Lady Flames Picked 2nd in CUSA; Mills and Stout Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors
10/9/2025 12:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Paced by preseason all-conference performers Avery Mills and Emmy Stout, defending CUSA champion Liberty has been tabbed by the CUSA head coaches for a second-place finish in this year's conference standings.
The top three teams in the preseason poll were separated by only five total points, as Louisiana Tech (5 first-place votes, 128 points) edged out Liberty (5 first-place votes, 125 points) and 2025 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee (2 first-place votes, 123 points) for the role of preseason favorite.
One of two newcomers to the conference in 2025-26 (also Delaware), reigning MVC regular-season champion Missouri State rounded out the top four teams with 107 points.
Liberty and Louisiana Tech (Preseason Player of the Year Paris Bradley and Jordan Marshall) were the only two teams to put multiple players onto the preseason all-conference squad. Additionally, the Lady Flames' Mills and Stout and the Lady Techsters' Bradley and Marshall were the only four sophomores to make the 11-member team.
A 5-9 guard from Lynchburg, Va., Mills made the CUSA All-Freshman Team a year ago. She provided scoring punch off the Lady Flames' bench, averaging 6.8 ppg while shooting 51.9 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from beyond the arc and 91.3 percent from the foul line. Mills scored in double figures nine times on the season with a high of 19 against both Tennessee and Randolph.
A 6-3 center from San Diego, Calif., Stout joined her former high school teammate Mills on the CUSA All-Freshman Team a season ago. Stout contributed 7.1 ppg and 4.3 rpg while shooting at a 64.6 percent clip from the floor. She bookended her rookie season with 20-point games, including a team-high 20-point effort against Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Flames will tip off their first season under Head Coach Alexis Sherard on Nov. 4, playing host to Frostburg State at Liberty Arena.
Liberty will play 18 CUSA contests this season, meeting seven of the other 11 conference opponents twice and the other four teams (Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston) once apiece. The Lady Flames' conference slate begins Jan. 2 at New Mexico State.
The 2026 Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship Liberty will return to Huntsville, Ala., for the third year in a row, March 10-14. The event, held in conjunction with the Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship, will take place at Propst Arena.
Sherard and Mills will take part in the 2025 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day show, slated to air on ESPN+ Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Ticket Information
Women's basketball season tickets for the 14-game home schedule at Liberty Arena are on sale starting at $50. Purchase online at LUWBasketball.com or by calling the Flames Ticket Office at 434-592-5015.
Single-game tickets will go on sale for non-conference games to the public on Oct. 23 and conference games on Dec. 8.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members Oct. 16 for non-conference and Dec. 1 for conference games, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
Lady Flames fans have helped cheer the home team to a 65-9 record during five seasons of competition at Liberty Arena. Liberty posted a 13-1 home mark during the 2024-25 season.
2025-26 CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Louisiana Tech (5 first-place votes) – 128 points
2) Liberty (5) – 125
3) Middle Tennessee (2) – 123
4) Missouri State – 107
5) Western Kentucky – 96
6) FIU – 74
7) Sam Houston – 59
T8) UTEP – 57
T8) Kennesaw State – 57
10) New Mexico State – 51
11) Delaware – 36
12) Jacksonville State – 23
CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Paris Bradley, Louisiana Tech
CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Parris Atkins, FIU
Mya Barnes, Jacksonville State
Keyarah Berry, Kennesaw State
Avery Mills, Liberty
Emmy Stout, Liberty
Paris Bradley, Louisiana Tech
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech
Alyana Contreras, Middle Tennessee
Faith Lee, Missouri State
Deborah Ogayemi, Sam Houston
Ivane Tensaie, UTEP
The top three teams in the preseason poll were separated by only five total points, as Louisiana Tech (5 first-place votes, 128 points) edged out Liberty (5 first-place votes, 125 points) and 2025 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee (2 first-place votes, 123 points) for the role of preseason favorite.
One of two newcomers to the conference in 2025-26 (also Delaware), reigning MVC regular-season champion Missouri State rounded out the top four teams with 107 points.
Liberty and Louisiana Tech (Preseason Player of the Year Paris Bradley and Jordan Marshall) were the only two teams to put multiple players onto the preseason all-conference squad. Additionally, the Lady Flames' Mills and Stout and the Lady Techsters' Bradley and Marshall were the only four sophomores to make the 11-member team.
A 5-9 guard from Lynchburg, Va., Mills made the CUSA All-Freshman Team a year ago. She provided scoring punch off the Lady Flames' bench, averaging 6.8 ppg while shooting 51.9 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from beyond the arc and 91.3 percent from the foul line. Mills scored in double figures nine times on the season with a high of 19 against both Tennessee and Randolph.
A 6-3 center from San Diego, Calif., Stout joined her former high school teammate Mills on the CUSA All-Freshman Team a season ago. Stout contributed 7.1 ppg and 4.3 rpg while shooting at a 64.6 percent clip from the floor. She bookended her rookie season with 20-point games, including a team-high 20-point effort against Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Flames will tip off their first season under Head Coach Alexis Sherard on Nov. 4, playing host to Frostburg State at Liberty Arena.
Liberty will play 18 CUSA contests this season, meeting seven of the other 11 conference opponents twice and the other four teams (Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston) once apiece. The Lady Flames' conference slate begins Jan. 2 at New Mexico State.
The 2026 Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship Liberty will return to Huntsville, Ala., for the third year in a row, March 10-14. The event, held in conjunction with the Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship, will take place at Propst Arena.
Sherard and Mills will take part in the 2025 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day show, slated to air on ESPN+ Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Ticket Information
Women's basketball season tickets for the 14-game home schedule at Liberty Arena are on sale starting at $50. Purchase online at LUWBasketball.com or by calling the Flames Ticket Office at 434-592-5015.
Single-game tickets will go on sale for non-conference games to the public on Oct. 23 and conference games on Dec. 8.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members Oct. 16 for non-conference and Dec. 1 for conference games, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
Lady Flames fans have helped cheer the home team to a 65-9 record during five seasons of competition at Liberty Arena. Liberty posted a 13-1 home mark during the 2024-25 season.
2025-26 CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Louisiana Tech (5 first-place votes) – 128 points
2) Liberty (5) – 125
3) Middle Tennessee (2) – 123
4) Missouri State – 107
5) Western Kentucky – 96
6) FIU – 74
7) Sam Houston – 59
T8) UTEP – 57
T8) Kennesaw State – 57
10) New Mexico State – 51
11) Delaware – 36
12) Jacksonville State – 23
CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Paris Bradley, Louisiana Tech
CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Parris Atkins, FIU
Mya Barnes, Jacksonville State
Keyarah Berry, Kennesaw State
Avery Mills, Liberty
Emmy Stout, Liberty
Paris Bradley, Louisiana Tech
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech
Alyana Contreras, Middle Tennessee
Faith Lee, Missouri State
Deborah Ogayemi, Sam Houston
Ivane Tensaie, UTEP
Players Mentioned
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