Burnsville, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released its 2026 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday. The University of Jamestown women's basketball team was picked to finish 13th overall and sixth in the NSIC North Division.  

2026-27 NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll 

The Jimmies finished the 2025-26 season with a record of 8-18 with a 6-16 mark in the conference in what was their first season as an NCAA Division-II college and members of the NSIC. UJ was selected 15th in the 2025-26 Preseason Poll and eighth in the North Division but jumped ahead of few spots to finish in a tie for 13th overall and claimed a share for seventh in the NSIC North.  

"Our team is excited to begin the season," said head caoch Thad Sankey. "We grow through returners' offseason progress and impact from new additions. Each week of practice provides more competition, improvement, and excitement. We are focused to build our identity and play Jimmie Basketball!"  

Kate Cordes was named the Jamestown Player to Watch ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. A graduate student from Shakopee, Minn., Cordes has built herself into one of the top players in Jimmie Women's Basketball history during her first three seasons.  

Cordes sat out during the 2025-26 season but was an elite player in her most recent season of 2024-25 where she averaged 19.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. She recorded a season-high 36 points against Dickinson State (2/26/25) and posted double figures in 28 of the 30 games she played. The 5-8 guard was a First-Team North Star Athletic Association selection and Third-Team NAIA All-American as she led the team in just about every offensive category to lead the Jimmies to an at-large bid into the NAIA National Tournament.  

Cordes's career numbers include a 43% field goal percentage, a 40% three-point percentage, as well as a 91% free throw percentage. Through her 91 games of action, she has averaged 13.7 points per game with her total points at 1246 which is 12th in Jamestown women's basketball history.  

"Kate rejoins our lineup after a redshirt year," said Sankey. "She was a major factor in our team's success in her first three seasons. Kate's experience, leadership, and ability are valuable to our team. Her on-court presence raises our level of competition." 

UJ will have a home scrimmage against North Dakota State College of Science (10/23) and then an exhibition at Bismarck State (10/28) before getting their season underway at home against Minnesota State Moorhead on Wednesday, November 11.