NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas- Madison Clay, Hope Hermesmeyer and Caitlyn Parsons were all named "Preseason Players to Watch" in a press release for the upcoming women's college basketball season by the American Southwest Conference.

Clay, a senior guard from Houston, Texas, looks to regain form from her sophomore campaign, where she was named to the ASC Third Team All-Conference, after being limited to four games in her junior season. As a sophomore, Clay scored 10.8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds a game for the Lady Jackets.

Hermesmeyer, a junior guard from Goldthwaite, Texas, transferred to Howard Payne last year and was named to the ASC Second- Team All-Conference and the ASC All-Tournament team after playing crucial role down the stretch by scoring 102 points in the final six games for the Lady Jackets.

Parsons, a sophomore center from Gordon, Texas came into Howard Payne and made an immediate impact that helped rewrite the Lady Jackets' record books. Parsons grabbed 263 rebounds during her freshman campaign, which is sixth most in Howard Payne history for a single season. She also scored 12 points per game, earned a spot on the ASC First Team All-Conference and was named ASC Newcomer of the Year.

The Howard Payne University women's basketball team was also picked fifth in the ASC poll with 34 points. In the 2025-26 season, the Lady Jackets dramatically improved under head coach Rodney Gee, going to a 13-14 record and reaching the ASC Championship game after winning only four games the year prior. HPU will look to build on the success of last year with the aim of making it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.