SEARCY — The No. 25-ranked Harding women's basketball team will open its 2025-26 season on Friday, but the Great American Conference co-favorites face a steep challenge as they look to replace three of their top scorers from last year's GAC Tournament championship squad.
The Lady Bisons, who went 25-7 overall and 18-4 in the GAC last season, were picked to tie for first place with Southern Nazarene in the GAC Preseason Coaches Poll. They earned the preseason No. 25 spot in the WBCA Division II Top 25 Poll, the program's first preseason ranking since the 2014-15 season.
The season tips off Friday at 11 a.m. against No. 23 Tampa in the Texas Woman's Tip-off Classic in Denton, Texas. They follow that up Saturday at 6 p.m. against the host, No. 3 Texas Woman's.
Experienced Backcourt Leads the Way
Head coach Tim Kirby, beginning his 21st season at the helm, will rely heavily on a pair of experienced junior guards, Josie Williams and Maddi Holt, who were both key starters on last year's NCAA Tournament team.
Williams, a 5-foot-7 guard, averaged 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and a team-high 3.0 assists per game last season, earning an All-GAC honorable mention. She was also a deadly 3-point shooter, connecting on 40.9% of her attempts from behind the arc.
Holt, a 5-8 guard, returns after posting 8.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. She was a GAC All-Tournament selection last season and shot 82.4% from the free-throw line.
The two juniors will be tasked with filling the voids left by the graduation of first-team All-GAC selections Sage Hawley (18.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg), Aubrey Isbell (13.5 ppg), and Rory Geer (12.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg).
A Roster of Newcomers
Aside from Williams and Holt, the Lady Bisons' 12-player roster is loaded with fresh faces, as seven players will be making their debut in a Harding uniform. Returning players include junior forward Katelyn Kabrich and sophomore guards Kinley Hammitt and Amelia Rogers.
The roster also features new size in the paint with 6-foot-3 freshman centers Kennedy Stout and Myiah Butler and 5-foot-10 forward Jalisa Walker. Newcomers in the backcourt include Oklahoma Baptist transfer Allie Rehl and freshmen Kori Sanders, Alli McAda and Laykin Moore.
Kirby, who holds a career record of 401-183, will need the newcomers to develop quickly, especially with a challenging opening weekend.
The Schedule
Harding's non-conference slate will test the team early. After facing a pair of nationally-ranked teams in Texas, the Lady Bisons return for their home opener against Cameron on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at noon, followed by Missouri Western on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. They wrap up November with an away game at Central Oklahoma and a home contest against Delta State.
Great American Conference play begins Thursday, Dec. 4, at home against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The GAC Tournament is set for March 5-8 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
