HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's basketball team has been selected to finish 10th in the 2026-27 Centennial Conference preseason coaches' poll, earning 27 points as the Fords prepare for their first season under new head coach Andre Gibbs.
Defending champion Gettysburg claimed the top spot with seven first-place votes and 97 points, followed by Johns Hopkins with four first-place votes and 94 points. Ursinus and McDaniel tied for third with 75 points apiece, while Dickinson rounded out the top five with 67 points.
Swarthmore was picked sixth with 50 points, followed by Washington College (40), Muhlenberg (37) and Franklin & Marshall (33). Haverford was selected 10th, ahead of Bryn Mawr with 10 points.
Gibbs takes the helm after helping Penn reach consecutive Ivy League Tournaments. The Quakers finished 17-10 in 2025-26, with Gibbs contributing to the development of multiple All-Ivy selections.
His arrival also marks a return to the Centennial Conference and the Bi-Co community. Gibbs began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Bryn Mawr before serving on the staffs at Queens University of Charlotte, Utah State and Penn. He brings experience in recruiting, player development and game preparation to his first season leading the Scarlet and Black.
Senior Audrey Jakway headlines Haverford's returning group after earning second-team All-Centennial Conference and City of Basketball Love (CoBL) All-Area first-team honors in 2025-26. Jakway started all 24 games, averaging 15.3 points and a team-best 11.1 rebounds per contest, ranking fifth and second in the conference, respectively.
Jakway recorded 12 double-doubles while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and leading the Fords with 265 rebounds and 43 blocks. Her junior campaign featured a school-record 42 points on 17 field goals against Elizabethtown, a performance that also included 16 rebounds.
She added a 33-point effort with five three-pointers against Ursinus and pulled down a season-best 21 rebounds against Swarthmore. Her production and experience will provide an established presence as Gibbs begins his tenure.
All home games will stream live on the Centennial Conference Digital Network, available online, via mobile app, and on CC streaming platforms for Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Android TV, and Roku. Fans can follow the Fords all season long at HaverfordAthletics.com and on social media at @HCFords_Sports.
