OKLAHOMA CITY – The Sooner Athletic Conference unveiled its women's basketball preseason poll on Tuesday morning and with the MACU Women's Basketball team coming off one of its best seasons in program history since joining the league, the Evangels were picked to finish fifth.
With MACU entering its first season under its new head coach in Scott Morris, the Evangels were in a tight cluster in the No. 3-6 spots. Mid-America Christian received 83 points, placing two points of Science & Arts. The Evangels finished only four points back of John Brown in third (87) and three away from College of the Ozarks in fourth (86).
MACU brings back a brand-new look from last year's team with two of its best players in program history in Shy Christopher and Kylee Scheer graduating and head coach Hannah Moeller moving on to NCAA D-II Central Oklahoma.
However, the Evangels do have a few key returners from last year's squad, including starting point guard Talayah Thomas and backup point guard Mia Smith, who both saw significant time last season. Thomas started in all 34 games a year ago, scoring 217 points (6.4 ppg) while shooting 38.4 percent from the field and was one of the team's most efficient three-point shooters after going 35-of-98 (35.7 percent) from range. The Topeka, Kan. product was third on the team in assists (73) and posted a solid 1.6 assist-turnover ratio.
Mia Smith was a key player off MACU's bench last season, appearing in 33 of MACU's 34 games and in her 18.8 minutes per game, also posted a very solid 2.1 assist-turnover ratio.
With the Evangels having nearly a brand-new squad, Coach Morris expects some big contributions from junior forward Caitlynn Jordan and a pair of Providence (Mont.) transfers in junior guard Monique Carter and junior forward Talia Lee.
Jordan makes her way to MACU after competing for NCAA D-II Oklahoma Christian during the 2024-25 season and NCAA D-I Utah Tech during her freshman campaign in 2023-24. Competing for the Lady Eagles last season, Jordan saw action in 16 games and made one start, averaging 4.2 ppg while shooting a highly efficient 90.9 percent from the free throw line while also averaging 2.8 rebounds per game.
Carter and Lee provide a well-spring of experience after being key contributors for an NAIA powerhouse in Providence (Mont.). The tandem was crucial to the team finishing as NAIA National finalists during their freshman campaign and once again led the Argos to the NAIA Tournament last season.
Last year, Lee made 28 starts in 29 games and finished third on the team in scoring at 279 points (9.6 ppg) while shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from three, and 82.6 percent from the free throw line. The Spokane, Wash. Native was an imposing defensive presence for the Argos, posting 19 blocked shots and 18 steals while also being the team's third-leading rebounder at 4.5 per game.
Meanwhile, Carter was a key starter in the UP backcourt, scoring 240 points (8.3 ppg) while knocking down 39.6 percent of her shots, 33.8 percent of her threes, and 76.4 percent from the foul line. The Puyallup, Wash. product finished second on the team in assists (76, 2.6 apg) to go with 23 steals on the defensive end.
Mid-America Christian will officially open its season on the road on Saturday as the Evangels will tip-off the 2025-26 campaign at Friends. The contest is slated for a 3 p.m. tip-off inside the Garvey Center.
