NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Bates head coach Alison Montgomery is the New England Women's Basketball Association Coach of the Year, as the organization announced its all-region teams and major award winners for the 2025-26 season.

Montgomery just wrapped up her 11th year at the helm of the Bobcats. She led Bates to a 26-4 overall record, the most wins in one season in program history. The Bobcats also captured the program's second NESCAC championship and advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in team history. Montgomery has now led Bates to the NCAA tournament in four of the past five seasons, with two NESCAC titles (2022 and 2026) and two "Sweet 16" appearances (2024 and 2026) mixed in.

Montgomery is the first Bates coach to win New England Women's Basketball Association Coach of the Year since Bates Athletics Hall of Famer Jim Murphy '69 in 1998. Previously, she and her coaching staff were voted the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year and Montgomery was also chosen as the D3hoops.com Women's Basketball Region 1 Coach of the Year.

A pair of familiar names join Montgomery in earning post-season accolades from NEWBA. Bates senior captain center Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) is a first team All-New England selection and junior guard Sarah Hughes (Rumson, NJ.) picked up second team All-New England honors. The duo has already been named first team All-Region 1 by D3hoops.com and first team All-NESCAC. Daulerio is also the D3hoops.com Region 1 Player of the Year, the NESCAC Player of the Year, and the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year.