As of this weekend, the Texas Woman’s Pioneers are officially the 2026 Lone Star Conference Champions for the third year in a row. They fought their way to the top, beating UT Permian Basin (69-54), Eastern New Mexico (73-61), and finally West Texas A&M (54-46).
“It means the world to us,” Senior basketball player Averee Kleinhans said. “Three times in a row is not only an amazing accomplishment, but it is also incredibly tough to do, especially in this conference. We are very grateful to have come this far.”
With the conclusion of the weekend, Senior Gabby Elliot was named MVP of the LSC Tournament, averaging 16.7 points, 14.7 rebounds, 60% field goal percentage, and 100% free throw percentage per game. Seniors Averee Kleinhans and Jada Celsur were both chosen to be a part of the LSC All-Tournament Team. Kleinhans averaged 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Celsur averaged 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
“I’m really grateful for it [the MVP award], but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Elliot said. “They put me in great spots all tournament and made it a lot easier for me.”
Next, the Pioneers will host the South Central Regional tournament as the number one seed, meaning they are ranked number one among the eight teams based on their performance so far this season. Teams from the region will be playing at Kitty Magee Arena, on Friday Mar. 13, through Monday Mar. 16.
“It is amazing,” Kleinhans said. “Getting to sleep in our own beds and do our own routines at home is going to give us an edge for sure. Getting to play in front of all of our fans is such a blessing and I can’t wait to play in KMA a few more times.”
Bird Moffitt can be contacted via email at bmoffitt@twu.edu
Image credit Jason Harrison
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