Cooke named preseason first team, WVU picked fourth in Big 12
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MORGANTOWN — Senior guard Gia Cooke of the West Virginia University women’s basketball team has earned a spot on the 2026-27 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, the conference announced Thursday.
Additionally, the Mountaineers were selected to finish fourth in the preseason poll and picked up one first-place vote. League coaches voted on the awards and poll and could not vote for their own team.
The Preseason all-Big 12 selection is the first of Cooke's career. Last season she was named to the all-conference team after averaging a team-leading 15 points per game. Cooke scored 525 total points last season, becoming just the 30th 500-point scorer in a season. Her 59 three-pointers, 54 assists and 34 steals also marked career highs.
Oklahoma State was selected as the favorite in the league's preseason poll, while the Cowgirls Audi Crooks was named the Conference's Preseason Player of the Year.
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Oklahoma State (7) - 215 points
TCU (6) - 212 points
Baylor (2) - 199 points
West Virginia (1) - 186 points
Kansas - 160 points
Arizona State - 143 points
BYU - 137 points
Colorado - 126 points
K-State - 121 points
Texas Tech - 103 points
Iowa State - 78 points
Utah - 77 points
Arizona - 55 points
Cincinnati - 43 points
Houston - 38 points
UCF - 27 points
(first-place votes)
2026-27 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State
2026-27 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Liv McGill, Oklahoma State
2026-27 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Jessie-May Hall, TCU
2026-27 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Team
McKinna Brackens, Arizona State
Taliah Scott, Baylor
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Zyanna Walker, Colorado
Jaliya Davis, Kansas
S'Mya Nichols, Kansas
Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State
Liv McGill, Oklahoma State
Clara Silva, TCU
Gia Cooke, West Virginia