South Carolina picked to repeat as SEC champions

FILE – South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts brings the ball up the court against Texas during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, on April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)

(AP) — South Carolina is predicted to repeat as Southeastern Conference women’s basketball champions in 2026 while Texas’ Madison Booker was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year.

A panel of SEC and national media members did the voting.

South Carolina, which beat Texas in last year’s SEC championship game, is grappling with Monday’s news that star senior forward Chloe Kitts will miss the entire season with a knee injury. The Gamecocks have won or tied for first in the regular season in four straight years and have won the the last three tournaments.

Texas was picked to finish second in the league, followed by LSU, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Vanderbilt and Kentucky rounding out the top half of the league. They were followed by Alabama, Mississippi State, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Texas A&M, Auburn and Arkansas.

Booker received 13 points to take the SEC Preseason Player of the Year honor. Among the others receiving votes were South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson, LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson, Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers and Kentucky’s Clara Strack.

Joining Booker on the All-SEC first team were Johnson, Beers, Blakes and South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards.

All-SEC second-team members included Latson, Strack, LSU’s Mikayla Williams, Mississippi’s Cotie McMahon, Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper and Texas’ Rori Harmon.