Women's Basketball 11/2/2026 10:08:00 AM

Blinn eyes improved scoring, defense with new season on horizon

The Buccaneers return five players from last year's 18-win team

Women's Basketball 11/2/2026 10:08:00 AM

Blinn eyes improved scoring, defense with new season on horizon

The Buccaneers return five players from last year's 18-win team

The Blinn College women's basketball team opens its 2026-27 season with a renewed roster, improved depth, and aspirations of returning to the top of Region 14.

The Buccaneers welcome McLennan Community College to the Kruse Center in Brenham for a 5:30 p.m. season opener Tuesday. Blinn is coming off an 18-13 campaign in which it finished 8-6 in Region 14 and advanced to the conference tournament.

Head coach Jeff Jenkins believes the Bucs have addressed one of the biggest shortcomings from a year ago with a deeper roster that provides considerably more flexibility.

"The thing that I didn't think we had last year was depth," Jenkins said. "I really do believe we're 15 deep right now."

Blinn returns five players from last season's squad, including sophomore forward Amyah Weathersby and sophomore guard Chloe Williams. Sophomores Kamaria Ford, Sami'ya Mahr and Phoenix Sneed also return, while the Bucs welcome sophomore transfers Ar'mya Amos-Horsley, a guard from McLennan Community College, and Naya Burleson, a forward from Cowley College. A large freshman class rounds out the roster.

Weathersby is Blinn's leading returning scorer after averaging 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. She also recorded 19 blocks and shot 52% from the field. Ford averaged 4.1 points and 5.0 rebounds, while Williams contributed 4.0 points per game and knocked down 19 3-pointers in 22 appearances.

Williams believes the combination of returning experience and incoming freshmen will help the Bucs develop chemistry and establish their identity.

"We do have quite a few more freshmen than we have sophomores, but I'm excited to see how everybody meshes together and how we work together," Williams said.

Jenkins sees considerable offensive potential in the new-look roster, particularly with the number of guards capable of creating scoring opportunities.

"I think we have eight guards who can legitimately put a ball in the bucket," Jenkins said. "Some shoot it, some drive it, but they all have a chance to score the ball."

Weathersby is encouraged by the team's scoring ability and the confidence of its younger players.

"I feel like we're better at scoring this year, going to the bank more," Weathersby said. "Even though they're freshmen, they're not scared to go in the paint against someone that's 6-foot, 6-3. They're going to go get that contact and try to make a play. We have a good amount of shooters who aren't afraid to shoot the ball."

Defensively, Jenkins expects the Bucs to continue developing as they become more comfortable in his system. The team has the athleticism and size to defend multiple styles of play, but the first-year players will need time to adjust to the expectations.

Weathersby and Williams understand the learning curve and hope their experience can help ease the transition for the newcomers.

"It takes time to learn how he wants to play defense, especially post defense," Weathersby said. "It took me a minute to learn how he wanted me to play post defense because in high school it's not really that hard. In college you're playing against 6-2, 6-3, even sometimes 6-5."

Williams echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of patience and continued improvement.

"It's definitely a learning experience, and it definitely takes time to get it," Williams said. "But once you get it, you'll be able to play and play the style that he wants you to play."

The Bucs will face a demanding schedule, particularly in Region 14, where a significant format change will have teams meeting three times during the regular season. The adjustment comes following the departure of Coastal Bend College, which discontinued its men's and women's basketball programs.

Blinn will play an 18-game region slate, with familiar opponents including No. 3 Trinity Valley Community College, No. 14 Kilgore College, Tyler Junior College, Panola College, Paris Junior College, and Angelina College appearing multiple times.

"We don't have anybody in our conference who is an easy win or a win you should expect to get," Jenkins said. "We just lost Coastal Bend. So, you know, we have seven teams that are all fully funded, and they're all tough places to play, and they're all well-coached. So, it's going to be a tough year."

The Bucs' non-region schedule will provide additional tests as they prepare for the grind of league play. Aside from McLennan, Blinn will face Hill College, Temple College, Lone Star College-Tomball, South Plains College, Seminole State College, and Western Gulf College, among others.

Blinn looks to capture its first region championship since sharing the crown with Trinity Valley in 2022-23. The Bucs are pursuing their first berth in the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament since the 2023-24 season.

"Last year I was very hard on myself, and that caused me to make a lot of mistakes in the game," Weathersby said. "So this year I try to give myself some leeway and just continue to be a leader and show the freshmen it's okay to make a mistake, and if you mess up, just go on to the next play."

Williams has embraced a similar approach, recognizing that the ability to move past mistakes is essential over the course of a long season.

"I definitely learned that you've got to have a next-play mentality with basketball because you're going to mess up a lot, and we're all going to mess up as a whole," Williams said. "If you have one bad game, you can have an amazing game the next one."

Jenkins has similar expectations for his team, emphasizing daily improvement, competitiveness, and attention to detail rather than focusing solely on the final record.

"Just every day get better and practice, practice hard, compete hard, learn from the video and let the wins fall where they fall," Jenkins said. "If we do the right things, it should all work out."

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.

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