HATTIESBURG, Miss.- There is a little more familiarity and less transition surrounding Southern Miss women's basketball this year.
Missy Bilderback is entering her second season as head coach of the Lady Eagles, the transition of Year 1 on the job is behind her, and a new-look roster has taken shape ahead of another season inside Reed Green Coliseum.
For Bilderback, who was also recently inducted into the Jones College Hall of Fame, this offseason has provided an opportunity to continue putting her stamp on the program while building a roster she believes can grow together over time.
"I think just being year two, there has been a chance to just settle in a little more," Bilderback tells Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI . "Maybe less external distractions and just able to really focus on this team rather than the transition."
That focus has centered heavily on roster construction, player development and finding the right mix between players who can contribute immediately and those who could become part of the program's foundation for years to come.
Missy Bilderback (middle) being introduced as the fifth Lady Eagles head coach in program history by Southern Miss AD Jeremy McClain (left) and President Joe Paul (right). | WDAM
Roster retention has become increasingly difficult across college basketball, but Bilderback still sees continuity as an important part of building Southern Miss into the kind of program she wants it to become.
That influenced the way the Lady Eagles approached the offseason.
"I think understanding how much retention is going to play in our success moving forward, we targeted players that have multiple years left," Bilderback said. "I believe to build a championship team we need that piece in core retention. I get that's a challenge in today's landscape, but I believe we can still have that and ultimately gives us the best chance to win at a championship level. So for us, this roster was built with the long game in mind."
That approach naturally brings some youth with it, and Bilderback knows there could be areas where the Lady Eagles have to grow throughout the season. Still, she is excited about what that development could eventually produce.
"With that comes inexperience in some positions but I am excited about what we can be and how this team will grow together," Bilderback said.
Southern Miss Lady Eagles freshman guard Jada Gay was a massive recruiting get for head coach Missy Bilderback. | Southern Miss Athletics
Southern Miss did not completely sacrifice experience while building for the future.
Bilderback pointed to guards Chrysta Narcisse and Kennedy Langham as two additions who should bring some valuable seasoning to a roster that will be young in other areas.
Narcisse, a redshirt-junior guard transfer from South Alabama, arrives with Sun Belt Conference experience and was an All-Sun Belt Tournament performer last season, while Langham, a senior guard transfer from Butler, has been a starter at the Big East level.
"I think Chrysta Narcisse and Kennedy Langham really stand out at the guard position," Bilderback said. "They are both extremely mature and tough players that do have that experience we may lack in other positions. Chrysta was an All-SBC tourney performer last season, and Kennedy played in the Big East. They were huge pickups for us in the portal."
And then there is the highly touted freshman guard Jada Gay, who has apparently wasted little time making an impression.
"Then Jada Gay, she's only a freshman but goodness she's talented," Bilderback said.
Gay, who was named Class 7A Miss Basketball, led the Starkville Yellow Jackets to a state championship in March. Starkville posted a 31-3 record, and Gay averaged 16.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.6 steals and one block per game.
The combination of experienced additions and younger players with multiple years of eligibility fits directly into the larger vision Bilderback and her staff had when assembling this roster.
Southern Miss Lady Eagles head coach Missy Bilderback looks on during a 2025-26 game at Reed Green Coliseum. | Southern Miss Athletics
Southern Miss gave fans plenty to be excited about early last season, starting the year 6-0 before injuries and a difficult stretch of competition created some adversity. The Lady Eagles finished 15-16 overall. They posted a 10-5 record at Reed Green Coliseum but 5-11 on the road or at neutral sites.
Looking back, Bilderback believes last year was unique in several ways, particularly because of how much the coaching staff was trying to bring together at once.
"Last season was unusual in that we were essentially blending two rosters," Bilderback said. "I truly loved that team and still believe we had an experienced roster that had the capability of having a special season. Unfortunately, yes, we had some key injuries that we weren't able to overcome. And I think on the women's side of the SBC it was an exceptionally strong year."
Rather than making drastic changes based on one season, Bilderback and her staff have drawn on some of those experiences to shape the identity they want this year's group to establish.
"I think we have just tried to build this year's team more on toughness than anything else," she said.
A look at Reed Green Coliseum with its newly-painted ceiling. | Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI
With a full season in Hattiesburg now behind her, Bilderback enters Year 2 with a better understanding of the program and what it takes to navigate a college basketball season at Southern Miss.
Now comes the fun part, as Bilderback and her staff will begin to see what this particular group can become. The Lady Eagles will begin the 2026-27 season against Mississippi Christian in an 11 a.m. tip-off at Reed Green Coliseum. Then, they'll travel to Auburn on Nov. 5 for a big early test.
There will be newcomers to learn, returning players taking on new responsibilities and, as Bilderback acknowledged, some areas where the Lady Eagles will have to develop along the way. But she expects the team's personality to be easy for Southern Miss fans to recognize.
"Obviously just come watch us play," Bilderback said when asked how fans can best support the program. "I think the sport is continuing to grow. This will be a tough and resilient group. I know this team is going to embody that Southern Miss grit we take pride in. We would love to see everyone in RGC supporting this team."
For Bilderback and the Lady Eagles, Year 2 represents another big step in building something sustainable beyond just one season. The roster has changed, but the program is more settled than it was last year due to the coaching continuity. The Lady Eagles are ready to see where that can take them in Bilderback's second season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/southernmiss as Missy Bilderback Sees More Stability, Plenty of Potential Entering Year 2 at Southern Miss .
