The Pauline Love era officially begins on Monday night as Alabama women’s basketball welcomes Queens to Coleman Coliseum for their season opener.
The Crimson Tide is coming off the 2025–26 season with an overall record of 24–11 and a conference record of 7–9 in the SEC (tied for 10th place). Additionally, the Crimson Tide made its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and earned the program's 15th all-time NCAA Tournament berth under former head coach Kristy Curry.
Curry decided to leave the program after 13 seasons at the Capstone as she and her staff begin a new journey at South Florida.
Now, the Tide looks to build on what Curry planted at Alabama as Love begins to create a path of her own. Fortunate for Love, Alabama was able to retain key pieces before the roster looked completely new.
Notably, Alabama was able to retain former ESPN SportsCenter NEXT 100 point guard Ace Austin, who is viewed as a leader entering her second year at Alabama.
Austin began coming along well in her freshman season, entering SEC play as a vital piece.
During the non-conference regular season, Austin averaged 6.5 points per game across those first 17 games; her production off the bench was highlighted by a breakout performance on Nov. 19, 2025, where she scored a season-high 21 points against Samford, helping her earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
The Alabama native finished her freshman campaign averaging 7.0 points per game overall after strong performances in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
With the return of Austin, along with Tianna Chambers, who also had an uptick towards the end of the season, forward Naomi Jones, who is a dominant force, along with the return of Leah Brooks, who could see valuable minutes and also serve as a key contributor for the Crimson Tide, Alabama has the opportunity to become a solid basketball team for Love’s first season.
Furthermore, Alabama added some versatile pieces out of the transfer portal to mesh with those who decided to return. The Crimson Tide added a total of nine transfers, featuring high-impact mid-major talent and depth pieces designed to help Alabama overcome being left out of the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll.
Each newcomer brings a different background to the Capstone, but their versatility provides the team with a dynamic edge, allowing for solid rotation and diverse tactical approaches on the court.
Paris Bradley is a guard who transferred from Louisiana Tech; she averaged 14.8 points per game and was a two-time Conference USA first-team honoree. Amirah Anderson is a guard who adds perimeter depth, while guard Brooke Coffey contributes wing scoring and versatility. Forward Kylie Torrence adds athleticism and a defensive presence, as she led the Cincinnati Bearcats with 200 rebounds and 30 blocks, averaging 6.9 boards per game and 1.1 stops per game. Guard Alayna West provides backcourt rotation support, while Forward Aaliyah Robertson brings a physical frontcourt experience. Guard Rickell Brown adds scoring spark from the lower ranks, previously pacing Newberry with 15.3 points per game, finishing the year with 429 points, and forward Mykelle Richards provides frontcourt depth and length.
With the arsenal of weapons and depth the Crimson Tide has, it will be interesting to see how far this 2026 season can go, but first, the journey begins with a season opener against Queens.
Those wishing to witness the beginning of a new era can do so by tuning in to SEC Network + at 6:00 p.m. CT.