Junior center Lexy Harris was named a first-team All-American before the season. (Anna Calvo | Staff Photographer)

Before the 2025-26 season began, members of the WashU women’s basketball team came up with an intentionally vague catchphrase: “we will.” 

The slogan does not highlight any one goal the team has for the upcoming season. Instead, it is a versatile refrain that can be customized to fit whatever situation the Bears find themselves in. 

“We don’t have one phrase that is supposed to summarize our entire team and our entire culture,” junior center Lexy Harris said. “It’s one beginning of a phrase, which can really be transformed into anything.” 

The Bears’ “we will” mentality is just one example of their commitment to developing a strong team culture and winning key games. In head coach Lisa Stone’s second year as head coach, the Bears now seek to put Stone’s playbook into practice – and get back to playing playoff basketball.

Last season, which began just weeks after Stone was hired, WashU failed to make the NCAA tournament. After starting off dominant against non-conference opponents, the team battled to a relatively pedestrian 7-7 record in University Athletic Association (UAA) play. 

“I kind of felt like a freshman last year … We were all getting to know each other,” Stone said. “That part is settled. We were connected throughout the summer. We’re back now with a focus.”

Leading the charge is Harris, WashU’s interior force and defensive anchor, who was named a first-team All-American ahead of the season. In her sophomore campaign, Harris was nothing short of dominant — her scoring (16.4 per game), rebounding (9.2 per game), shot blocking (1.1 per game), and efficiency (0.594 field goal percentage) each were among the top five in the UAA. Foul trouble limited Harris to just 24.8 minutes a game, something Stone identified as an area of focus for Harris in year three. 

For Harris, her transition to an upperclassman is an important opportunity to focus on being a team leader. 

“I personally have been trying to be more of a mentor to the other post players … ​​stepping into a leadership role, being vocal, and just making an environment where everyone feels comfortable to really give and receive feedback,” Harris said.

The Bears will need the leadership to make up for the loss of Jessica Brooks, who graduated from NCAA eligibility last season. Brooks shone in her final season, giving the Bears 15.3 points per game on the court and invaluable mentorship to younger players off the court. 

“You don’t replace Jessica Brooks,” Stone said. “She was a captain. She was a leader. She took care of things I didn’t have to take care of … What you do is you learn from the things that she did for the team.”

WashU certainly has the pieces to replace her production. Juniors Sidney Rodgers and Alyssa Hughes form a dangerous backcourt after showing range from behind the arc and ball-handling ability last season. Senior forwards Nailah McBeth and Jordan Rich took on increased roles as the season went on and look to be key contributors in the upcoming season. An impressive sophomore class, including guards Hope Drake and Ava Blagojevich, showed flashes of impressive play last year and will receive more playing time in the backcourt without Brooks.

Harris expects the team to utilize a more aggressive, defense-first playing style in the upcoming season.

“We’re playing at a much faster pace in transition, and [we] are just able to play defense for longer, be on the court for longer,” Harris said. “And I think that aspect of being conditioned is really going to show in how we play.” 

Three first-years – Molly Friesen, Maggie Helms, and Reid Seddelmeyer – join the team this season and will look to provide a spark to the rotation as the season progresses. Stone emphasized that all roles are up for grabs in the season’s first few weeks as she looks to solidify her playbook.

“Every day in practice is a tryout,” Stone said. “Right now, we’re trying to work out combinations and who works best with who … it all revolves around defense.” 

The Bears will start the season with a challenging non-conference matchup, traveling to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater on Nov. 8. A week later, the Bears will begin their home season in the McWilliams Classic, facing Benedictine University in the opening matchup. The Bears will close their non-conference schedule with a crucial game against No. 20 Christopher Newport University at the St. Petersburg Tournament in Florida. Conference play will feature two matchups against the back-to-back champion No. 1 New York University, along with other familiar UAA foes.

To find success in these tough matchups, the Bears will need to continue to build chemistry and grind out games as a team. After several years of playoff disappointments and tournament absences, the winningest program in Division III women’s basketball history looks to find success in the future by emphasizing a team mentality.  

“It’s ‘we will’ and not ‘I will.’ So it’s ‘we’ will do things together,” Harris said. “It’s not like, ‘I’ll make the next shot,’ because it’s a team sport. It’s not about each player individually.”