Regular season champion California Lutheran University duo
Alline Ballard and
Jana Holley earned Offensive and Defensive Athlete of the Year recognition atop the 2026 SCIAC Women's Basketball All-Conference teams.
Ballard recorded 10 double-doubles in SCIAC play with averages of 16.0 points (second in the conference) and 12.1 rebounds (first) including 81 offensive boards to lead the Regals to a first outright regular season title since 2013. The former Newcomer of the Year has improved from 0.9 assists per game as a first-year to 1.2 and 1.7 this season, along with 1.4 steals and 1.0 block while clearing the 1,000-point threshold late in the season and enters the SCIAC Tournament with 1,102 career points and 881 rebounds.
Holley earned a fourth career All-SCIAC distinction as the tip of the spear for CLU's defense, which led the league at an average of just 57.1 points allowed per game. With 1.8 steals per game and relentless on-ball pressure that regularly held opposing guards below their scoring average, the former Newcomer of the Year was crucial in the Regals recording the best field-goal perentage defense in the conference (.342) by more than three percentage points.
The Newcomer of the Year honor was bestowed upon
Teagan McIlroy of the University of Redlands. The rookie ranked among the top 15 in the conference in each of points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals with highs of a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio and 3.1 assists per game ranking second and fifth, respectively, while also leading the SCIAC in free-throw percentage (.885). McIlroy's impact as a first-year led to Redlands posting the top scoring margin in the conference at 11.9 points per game - a nine-point improvement from 2025 - with the only offense to average over 70 points (74.5).
Occidental College's
Ainsley Shelsta was presented the Ed Baldwin Award recognizing the senior who exhibits the best sportsmanship throughout the conference season. Despite missing the majority of two seasons due to injury, Shelsta was the loudest voice cheering on the Tigers bench and regularly checking in on potentially injured teammates and opponents. A deep care for others and selflessness have made the senior the ultimate teammate. Shelsta will pursue pediatric psychiatry upon graduation.
Alaina Woo and the Sagehen bench were chosen for Coaching Staff of the Year recognition after elevating Pomona-Pitzer Colleges from a tie for fourth place at 8-8 last season to third place and an 11-5 record that sat just two games shy of a share of the regular season title. In the most competitive race for the championship and SCIAC Tournament bids since the 2016-17 season, Woo's squad was the conference's most efficient in ballhandling (1.07 A:TO) and shooting (.426 FG%, .338 3FG%) while tying for the most All-SCIAC honorees with three.
CLU matched Pomona-Pitzer with three total honorees, followed by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges with two First Team recipients, Redlands with a player landing on each team and Chapman University nabbing two spots on the Second Team.
Jadyn Lee picked up a second consecutive First Team and third career All-Conference nod for the Sagehens while
Paige Yasukochi of Occidental College stepped up to the First Team after two previous Second Team selections.
AJ Wick repeats on the First Team, with conference scoring leader
Alyssa Smith stepping up from the Second Team for the University of La Verne.
Layla Woods earned a second consecutive All-Conference honor for Chapman and both
Leila Hosn (UR) and
Kaiya Mack (CLU) repeated on the Second Team.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Offensive Athlete
of the Year |
Defensive Athlete
of the Year |
Newcomer
of the Year |
Ed Baldwin
Award |
Coaching
Staff of the Year |
Alline Ballard
Cal Lutheran |
Jana Holley
Cal Lutheran |
Teagan McIlroy
Redlands |
Ainsley Shelsta
Occidental |
Alaina Woo
Pomona-Pitzer |
| First Team All-SCIAC |
| Name |
Institution |
Year |
Position |
Hometown |
| Alline Ballard |
Cal Lutheran |
Jr. |
F |
Pasadena, Calif. |
| Jana Holley |
Cal Lutheran |
Sr. |
PG |
Winnetka, Calif. |
| Caleigh Edwards |
CMS |
Sr. |
G |
Bayside, N.Y. |
| Jadyn Lee |
Pomona-Pitzer |
Jr. |
G |
Palos Verdes, Calif. |
| Katie Resendiz |
CMS |
Sr. |
F |
Andover, Mass. |
| Alyssa Smith |
La Verne |
Jr. |
F |
Spanaway, Wash. |
| Paige Yasukochi |
Occidental |
Sr. |
G/F |
La Palma, Calif. |
| AJ Wick |
Redlands |
Jr. |
C |
Henderson, Nev. |
| Second Team All-SCIAC |
| Name |
Institution |
Year |
Position |
Hometown |
| Abigail Homan |
Pomona-Pitzer |
Jr. |
F |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Leila Hosn |
Redlands |
Sr. |
PG |
Seattle, Wash. |
| Emily Lee |
Pomona-Pitzer |
Sr. |
G |
San Jose, Calif. |
| Kaiya Mack |
Cal Lutheran |
Jr. |
G |
Anaheim, Calif. |
| Maile Nakaji |
Chapman |
Jr. |
G |
Redondo Beach, Calif. |
| Layla Woods |
Chapman |
Jr. |
F |
San Jose, Calif. |
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