INDIANAPOLIS, IN - With the winter sports season right around the corner, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference released its 2025–26 women's basketball preseason coaches' poll on Thursday. After finishing with a 12–16 record in Brianna Sim's first year as head coach, the Panthers enter the new season ranked ninth out of 13 teams, earning 69 points in the poll.

At the top of the rankings are the reigning 2024 G-MAC Champions, Ashland University, with 154 points and nine first-place votes. Malone follows in second with 143 points and two first-place votes, while Northwood rounds out the top three with 138 points and two first-place votes. Findlay takes fourth with 120 points, and Hillsdale sits in fifth with 115.

Kentucky Wesleyan claimed sixth place with 95 points, just ahead of Cedarville in seventh with 91. Thomas More ranks eighth with 84 points, followed by Ohio Dominican in ninth with 69 points and Walsh in tenth with 64.

Ursuline College earned 11th place with 45 points, ahead of Tiffin in 12th with 37. Lake Erie rounds out the poll in 13th with 28 points.

Last season marked the beginning of the Brianna Sims era at Ohio Dominican. Under her leadership, the Panthers improved to a 12–16 overall record from 7–21 the previous year, posting a 7–13 conference mark that included strong wins over Northwood and Walsh. Their most notable victory came against then-No. 2 ranked Gannon, a 73–62 road win.

Heading into Sims' second season, the Panthers are eager to build on last year's progress. The roster returns five seniors and three juniors, along with seven newcomers — six freshmen and one transfer sophomore.

Former volunteer coach Macy Blankenship steps into a new role as assistant coach after serving with the Panthers last season. Blankenship is also a former player for the Ashland Eagles.

The Panthers will open their season on November 15 inside Alumni Hall, hosting the Davenport Panthers of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). G-MAC play will begin later in the season.