WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Women's Basketball tips off the 2026-27 campaign at home against Pitt State, opening the season with the first of five non-conference games. The Lady Dawgs will then travel to Tahlequah later in the week for the GAC/MIAA Crossover.
It will mark the first meeting between SWOSU and Pitt State since 2023. The Lady Gorillas hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series through six meetings. Pitt State was selected sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Later in the week, SWOSU will travel to Tahlequah to take on Northeastern State and Rogers State at the GAC/MIAA Crossover. The Lady Dawgs have faced both opponents at the event in each of the last three seasons. Northeastern State was picked ninth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Rogers State was selected 12th.
The final two non-conference games will feature opponents from the Lone Star Conference. SWOSU will first host Cameron in Weatherford, which was picked 15th in the LSC Preseason Poll.
Then, during Thanksgiving week, the Lady Dawgs will travel to Lubbock to take on Lubbock Christian. Last season, the Lady Chaps defeated SWOSU in Weatherford on a game-winning three-pointer. Lubbock Christian was selected fourth in the LSC Preseason Poll.
SWOSU returns eight of its 12 players from last season, with two incoming freshmen and two transfers filling out the roster. Of those eight returners, six were among the team's top seven in minutes played last season, giving the Lady Dawgs some continuity heading into the new campaign.
Last season, the Lady Dawgs ranked first in the GAC in both blocked shots (5.7 per game) and steals (9.3 per game), while ranking second in rebounding at 38.3 per game. SWOSU averaged 62.6 points per game while allowing 64.0, the fourth-lowest scoring average allowed in the GAC.
The Lady Bulldogs welcome back last year's Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Landry Allen, along with Sincere Jackson, who earned All-GAC Honorable Mention honors last season.
Head Coach Jeff Zinn enters his fifth season leading the Lady Bulldogs after compiling a 51-63 record through his first four seasons. Zinn has guided SWOSU to the conference tournament twice and led the team to the GAC Championship game in 2024. During that tournament run, the Lady Dawgs knocked off two nationally ranked programs.
SWOSU has 27 games on its schedule, including 13 home games and 14 on the road away from the Pioneer Event Center. The regular season will run through February 27, when the Lady Dawgs close out the schedule at home against Oklahoma Baptist.
Should the Lady Dawgs finish inside the top eight and qualify for the GAC Tournament, postseason play will begin March 2, with the top four seeds hosting quarterfinal games to determine the semifinal field. The remaining rounds will take place March 6-7 in Enid, Oklahoma.
