ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Emory & Henry University Women's Basketball Team has been picked to finish 11th in the South Atlantic Conference this year by the league's head coaches. The poll was released by the SAC office on Thursday. Additionally, the league has announced its Preseason All-Conference Teams and Players to Watch.
RELATED - SAC Preseason Poll & Preseason All-Conference Teams
E&H went 7-23 last season, winning two games in conference play to finish in 13th place. The Wasps got a pair of league wins against Newberry College and Lincoln Memorial. Emory & Henry went 5-1 in non-conference action, topping Southern Wesleyan University, King (Tenn.) University, Virginia Union University, Puerto Rico-Bayamon and Puerto-Rico Rio Piedras.
Defending SAC regular season champion Coker University is the favorite with nine top votes while Carson-Newman University is second with two first-place votes and Wingate University is third. Anderson (S.C.) University received the final first-place vote in fourth while Lenoir-Rhyne University was selected fifth.
Additionally, the league has announced its preseason all-conference teams and a list of players to watch. Graduate student forward Breanna Yarber (Meadowview, Va.) has been tabbed to the All-SAC Preseason First Team after earning all-league third team honors the past two seasons and SAC All-Freshman Team accolades in 2022-23. Additionally, junior Gracyn Hall (Randleman, N.C.) was recognized by the conference as a Player to Watch.
Emory & Henry will open the season on Saturday, November 8 when it visits Radford University for an exhibition game. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from Radford, Virginia. The Wasps' first official game will be Friday, November 14 at Southern Wesleyan University in the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge. Tipoff for that contest is set for 7:00 p.m.
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2025-26 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
|
Rank |
|
School (FPV) |
|
Points |
|
1. |
|
Coker (9) |
|
129 |
|
2. |
|
Carson-Newman (2) |
|
117 |
|
3. |
|
Wingate |
|
107 |
|
4. |
|
Anderson (1) |
|
106 |
|
5. |
|
Lenoir-Rhyne |
|
89 |
|
6. |
|
Catawba |
|
85 |
|
7. |
|
Lincoln Memorial |
|
77 |
|
8. |
|
UVA Wise |
|
58 |
|
9. |
|
Newberry |
|
45 |
|
10. |
|
Tusculum |
|
43 |
|
11. |
|
Emory & Henry |
|
37 |
|
12. |
|
Mars Hill |
|
31 |
2025-26 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Shawnteanna Tillman, Coker
Jennifer Sullivan, Carson-Newman
Aaliyah El, Lenoir-Rhyne
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial
Breanna Yarber, Emory & Henry
Kamil Collier, Lincoln Memorial
Laney Beale, Wingate
Players to Watch
Anderson – Ashlyn Sheridan, Rose Gravel
Carson-Newman – Emily Gonzalez, Keeleigh Rogers
Catawba – Mary Spry, Bailee Goodlett
Coker – Kamari Thompson
Emory & Henry – Gracyn Hall
Lenoir-Rhyne – Lauren Arnold
Mars Hill – Jadyiah Peoples, Makayla Street
Newberry – Mary-Kate Kent, Rickell Brown
Tusculum – Abbi Douglas, Josie Horner
UVA Wise – Caroline Mullins, Madison Looney
Wingate – Kyleigh Bacon