ATLANTA (March 19, 2026) –The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today the NCAA Division III award winners for the 2025-26 season.
Coach of the Year
Meg Barber of New York University is the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year. Barber will receive the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the coaches of the year in each of the WBCA’s membership divisions.
“The WBCA is pleased to announce Meg Barber as the 2026 recipient of the Pat Summitt Trophy presented to the WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle M. Donehew. “Under Meg’s leadership, the Violets have won 91 straight games and are two victories away from a third consecutive national championship and third consecutive undefeated season. We congratulate Meg on her success.”
This is Barber’s second consecutive WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year honor and her third in five years.
NYU plays undefeated University of Scranton (31-0) in tonight’s NCAA Division III national semifinals in Salem, Virginia.
Here are the finalists for WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year:
| Name | Institution |
| Meg Barber | New York University |
| Michelle Bilek | University of Chicago |
| Kelly Dunne | Nazareth University |
| Brittney Kemp | Washington and Lee University |
| Brad Fischer | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
| Lynn Hersey | Smith College |
| Maureen Hirt | Denison University |
| Alison Montgomery | Bates College |
| Benjamin O’Brien | University of Scranton |
| Kendra Whitehead | Hardin-Simmons University |
Player of the Year
Caroline Peper of New York University is the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year. She headlines the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-America team.
“The WBCA is proud to Caroline Peper as the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year,” said Donehew. “Caroline is most deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA family of coaches congratulates Caroline on her hard work, dedication and exceptional play during the 2025-26 season.”
Coaches’ All-America
Here are the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-Americans:
| Name | Institution |
| Jaycie Christopher | University of Southern Maine |
| Elsa Daulerio | Bates College |
| Brianna Fitzgerald | SUNY New Paltz |
| Natalie Gricius | Carroll University |
| Kaci Kranson | University of Scranton |
| Macy Miller | Ohio Wesleyan University |
| Caroline Peper | New York University |
| Mary Schleusner | Washington & Lee University |
| Paige Seckar | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
| Ada Taute | Denison University |
“We applaud the members of the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-America team,” said Donehew. “Each of these young women has achieved an elite level of play in NCAA Division III and by doing so has increased public awareness of the women’s game.”
Here are the student-athletes who received 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-America honorable mention:
| Name | Institution | |
| Addisyn Banks | Shenandoah University | |
| Ava Bardic | Illinois Wesleyan University | |
| Carolae Barton | U.S. Merchant Marine Academy | |
| Brooke Batchelor | New York University | |
| Elaina Beckett | McDaniel College | |
| Jacqueline Berry | Hardin-Simmons University | |
| Sammi Beyer | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | |
| Riley Brady | Hendrix College | |
| Zoey Buchan | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | |
| Kristin Bukata | Elmhurst University | |
| Helana Chadwick | McMurry University | |
| Alexa Charles | Hunter College | |
| Abby Cooch | Denison University | |
| Alyssa Craigwell | Montclair State University | |
| Bri Frongillo | Emerson College | |
| Grace Galgano | SUNY Geneseo | |
| Lexy Harris | Washington University (St. Louis) | |
| Grace Jaffray | Johnson & Wales University | |
| Stephanie Jean-Baptiste | SUNY Brockport | |
| Virginia Johnson | Smith College | |
| Grace Kinum | Bowdoin College | |
| Caydee Kirkham | Coe College | |
| McKenzie Matheny | Randolph-Macon College | |
| Maya Metcalf | Concordia College-Moorhead | |
| Liv Monturo | Messiah University | |
| Makenna Mummert | Elizabethtown College | |
| Samaree Perkins | Capital University | |
| Jelena Perovic | Union College | |
| Abbie Quinn | Bowdoin College | |
| Keimarya Rivera | Oglethorpe University | |
| Kaeli Romanowski | University of Scranton | |
| Ava Ryncarz | John Carroll University | |
| Lauren Sansano | Texas Lutheran University | |
| Emma Shinney | Endicott College | |
| Kathleen Smith | Williams College | |
| Micah Walton | Williams College | |
| Elyse Warren | Millsaps College | |
| Renee Wells | William Paterson University | |
| Sawyer White | Illinois Wesleyan University | |
| Ashtyn Wick | University of Redlands | |
The WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Coaches’ All-America team are selected by the WBCA NCAA Division III Awards Committee from coaches and student-athletes who are nominated by WBCA member coaches.
Visit https://wbca.org/awards/coach-of-the-year/ to see a list of past recipients of the WBCA NCAA Division III Coach of the Year award. Visit https://wbca.org/player-awards/ to see lists of past WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year and WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-America honorees.
About the WBCA
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
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