2026-27 W&L Women's Basketball Season Preview

11/3/2026 2:00:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University women's basketball team returns to the court this season as the third place team in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coaches' poll after collecting one first place vote and 103 points.

Randolph-Macon College topped the poll with eight of the 12 first-place votes and 117 points while Shenandoah University was ranked second, receiving the final three first-place votes and 107 points. Batten University followed the Generals in fourth (86) while Bridgewater College rounded out the top five with 81 points.

The Blue and White are coming off a 31-1 campaign in 2025-26 where they hoisted their fourth ODAC Championship in program history while making an appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons. W&L set new standards for the program, breaking the program record for wins (31), winning streak (31), and winning percentage (.969) while posting the second-longest winning streak inside Holekamp Gym with 18 consecutive victories on their home floor. The Generals become just the third program in ODAC history to post an undefeated conference record.

2026 NCAA DIII Womens Basketball CHampionship Round 3. #23 Bethel vs #3 Washington and Lee womens baskebtall

2026-27 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

Randolph-Macon College (8) 117 pts.
Shenandoah University (3) 107 pts.
Washington and Lee University (1) 103 pts.
Batten University 86 pts.
Bridgewater College 81 pts.
Hollins University 73 pts.
Guilford College 58 pts.
Roanoke College 56 pts.
University of Lynchburg 44 pts.
Randolph College 29 pts.
Averett University 23 pts
Eastern Mennonite University 15 pts.

National Poll/Preseason Awards

The Blue and White earned spots in both the D3hoops.com and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III preseason polls. The Generals checked in at No. 12 in the WBCA coaches’ poll while earning the No. 23 spot in the D3hoops.com rankings.

Defending national champion Denison University topped both polls, while New York University checked in at No. 2 in each. Bates College earned the No. 3 spot in the WBCA poll, while Scranton and UW-Oshkosh rounded out the top five in a tie for fourth. In the D3hoops.com poll, national runner-up Scranton ranked third, followed by Hope College in fourth and Smith College in fifth

For a look at the full Top 25 rankings from both associations, click on the following links: D3hoops.com | WBCA

Hear from Coach

This group has been an absolute joy to coach through the preseason. They bring an amazing combination of work ethic, enthusiasm, positivity, and a team-first attitude. The first-years compliment the returners in all the right ways. Everyday we get to spend on the court together has been an absolute privelege. Their energy and commitment to each other and the program is sure to fuel us through our tough non-conference game schedule. Although the ODAC is one of the toughest conferences, we are eager to go out and show what this group is truly capable of.

Head Coach Brittney Kemp (3rd Season)

2026-27 Schedule Overview

The Washington and Lee University women’s basketball team is set to tip off its 2026-27 campaign on Friday, Nov. 6, as the Generals begin a 26-game regular-season slate featuring 13 home contests and two in-season tournaments.

The Blue and White open the season on the road against Southern Virginia University on Nov. 6 before returning to Holekamp Gym for their home opener against North Carolina Wesleyan on Nov. 8. W&L then travels to Maryland for matchups against McDaniel (Nov. 14) and Stevenson (Nov. 15).

The Generals return home to host the Colonnade Classic on Nov. 20-21, welcoming Allegheny, Johns Hopkins and Batten to Lexington. W&L will face Allegheny on Friday before taking on Johns Hopkins on Saturday.

Following road contests against ODAC foes Hollins (Dec. 2) and Averett (Dec. 13), W&L hosts Mary Washington on Dec. 16. The Generals close out the calendar year in Marshall, Texas, at the ETBU Christmas Classic, facing Mary Hardin-Baylor (Dec. 29) and host East Texas Baptist (Dec. 30).

W&L opens the new year with a home contest against Batten on Jan. 6 before entering the heart of its ODAC schedule. The Generals will play seven of their final 13 regular-season games inside Holekamp Gym, including matchups against Randolph-Macon (Feb. 6) and Bridgewater (Feb. 17).

The regular season concludes on Feb. 20 against Randolph before the ODAC Tournament begins on Feb. 23. The conference semifinals and championship are scheduled for Feb. 26-27 at the Salem Civic Center.

Key Returners

The Blue and White return six players who averaged 10 or more minutes per game during the 2025-26 season. Zou Raine averaged 17.3 minutes per contest while starting all 31 games in which she appeared for the Generals. She scored 154 points, including eight three-pointers, while registering 58 rebounds, 27 assists, 21 steals and 11 blocks during her junior campaign. Riley Bryant averaged 17.0 minutes per game, making 14 starts while appearing in all 32 contests last season. Bryant ranked fourth on the team with 198 points, averaging 6.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She also ranked second on the team with 174 rebounds while dishing out 37 assists and adding 17 steals and 21 blocks.

Sophomore Sam Collins returns as one of the Generals’ top three-point shooting threats after ranking second on the team with 33 triples last season. She scored the fifth-most points for the Blue and White with 187 while dishing out 21 assists and grabbing 59 rebounds. Collins also registered 18 steals and three blocks during her rookie campaign. Megan Zimmerman returns for her junior season after averaging 14.3 minutes and 4.9 points per game last year. Zimmerman scored 122 points while knocking down 21 three-pointers, grabbing 65 rebounds, dishing out 20 assists and registering 11 steals.

Bri Shuttlewood and Caroline Shimp round out the returning group after each averaging 12.6 minutes per game during their junior campaigns. Shimp averaged 4.3 points per contest, totaling 137 points, while grabbing 94 rebounds, the fourth-most on the team. She also dished out 24 assists while registering 21 steals and 11 blocks. Shuttlewood tallied 56 points and 17 assists while grabbing 41 rebounds and adding four steals and one block.

2026-27 W&L Women's Basketball Captains

Senior Riley Bryant was named a team captain ahead of the 2026-27 season. Bryant has appeared in 91 games heading into her final season with the Blue and White, making 38 starts across her first three seasons.

On the court, Bryant has scored 430 career points, including a career-high 198 during her junior campaign. She has also grabbed 364 rebounds, averaging 4.0 per game, while dishing out 70 assists and registering 39 blocks and 35 steals.

Off the court, Bryant is a double major in accounting and finance. She is a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and has earned six W&L Scholar Athlete citations while also being named to the Academic All-ODAC team. Bryant is a member of the Williams Investment Society and Kathekon and serves as president of the Delta Society.

Bri Shuttlewood was named one of the Generals’ team captains ahead of the 2026-27 season. Throughout her career, Shuttlewood has appeared in 90 games, making six starts.

On the court, Shuttlewood has scored 292 points while grabbing 169 rebounds and dishing out 119 assists. She has also registered 28 steals and 14 blocks during her career.

Off the court, Shuttlewood is a double major in cognitive and behavioral science and politics. She is a four-time W&L Scholar Athlete and has earned three Academic All-ODAC citations. During her time at W&L, she also completed a youth activism internship and traveled to Spain, Italy and Hawaii.

Senior Emily Straughn rounds out the Generals’ team captains for the 2026-27 season. She has appeared in 30 games for the Blue and White during her two seasons in Lexington. On the court, Straughn has scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds while dishing out three assists and registering two steals.

Off the court, Straughn is a four-time W&L Scholar Athlete and has earned two Academic All-ODAC citations. She was also named to the ODAC All-Sportsmanship Team following the 2025-26 season. Straughn serves as an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor at Rockbridge County High School and spent the summer of 2025 as a clinical researcher in gynecologic oncology at UAB Hospital.