October 21, 2026 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE – Madison Francis was named Preseason Second Team All-SEC on Wednesday, as voted on the 16 coaches of the Southeastern Conference.
Francis, a 6-2 forward from Lancaster, New York, had a standout freshman campaign in the Maroon and White last season. She earned conference All-Freshman and All-Defensive honors, making her the first freshman to be named to the All-Defensive team since 2020. Most notably, Francis led the nation in blocks per game, ending the season with a 2.84 average.
Francis' effectiveness wasn't limited to just blocks, as she also averaged 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 assists per game. She led the Bulldogs in scoring and defensive steals last season while ranking second on the roster in rebounding.
Francis was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week last season and was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Week once. She was a mainstay of the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist as well.
Francis and the Bulldogs will begin the regular season inside Humphrey Coliseum on November 3 against North Alabama. Season tickets, as well as single-game non-conference tickets, are available at hailstate.com/tickets.
Visit HailState.com for the latest news and information on women's basketball. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateWBK' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Francis, a 6-2 forward from Lancaster, New York, had a standout freshman campaign in the Maroon and White last season. She earned conference All-Freshman and All-Defensive honors, making her the first freshman to be named to the All-Defensive team since 2020. Most notably, Francis led the nation in blocks per game, ending the season with a 2.84 average.
Francis' effectiveness wasn't limited to just blocks, as she also averaged 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 assists per game. She led the Bulldogs in scoring and defensive steals last season while ranking second on the roster in rebounding.
Francis was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week last season and was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Week once. She was a mainstay of the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist as well.
Francis and the Bulldogs will begin the regular season inside Humphrey Coliseum on November 3 against North Alabama. Season tickets, as well as single-game non-conference tickets, are available at hailstate.com/tickets.
Preseason Player of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Preseason First Team All-SEC
Clara Strack, Kentucky (u)
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Mikaylah Williams, LSU (u)
Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina (u)
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
Madison Booker, Texas (u)
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt (u)
Aubrey Galvan, Vanderbilt
Preseason Second Team All-SEC
Kiyomi McMiller, Florida
Me'Arah O'Neal, Kentucky
Jada Richardson; Ole Miss
Madison Francis, Mississippi State
Grace Slaughter, Missouri
Sahara Williams, Oklahoma
Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Jordan Lee, South Carolina
Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
Breya Cunningham, Texas
Mia Woolfolk, Vanderbilt
(u) - unanimous
Visit HailState.com for the latest news and information on women's basketball. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateWBK' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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