TicketsCINCINNATI – Big 12 women’s basketball head coaches voted University of Cincinnati freshman Dee Alexander the conference’s Preseason Freshman of the Year, the league announced Thursday.
The five-star guard is Cincinnati’s first Big 12 individual preseason award honoree.
Alexander, a Cincinnati native, finished No. 11 in the final ESPNW rankings and was ranked the No. 1 player in Ohio by Prep Hoops. She was just the second player ever to win Ohio Ms. Basketball three straight years and earned back-to-back Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honors. She also led nearby Purcell Marian to four consecutive state championships.
She is the first Bearcat signee to be named a McDonald’s All-American and is the highest-ranked recruit in program history. Alexander appeared in several national all-star showcases as a senior, including the McDonald’s All-American Games, Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic.
Cincinnati was picked to finish 12th in the Big 12 preseason coaches’ poll.
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2025-26 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- TCU (10) – 219 points
- Iowa State (2) – 202 points
- Baylor (2) – 200 points
- Oklahoma State (2) – 186 points
- West Virginia – 161 points
- Kansas – 156 points
- K-State – 143 points
- Utah – 115 points
- Colorado – 114 points
- BYU – 85 points
- Arizona State – 84 points
- Cincinnati – 82 points
- Texas Tech – 63 points
- Arizona – 47 points
- Houston – 41 points
- UCF – 22 points
(first-place votes)
2025-26 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
2025-26 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Olivia Miles, TCU
2025-26 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Dee Alexander, Cincinnati
2025-26 All-Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Team
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Baylor*
Bella Fontleroy, Baylor
Delaney Gibb, BYU*
Jade Masogayo, Colorado
Addy Brown, Iowa State
Audi Crooks, Iowa State*
S’Mya Nichols, Kansas*
Stailee Heard, Oklahoma State*
Olivia Miles, TCU*
Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
Players are sorted alphabetically by school
*Indicates unanimous selection