San Diego State Dominates Mountain West, Earns Top Seed in Tournament

Aztecs boast league's player and coach of the year as they open postseason play

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The San Diego State women's basketball team is set to open the Mountain West Tournament as the top seed after a dominant regular season. Led by Player of the Year Nala Williams and Coach of the Year Stacie Terry-Hutson, the 25-4 Aztecs went 19-1 in conference play to set a new record. SDSU will take on Air Force in the quarterfinals, having already defeated the Falcons twice this season.

Why it matters

San Diego State's sustained success over the past two seasons has established them as the team to beat in the Mountain West. Their ability to adapt their style of play and get contributions from multiple players has made them a formidable opponent. As the tournament's top seed, the Aztecs will be heavily favored to win their second straight conference title.

The details

The Aztecs' balanced attack features four players who earned postseason honors from the Mountain West. In addition to Williams being named Player of the Year, Kaelyn Hamilton was tabbed Sixth Person of the Year, and Naomi Panganiban joined Williams on the All-Conference first team. SDSU's defensive intensity and unselfish play have been the keys to their success, as they've shown the ability to win in different ways throughout the season.

  • The Mountain West Tournament quarterfinals will be played on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
  • SDSU defeated Air Force 74-57 in their most recent meeting on March 4, 2026.

The players

Nala Williams

The Mountain West Player of the Year, Williams transferred to San Diego State after being named the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and National Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25 while at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Stacie Terry-Hutson

The Mountain West Coach of the Year, Terry-Hutson has guided the Aztecs to a 25-4 record and a dominant 19-1 conference mark this season.

Naomi Panganiban

SDSU's leading scorer at 13.9 points per game, Panganiban was named to the All-Mountain West first team.

Natalia Martinez

After being named to the Freshman All-Mountain West team last season, Martinez has taken on a bigger role in running the offense and providing defensive leadership this year.

Bailey Barnhard

The Aztecs' starting forward, Barnhard has embraced her role in doing whatever is necessary for the team's success.

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What they’re saying

“When we started practicing before the start of the season, we made a commitment to each other to do whatever we needed to do for the team's success. Everyone worked harder at something that made the team and not necessarily themselves better.”

— Bailey Barnhard (sandiegouniontribune.com)

“We're at our best when we share. That can be moving the ball around or playing stronger team defense. That started last year. The younger players at that time saw how it worked from the veterans on that team.”

— Natalia Martinez (sandiegouniontribune.com)

“Our players see what needs to be done and adjust. We're not the biggest team. But we're athletic and fill roles. Our players are complementary pieces. Everyone is capable of being the necessary piece at any given moment.”

— Stacie Terry-Hutson, Head Coach (sandiegouniontribune.com)

What’s next

The winner of the SDSU-Air Force quarterfinal matchup will advance to the Mountain West Tournament semifinals on Monday, March 10, 2026.

The takeaway

San Diego State's ability to adapt their style of play and get contributions from multiple players has made them the team to beat in the Mountain West. Their balanced attack and stifling defense have fueled a dominant two-year run, and they enter the conference tournament as the heavy favorites to repeat as champions.