 11 first-place votes in the coaches' poll and 23 of 26 votes in the media poll. The Bobcats guard, Taylee Cherrick, was selected to repeat as conference MVP.

Eastern Washington prepares for the 2026-27 season and will host Central Washington for a scrimmage on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time for a scrimmage. The Eagles then host Northwest U on Sunday (Oct. 25) at 3 p.m. for an exhibition matchup.

Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Taylee Chirrick, Montana State (Preseason MVP)
Hope Hassmann, Idaho
Kourtney Grossman, Eastern Washington
Addison Harris, Montana State
Ava Uhrich, Southern Utah
Avery Waddington, Montana
Elyn Bowers, Eastern Washington
 
Big Sky Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll
1. Montana State (9) – 99
2. Idaho (2) – 90
3. Northern Colorado – 76
4. Eastern Washington – 71
5. Southern Utah – 67
6. Montana – 54
7. Idaho State – 49
8. Weber State- 32
9. Portland State – 30
10. Northern Arizona – 27
11. Utah Tech – 10
 
Big Sky Women's Basketball Media Poll
1. Montana State (23) – 283
2. Idaho (3) – 254
3. Northern Colorado – 214
4. Eastern Washington – 197
5. Southern Utah – 173
6. Idaho State – 157
7. Montana – 149 
8. Northern Arizona – 110
9. Weber State – 70
10. Portland State – 63
11. Utah Tech - 46
 

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Tickets for the EWU Women's Basketball 2026-27 season are on sale now! Purchase season and single-game tickets for the Eagles' 15 home games, including 10 Big Sky matchups and a non-conference showdown with Gonzaga. For more info, visit goeags.com/wbbtickets or contact the EWU Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 or tickets@ewu.edu.  

Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.

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