CALDWELL, Idaho – After a 22-win season and the return of nearly its entire core, The College of Idaho women's basketball team has been selected to finish first in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Yotes received 107 points and five first-place votes, edging a tightly packed group of contenders atop the conference standings.
Oregon Tech was picked second with 101 points and two first-place votes, while Corban earned 100 points and three first-place votes. Lewis-Clark State was selected fourth, followed by Eastern Oregon, which received the remaining first-place vote. Southern Oregon, Northwest, Bushnell, Warner Pacific, Evergreen and Walla Walla rounded out the poll.
The preseason recognition reflects the expectations surrounding a Yotes squad that returns 12 letterwinners from last season's team that posted a 22-9 overall record and a 15-5 mark in conference play. The College of Idaho finished fourth in the CCC standings a year ago and went 11-3 at Elgin Baylor Arena.
Head coach
Kyle Erickson enters his fourth season leading the program after guiding the Yotes to a 50-41 record in his first three years. The College of Idaho boasts one of the most successful women's basketball traditions in the conference with five league championships and nine NAIA Tournament appearances.
Leading the returning group is sophomore forward
Riley Beck, the reigning CCC Freshman of the Year. The 6-foot-2 post player rewrote portions of the program record book during her debut season, shooting a school-record 54 percent from the field while totaling 44 blocked shots. Beck also showcased her ability to dominate the glass, including a 12-rebound performance against La Sierra.
Senior forward
Kylie Waltermeyer provides a proven offensive weapon after leading the Yotes with 11.7 points per game last season. Waltermeyer drilled 51 three-pointers while shooting 41.5 percent from beyond the arc and recorded a season-high 16 rebounds against Northern New Mexico.
The backcourt will once again be anchored by senior guard
Anna Mooney, a CSC Academic All-District selection and NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Mooney led the Yotes with 84 assists a season ago, converted 87 percent of her free-throw attempts and added 48 three-pointers, giving The College of Idaho an experienced floor leader entering the new season.
While the Yotes must replace veteran leaders
Taryn Riley and
Mia Austin, who combined for more than 3,200 career minutes and nearly 1,000 career points, the roster's depth has only grown heading into 2026-27.
That depth is bolstered by an impressive incoming class. Freshman guard
Adyson Chadez arrives after earning back-to-back first-team all-conference honors and recognition as a member of the Idaho All-Star Classic. Freshman guard
Izzy Medina, a two-time San Diego Section Open Division champion, adds further talent to the perimeter. Junior guard
Otter Agnew, who previously competed at Corban and Salt Lake Community College, brings collegiate experience and a decorated prep résumé to the program.
The combination of returning production, veteran leadership and a talented recruiting class has positioned The College of Idaho as the team to beat in the CCC. With Beck, Waltermeyer and Mooney leading a roster hungry to build on last season's success, the Yotes enter the 2026-27 campaign with championship aspirations and the conference's preseason target squarely on their backs.
