CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah senior Ava Uhrich has been named to the 2026-27 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced Wednesday. The honor comes as the Thunderbirds enter the final preparations for their first season back in the Big Sky.
Uhrich is one of seven players on the preseason team, joining Montana State's Taylee Chirrick (Preseason MVP) and Addison Harris, Idaho's Hope Hassmann, Eastern Washington's Kourtney Grossman and Elyn Bowers, and Montana's Avery Waddington.
"Ava has earned this recognition through years of hard work, and it's great to see the Big Sky take notice right away," Mason said. "She does the dirty work on the glass, she plays with an edge every night, and our team feeds off her energy. Being picked fifth tells us people respect what we've built, but this group has bigger goals than a preseason poll, and Ava is going to be a big reason we get there."
A Record-Setting Junior Season
The 6-0 forward started all 32 games in 2025-26 and led both the Thunderbirds and the WAC in rebounding at 9.9 per game. She earned First-Team All-WAC honors and was named WAC Player of the Week three times.
Uhrich averaged 14.6 points per game on 46.7 percent shooting from the field and added 2.6 assists per game. She logged a team-high 11 double-doubles, recording 15 or more rebounds eight times and scoring 20 or more points nine times, and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds against Utah Tech at home.
Uhrich enters her senior season ninth in program history in both career points (1,176) and rebounds (681). She needs 233 rebounds to pass SUU Director of Athletics Myndee Kay Larsen (913) for second all-time and 249 to break Challis Pascucci's program record of 929. Her 317 rebounds last season rank second on SUU's single-season list, and her 467 points rank eighth.
Uhrich helped lead Southern Utah to a 19-12 record, a 13-1 mark at the America First Event Center and the program's second appearance in the Postseason WNIT.
A native of Burlingame, Calif., Uhrich played at Pinewood High School.
Preseason Polls
Southern Utah was picked fifth in both the Big Sky coaches' poll (67 points) and media poll (173 points). Montana State was the preseason favorite in both polls, receiving nine first-place votes from coaches and 23 from media.
The Thunderbirds return 10 players from last season's roster, including four of five starters.
2026-27 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1: Montana State (9) – 99
2: Idaho (2) – 90
3: Northern Colorado – 76
4: Eastern Washington – 71
5: Southern Utah – 67
6: Montana – 54
7: Idaho State – 49
8: Weber State – 32
9: Portland State – 30
10: Northern Arizona – 27
11: Utah Tech – 10
2026-27 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1: Montana State (23) – 283
2: Idaho (3) – 254
3: Northern Colorado – 214
4: Eastern Washington – 197
5: Southern Utah – 173
6: Idaho State – 157
7: Montana – 149
8: Northern Arizona – 110
9: Weber State – 70
10: Portland State – 63
11: Utah Tech – 46
2026-27 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Taylee Chirrick, Montana State (MVP)
Hope Hassmann, Idaho
Kourtney Grossman, Eastern Washington
Addison Harris, Montana State
Ava Uhrich, Southern Utah
Avery Waddington, Montana
Elyn Bowers, Eastern Washington
Tickets
Single-game and season tickets for the upcoming Southern Utah Women's Basketball season are now available. Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com.
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