LAST TIME OUT
UT Tyler women's basketball opened the 2026-27 season at the DII Tip-Off Classic in Ellensburg, Washington, finishing the weekend with a 1-2 record. The Patriots opened the season with a 66-58 victory over Montana State Billings, building a 19-point halftime lead and holding off a second-half comeback attempt by the Yellowjackets. Tylah Hooper led the way with 12 points, while Polina Latysheva added 11 points and six assists.

The Patriots battled No. 21 Western Washington on Saturday, coming up just short in a 60-56 decision despite a strong second-half effort. Hooper led all Patriots with 23 points, while Hayley Cumming added 16. UT Tyler closed the weekend against tournament host Central Washington, falling 71-58 after outscoring the Wildcats 39-36 in the second half. Cumming led the Patriots with 20 points, while Latysheva contributed 14 points and eight rebounds and Jadyn Middleton added 12 points. The Patriots will return to action Nov. 13-14 at the South Central Region Challenge in Lubbock, Texas.

THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION CHALLENGE IN LUBBOCK
The Patriots travel to Lubbock, Texas, to compete in the South Central Region Challenge at the Rip Griffin Center. UT Tyler will take on Colorado Christian University and Colorado State University Pueblo as part of the tournament field, continuing its early-season schedule against regional competition. The Patriots look to build on their season-opening performances and gain momentum as they continue the 2026-27 campaign.

PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler finished the 2025-26 season with a 22-11 overall record, earning its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, advancing to the regional semifinals.

• Head Coach Rebecca Alvidrez enters the season with a 129-61 career record, including a 120-42 mark at UT Tyler.

• Alvidrez will be assisted by assistant coaches Kelsey Crouse and Colby Wood.

• The Patriots return 11 players from last season's roster, including All-LSC Second Team selections Polina Latysheva and Leila Davis, along with All-LSC Honorable Mention selection Hayley Cumming. Other returning players include Georgia Tomkins, Edit Merivirta, Nikolina Vukcevic, Avery Alcaraz, Jorja Hart, KK Bass, Salome Svani, and Lilli Hakkarainen.

• UT Tyler welcomes four newcomers to the roster: freshmen Tylah Hooper, Nova Szabo, and Jadyn Middleton, along with transfer Erinn Gardere.

NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE ATTENTION
In the preseason WBCA Coaches Poll, UT Tyler was ranked No. 24, marking the fourth consecutive season the Patriots have opened the year ranked among the nation's top 25 teams.

In the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, UT Tyler was picked to finish third for the second consecutive season, behind Texas Woman's and West Texas A&M. The Patriots received nine first-place votes and 755 total points. Polina Latysheva was also named a Lone Star Conference Player to Watch for the upcoming season.

THE 2025-26 CAMPAIGN
The Patriots earned their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth straight Lone Star Conference Tournament berth last season, advancing to the second round of both tournaments.

UT Tyler finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 22-11 overall record and a 16-4 mark in Lone Star Conference play, finishing third in the regular-season standings. Throughout the season, the Patriots earned multiple LSC weekly honors, including two Offensive Player of the Week selections for Leila Davis and a Defensive Player of the Week honor for Hayley Cumming.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado Christian finished the 2025-26 season with a 7-21 overall record and a 4-16 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. The Cougars will open their 2026-27 campaign at the South Central Region Challenge, marking their first games of the new season. Head Coach Carissa Ratliff enters her second season leading the Colorado Christian Cougars, following her first year at the helm in 2025-26. Historically, the Patriots hold a 1-3 record against the Cougars. 

CSU PUEBLO
Colorado State University Pueblo finished the 2025-26 season with a 13-15 overall record and a 9-11 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. The ThunderWolves enter the 2026-27 season under the leadership of Head Coach Tommie Johnson, who begins his eighth season at the helm of CSU Pueblo. Johnson holds a 96-97 career record with the ThunderWolves. Historically, the Patriots lead the series 3-1 against the ThunderWolves.