- Southern Utah basketball is back in the Big Sky. Rob Jeter's men open Nov. 2 against West Coast Baptist behind preseason all-conference forward Jaiden Feroah; Tracy Mason's women, a WNIT team last season, open the same night against Redlands with All-WAC forwards Ava Uhrich and Brooklyn Fely.
- Southern Utah Men's Basketball, Southern Utah Women's Basketball connect back to Southern Utah University and the wider basketball picture.
- The story is backed by 24 sources and a visible last-verified date.
October 17, 2026
October 17, 2026
4 min / 941 words
24 official links
Southern Utah basketball returns to the Big Sky Conference this season, and both Thunderbird programs open at the America First Event Center in Cedar City on Monday, November 2: the women against the University of Redlands at 5 p.m. MT and the men against West Coast Baptist College at 8 p.m. MT. This preview covers Southern Utah men's basketball and Southern Utah women's basketball, from the official rosters, schedules and releases read on October 16.
Why is Southern Utah back in the Big Sky?
Southern Utah and Utah Tech officially joined the Big Sky on July 1, 2026, which gave the league 11 full-time members, per the Big Sky. Southern Utah had been a Big Sky member from 2012 to 2022 before spending four seasons in the WAC. Its women's schedule release calls this the program's first Big Sky season since 2021-22.
Who coaches Southern Utah basketball in 2026-27?
Rob Jeter coaches the men. His biography lists more than 25 years of coaching and seven NCAA Tournament appearances; before Cedar City he was head coach at Western Illinois for three years and at Milwaukee from 2005 to 2016, where he went 185-170 and left as the program's winningest coach of the Division I era.
Tracy Mason coaches the women. Her biography says she has guided the Thunderbirds to the most wins in program history twice in four years.
Men: Jaiden Feroah leads a rebuilt group
Southern Utah's men went 10-22 and 6-12 in the WAC last season and lost their final WAC game to UT Arlington in the tournament quarterfinals in Las Vegas on March 12.
Graduate forward Jaiden Feroah of Draper, a Corner Canyon High School graduate, is the returner to know. He averaged 13.5 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds and led the WAC with 52 blocks, seventh-most in a season in program history, per his Southern Utah biography. Southern Utah's October 14 release says he started all 32 games and shot 55.4 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three and 86.5 percent from the line, made the WAC All-Defensive Team, and scored 35 points on 13-of-16 shooting on January 24. On October 14 the Big Sky named him to its preseason all-conference team. Herriman's Cale Barclay, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, also returns after 31 games.
The newcomers include guard Dylan Sanders, a First Team All-RMAC pick at CSU Pueblo who averaged 11.3 points, and forward Juok Riak, who averaged 13.1 and 12 points in his two seasons at Drury before missing 2025-26 through injury. In the exhibition win over Ottawa University Arizona on October 12, 78-51, Jajuan Nicholls scored 20 and Feroah had 11 rebounds as the Thunderbirds outrebounded the visitors 47-23. The Big Sky's preseason polls placed Southern Utah 10th.
Women: two All-WAC forwards and a WNIT run
Southern Utah's women went 19-13 and 11-7 in the WAC last season. They lost to UT Arlington in the WAC tournament, then played in the WNIT, the program's second-ever appearance, and lost 85-80 at Pepperdine in the second round on March 22.
Both All-WAC forwards return. Senior forward Ava Uhrich made the All-WAC First Team after averaging 14.6 points and leading the WAC with 9.9 rebounds a game, with 11 double-doubles. Her 317 rebounds rank second in a season in program history, and she has 1,176 career points, per her biography. Senior forward Brooklyn Fely of Orem, a Pleasant Grove High School graduate, made the All-WAC Second Team with 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 10 double-doubles, and scored 26 points in the WNIT game.
Guard Kortney Doman started all 32 games and led the team in steals and blocks, and sophomore Devyn Kiernan started all 32 and made 51 three-pointers. Southern Utah's preseason release says 10 players return, including four of five starters. Newcomers include Melicia Nelson from Pima Community College, the 2026 NJCAA Division II champion, and freshman Amiah Lewis from Mater Dei.
Preseason dates and the opening stretch
The women's preseason exhibition against Fort Lewis was scheduled for October 16 at 6:30 p.m. MT. As of Oct. 16, after Redlands, their non-conference schedule includes road games at Washington State on November 13, Air Force on November 18, BYU on December 9 and California on December 22, and Big Sky play opens December 3 at Idaho State. They host Utah Tech on January 16 and visit St. George on February 13.
The men follow West Coast Baptist with home games against Grace University on November 5 and Bethesda University on November 7, then road games at High Point, Wake Forest, Texas, Washington, San Jose State and Utah. As of Oct. 16, Big Sky play opens December 3 at home against Idaho State, the men visit Utah Tech on January 16 and host the Trailblazers on February 13, and the Big Sky tournament runs March 5 to 10 in Boise.
How to watch Southern Utah basketball
Big Sky games stream on ESPN+, and the official schedules link StatBroadcast live stats and the Thunderbird ticket office. The Utah sports schedule lists every Southern Utah game day.
Key facts:
- Openers: both Mon., Nov. 2, America First Event Center, Cedar City: women vs. Redlands, 5 p.m. MT; men vs. West Coast Baptist, 8 p.m. MT
- Coaches: Rob Jeter (men); Tracy Mason (women)
- Conference: Big Sky, rejoined July 1, 2026, after four seasons in the WAC
- 2025-26 records: men 10-22 (6-12 WAC); women 19-13 (11-7 WAC), WNIT second round
- Men's player to know: Jaiden Feroah, 52 blocks to lead the WAC, preseason All-Big Sky
- Women's players to know: Ava Uhrich (All-WAC First Team, 9.9 rebounds a game), Brooklyn Fely (All-WAC Second Team)
- Utah Tech games: Jan. 16 and Feb. 13 for both programs