Cotie McMahon of Ole Miss has been named the 2026 SEC Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the First Team All-SEC, according to an announcement from the Southeastern Conference. This is McMahon’s third consecutive season being named to a conference postseason first team, having previously received All-Big Ten First Team honors for two years. She was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023.
McMahon becomes the first Ole Miss player in program history to receive the Newcomer of the Year award. The SEC introduced this honor last season. She is also the first Rebel since Madison Scott and Marquesha Davis in 2024 to be selected for First Team All-SEC.
In her debut season with Ole Miss, McMahon has played a key role offensively. She was named SEC Player of the Week three times during conference play and currently ranks second in scoring during league games, averaging 21 points per game along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest.
For the full season, McMahon is averaging 19.9 points per game on 45.3 percent shooting, while adding 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
She has appeared on or been a finalist for several awards and watch lists this year, including the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, and Cheryl Miller Award.
McMahon started every game for Ole Miss this season and recorded at least 20 points in 17 games—tied for third most in a single season by any Rebel and unmatched since the 2009-10 campaign. She scored double-digit points in 29 games this year, also marking a high not seen since that same season.
Reaching another milestone, McMahon surpassed 600 points for the season during her team’s regular-season finale. With a total of 615 points so far, she becomes just the seventh player in Ole Miss history to reach that number within one year—the first since 2009-10.
Selections for all-conference teams—including First Team and Second Team All-SEC as well as individual awards—were made by coaches from across the league’s sixteen programs; coaches could not vote for their own players or teams.
The full list of major SEC women’s basketball postseason honors includes: Scholar-Athlete of the Year Karly Weathers (Alabama), Player of the Year Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt), Freshman of the Year Aubrey Galvan (Vanderbilt), Newcomer of the Year Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss), Defensive Player of the Year Raven Johnson (South Carolina), Sixth-Woman of the Year MiLaysia Fulwiley (LSU), and Coach of the Year Shea Ralph (Vanderbilt).
Other First Team All-SEC selections are Liv McGill (Florida), Dani Carnegie (Georgia), Clara Strack (Kentucky), Flau’jae Johnson (LSU), Mikaylah Williams (LSU), Raegan Beers (Oklahoma), Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), Madison Booker (Texas) and Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt).
Fans can follow updates about Ole Miss women’s basketball on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB, Instagram at OleMissWBB or head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin.
