Brynn Lusby Named All-UAC Preseason Team as North Alabama Ranked 9th

Brynn Lusby has been named to the Preseason All-United Athletic Conference (UAC) Team, marking a rare early vote of confidence for the University of North Alabama (UNA) as the program enters a new conference era. While Lusby earns a spot among the league’s elite 11 players, the broader outlook for the Lions is stark: conference head coaches voted North Alabama ninth out of nine teams in the preseason rankings, North Alabama Athletics reported.

The Lions enter the UAC ranked ninth out of nine teams, yet they possess a weapon in Lusby, who was named to the preseason all-conference team.

A New Era Under Coach Anna Nimz

The preseason recognition comes at a time of massive structural change for the Lions. First-year head coach Anna Nimz is inheriting a squad that looks fundamentally different from the one that pushed into the second round of the ASUN Postseason Tournament last year. Only three players from the 2025-26 roster return: Brooke Hallman, Greta Ramon, and Venla Ulander.

To fill the void, Nimz has leaned heavily into the transfer portal, bringing in nine new faces this off-season. During her two seasons in San Antonio, Texas, Lusby appeared in 62 games and established herself as a scoring threat, finishing second on her team in scoring during her sophomore year. She also proved her discipline off the court, earning a spot on the Southland Conference All-Academic Team.

“We are thrilled for Brynn and this preseason recognition,” said coach Anna Nimz. “Seeing her develop a true inside-out game gives our entire program a boost heading into the year, and we couldn’t be more excited for what this season holds for our group.”

The Weight of the Ninth-Place Ranking

By placing them last, the league’s coaches—representing schools such as Abilene Christian, EKU, and Little Rock—have signaled that the Lions are the bottom-ranked team in the preseason poll. Abilene Christian sits at the top of the heap, claiming both the preseason favorite spot and the Preseason Player of the Year honor via Payton Hull.

Since entering the Division I era in 2018, the Lions have been ranked eighth, third, sixth, ninth, sixth, seventh, ninth, sixth, and now ninth. Their peak came before the 2019-20 season when they were tabbed third in the ASUN.

Historical Context of All-Conference Honors

In the broader window since 2018, Lusby becomes only the sixth player to achieve this, joining an exclusive list that includes Gill, Olivia Noah, Brittany Panetti, and Ivy Wallen (who earned the nod twice).

The following table illustrates the hierarchy of the UAC as perceived by the conference coaches heading into the season:

UAC Preseason Rank	School	All-Conference Selections
1	Abilene Christian	3
2	EKU	2
3	Central Arkansas	2
4	Austin Peay	1
7	Little Rock	1
8	West Georgia	1
9	North Alabama	1

The Road to Starkville

The theoretical rankings will meet reality on Tuesday, Nov. 3. North Alabama opens its first season in the UAC with a daunting road trip to face Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

The clash will serve as the first true litmus test for Lusby’s “inside-out game” and Nimz’s integration of nine transfers. While the coaches’ poll has the Lions at the bottom, the presence of a preseason all-conference talent in Lusby suggests there is a ceiling higher than ninth place.