MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's women's basketball team has been a regular participant in the Midwest Conference Tournament, qualifying 10 of the past 13 years.
 
The league's coaches expect the trend to continue, pegging the Rams third in the 2026-27 MWC Preseason Poll. Cornell received 63 points in the 10-team league.
 
Eight-time defending regular-season champion Ripon, which beat the Rams in last year's MWC semifinal, is the favorite with 80 points and eight first-place votes. Lawrence is projected second with 72 points and two first-place nods. MWC newcomer Luther is slotted fourth, two points behind Cornell.
 
Coach Brent Brase brings back three starters from last year's 15-10 squad that placed fourth in the MWC at 9-7. Seven of the team's top eight scorers return, headlined by two-time First Team All-MWC junior forward Erin Knowles.
 
Knowles broke her own single-season scoring record with 490 points a year ago and ranked No. 20 nationally in points per game (19.6). She is only 31 points shy of 1,000 for her career. Knowles made a school-record 129 free throws last season.   
 
Returning sophomore starters Kallynn Stroup and Caroline Kron are coming off strong rookie seasons. Stroup averaged 7.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and shot 46.9 percent from the field. Kron dished a team-high 63 assists (2.5 apg), made 26 3-pointers and averaged 5.5 points.
 
The senior-less Rams will also lean on experience from juniors Hailey Testolin, Penley Park and sophomores Darby Haley, Maggie Thompson and Savanna Robinson. All five played at least 22 games last season.
 
Haley is one of the MWC's top long-range shooters, canning 33 3-pointers in her freshman season. Robinson ranked second on the team with 35 steals.
 
Cornell will mesh the veterans with a talented class of seven first-year players.  
 
"We need to keep working, stay connected and battle for each other," said Brase, entering his 22nd season on the Hilltop. 
 
 The Rams open the season Friday against rival Coe in a Bremner Cup matchup at 5:30 p.m. in Cedar Rapids. They travel to play Marian Nov. 8 and then visit NCAA Division I Western Illinois Nov. 11 for an exhibition in Macomb, Ill.
 
Cornell's home opener is Nov. 14 against Nebraska Wesleyan. MWC play begins Nov. 21 at Grinnell.