CONWAY, Ark. – With basketball season on the horizon, the ASUN has released its preseason lists, honoring ten players on the preseason team, and two superlatives, naming a preseason player and defensive player of the year. Entering the 2025-26 season, the ASUN coaches have named Bree Stephens the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and one of the league's top-ten players.
 
"We are so fortunate to have Bree back for this season. She is such a major contributor on both ends of the floor and a steady presence everyday in our locker room. I believe she is worthy of both the Preseason DPOY and the all-conference selection," Head coach Tony Kemper said of Stephens. "She has worked hard this offseason to get better and she will be looked upon to deliver on both ends of the floor."
 
Stephens, entering her third season with Central Arkansas, became the ASUN's premier defender last season, leading the conference and ranking tenth in the nation in blocks per game (2.39) and total blocks (79). The senior had 28 games with a block, 21 games with multiple blocks, and seven games of five or more blocks, peaking at seven rejections. By the end of the season, the thought of getting blocked inside prevented teams from even going into the paint, adding another layer to the Sugar Bear defense.
 
In addition to her blocks, Stephens also had quick hands in the passing lanes and on the perimeter, coming away with 40 steals, logging 119 combined steals and blocks, by far the most in the ASUN last year. The Aussie also knew how to finish defensive possessions, ranking seventh in the ASUN in defensive rebounds with 5.0 per game, totaling 166 over the 33 games last season.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Stephens has developed a reputation as not just one of the best passing bigs in the conference, but one of the best passers regardless of position. She finished last season tied for eighth with 83 assists, one of just 11 players in the ASUN to log 80 dimes, and that number led the Sugar Bears.
 
In addition to Stephens' honors, the Sugar Bears themselves were highly thought of, being ranked second in both the Coaches Poll and the Media Poll. Central Arkansas is coming off back-to-back appearances in the ASUN Championship Final and 20-plus win seasons. With Stephens in the fold, the Sugar Bears add nine new players, with just three players who logged at least 300 minutes last season.
 
"It says a lot about the growth of our program at Central Arkansas, that we have been picked this high going into the season. This is a group that has many new faces, but shares these high expectations with the league," Kemper added about the polls. "We are focused on pushing this program to the next level, and I believe this is a group that has the talent to have a really good year."
 
The Sugar Bears tip off the season at Mizzou on November 3^rd, playing in Columbia, Missouri against the SEC Tigers.