#CAAHoops WBB Notebook – Nov. 9, 2026
CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY RELEASE – Nov. 9, 2026
UNDEFEATED QUARTET LEADS CAA INTO WEEK TWO
The CAA opened the 2026-27 campaign with a 15-13 record across 28 non-conference matchups. Charleston, Monmouth, Stony Brook, and UNCW each finished the opening week undefeated and will look to maintain that momentum in Week Two, which features another full slate of non-conference action and ranked matchups.
CAA SQUARES OFF AGAINST TOP-25 FOES IN WEEK TWO
Charleston, which enters the contest undefeated at 2-0, faces its toughest test of the young season when it travels to Los Angeles, Calif., to take on No. 3 USC on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. EST at the Galen Center. The matchup marks Charleston’s first regular-season meeting against a top-10 opponent since facing No. 1 South Carolina in 2020 and the first meeting in program history between the Cougars and Trojans. Five Cougars are averaging double figures through the first two games, led by Isla Juffermans (15.0 ppg), Janna Vogelaar (14.0), Anilys Rolon (13.5), Abby Jegede (10.5) and Dakara Merthie (10.0).
USC counters with Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and preseason All-American JuJu Watkins, who is averaging 26.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game through the Trojans’ opening contests.
North Carolina A&T will take part in the week’s second-ranked matchup on Tuesday when the Aggies travel to Pinnacle Bank Arena to face No. 25 Nebraska, closing out their two-game road stretch. The contest marks just the second all-time meeting between the programs, with the Cornhuskers winning the first matchup, 60-58, during the 2012-13 season. Nebraska enters the matchup ranked No. 25 in the latest Associated Press Poll after opening the season with a 2-0 record. Tuesday’s contest is set for a 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) tipoff and will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
SEAHAWKS TURN UP THE PRESSURE IN SEASON’S OPENING WEEK
UNCW is off to its hottest start in nearly a decade, opening the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign following an 82-48 victory over NC Central.
Defense has driven UNCW’s early success, as the Seahawks entered the NC Central contest as the CAA’s top defensive team. UNCW ranks 29th nationally in steals per game (16.5), 35th in turnovers forced per game (26.5), and 57th in turnover margin (+9.0). That defensive pressure was on full display against the Eagles, as the Seahawks forced 28 turnovers and turned them into 33 points. Through two games, UNCW is allowing just 46.0 points per contest, the fewest in the CAA. The defensive improvement is particularly notable after the Seahawks surrendered an average of 67.8 points per game last season, the highest mark in the conference.
McELRATH OPENS SEASON WITH CAREER-BEST PERFORMANCE
Kiki McElrath opened the season in historic fashion, scoring a career-high 33 points at Houston on Nov. 2, making her one of 14 players nationally to score 33 or more points in a single game through the first week of action. The preseason honorable mention All-CAA selection also surpassed 1,000 career points and leads the conference with 26.0 points per game through two contests.
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
The reigning CAA champions have picked up right where they left off, as Charleston has opened the season 2-0 under new head coach Amanda Butler. Despite the coaching change, the Cougars have continued to dominate their opponents, currently holding the highest scoring margin in the conference at 33 points. Butler arrives in Charleston following two seasons as an assistant coach at Louisville, where she helped guide the Cardinals to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a 51-19 record. Prior to Louisville, Butler spent six seasons as Clemson’s head coach, earning 2018-19 ACC Coach of the Year honors.
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