Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – West Virginia senior guard Gia Cooke was selected to the 2026-27 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, the conference announced on Thursday.
The Mountaineers were selected to finish fourth overall in the conference. The honors were voted on by league coaches, who could not vote for their own team.
The Preseason All-Big 12 accolade is the first of Cooke’s career. Last season, the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native was named to the all-conference team after averaging a team-leading 15 points per game. Cooke scored 525 total points last season, becoming just the 30th player in program history to score 500 points in a season. Her 59 3-pointers, 54 assists and 34 steals also marked career highs.
Oklahoma State is selected as the top team in the conference’s preseason poll and Audi Crooks of the Cowgirls was named the Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Oklahoma State (7) – 215 points
- TCU (6) – 212 points
- Baylor (2) – 199 points
- West Virginia (1) – 186 points
- Kansas – 160 points
- Arizona State – 143 points
- BYU – 137 points
- Colorado – 126 points
- K-State – 121 points
- Texas Tech – 103 points
- Iowa State – 78 points
- Utah – 77 points
- Arizona – 55 points
- Cincinnati – 43 points
- Houston – 38 points
- UCF – 27 points
(first-place votes)
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Liv McGill, Oklahoma State
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Jessie-May Hall, TCU
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Team
McKinna Brackens, Arizona State
Taliah Scott, Baylor*
Delaney Gibb, BYU*
Zyanna Walker, Colorado
Jaliya Davis, Kansas
S’Mya Nichols, Kansas*
Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State*
Liv McGill, Oklahoma State
Clara Silva, TCU
Gia Cooke, West Virginia
Players are sorted alphabetically by school
*Indicates unanimous selection
Photo Credit: Shanna Rose
