Maria Marchesano
Photo by: Josh Gales
Marchesano Tabbed to Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List
10/29/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOPEWELL, N.J. - Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball head coach Maria Marchesano was selected for the 2026 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award Preseason Watch List on Wednesday (Oct. 29), Her Hoop Stats announced.
To be eligible for the award, coaches must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major." The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, Oregon State and Washington State remain ineligible this season as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves. Interim head coaches are eligible, though total games coached were taken into consideration. This year's watch list includes coaches from 13 conferences.
The 10-person midseason watch list will be announced in January. The five finalists for the award will be announced in March, with the winner being named around the Final Four. Coaches will be assessed across the entire season, including postseason play. Beyond on-court success, other factors such as recruiting, preseason expectations, injuries, and tactical coaching will also be weighed when assessing each candidate. Inclusion on previous watch lists is not a requirement to be considered for future watch lists.
Marchesano, the 2025 Horizon League Coach of the Year, is the only coach from the Horizon League, and the only from the state of Indiana, to be selected for the watch list. Marchesano led the Mastodons to a runner-up finish in the Horizon League regular season and championship a year ago, with a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament Great 8, the furthest postseason run in program history. The Mastodons racked up 27 wins, including a 17-game winning streak, both of which were program records.
The Mastodons have retooled from a year ago, replacing nearly 7,000 career points from those who exhausted eligibility last season. 2025 Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year Jordan Reid is back for her last year of college ball after averaging 7.1 points per game in 2024-25.
The 'Dons will open the 2025-26 campaign with a November 3 trip to West Virginia, which is receiving votes in the AP Top 25.
To be eligible for the award, coaches must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major." The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, Oregon State and Washington State remain ineligible this season as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves. Interim head coaches are eligible, though total games coached were taken into consideration. This year's watch list includes coaches from 13 conferences.
The 10-person midseason watch list will be announced in January. The five finalists for the award will be announced in March, with the winner being named around the Final Four. Coaches will be assessed across the entire season, including postseason play. Beyond on-court success, other factors such as recruiting, preseason expectations, injuries, and tactical coaching will also be weighed when assessing each candidate. Inclusion on previous watch lists is not a requirement to be considered for future watch lists.
Marchesano, the 2025 Horizon League Coach of the Year, is the only coach from the Horizon League, and the only from the state of Indiana, to be selected for the watch list. Marchesano led the Mastodons to a runner-up finish in the Horizon League regular season and championship a year ago, with a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament Great 8, the furthest postseason run in program history. The Mastodons racked up 27 wins, including a 17-game winning streak, both of which were program records.
The Mastodons have retooled from a year ago, replacing nearly 7,000 career points from those who exhausted eligibility last season. 2025 Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year Jordan Reid is back for her last year of college ball after averaging 7.1 points per game in 2024-25.
The 'Dons will open the 2025-26 campaign with a November 3 trip to West Virginia, which is receiving votes in the AP Top 25.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballPFW vs Cleveland State WNIT Great 8 Highlights
Tuesday, April 01
WNIT Super 16 PFW vs Butler Post Game and Highlights
Saturday, March 29
PFW vs Old Dominion Post Game and Highlights
Wednesday, March 26
WBB PFW vs Wright State Post game and Highlights
Friday, March 07
