GREENVILLE, S.C. – In the 2025-26 Conference Carolinas Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, Francis Marion University was picked as the league's champion by the women's basketball coaches the conference office announced on Thursday.
Francis Marion finished as east division co-champions and tournament runner-up in 2024-25 and received 221 points to sit atop the 2025-26 preseason poll. The Patriots received 11-of-16 first place votes (schools can't vote for themselves). 2024-25 tournament and northwest division champion, Belmont Abbey College is picked second with two first place votes and 199 points. UNC Pembroke and Chowan University each received one first place votes and were picked third and fourth with 192 and 184 points, respectively. Young Harris College rounded out the top five with 178 points.
Shorter University is picked sixth with 155 points, followed by Barton College with 131 points. Emmanuel University came in eighth with 124 points while King University came in ninth with 115 points. Lees-McRae College's 93 points finished the top 10.
Converse University (81), North Greenville University (76), University of Mount Olive (61), Southern Wesleyan University (56), Erskine College (33) and Ferrum College (21) concluded the poll.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will get underway on Sunday, March 1 and Monday, March 2. The fourth, fifth and sixth seeds in men's and women's basketball will host two games over the two days. The 12th-seeded team will battle the seventh-seeded team on March 1 at the sixth seed for the right to face the sixth seed on March 2. The 11th-seeded team will battle the eighth-seeded team on March 1 at the home of the fifth seed for the right to face the fifth seed on March 2, while the 10th-seeded team will take on the ninth-seeded team at the home of the fourth seed on March 1 for the chance to take on the fourth seed on March 2.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's and Women's Basketball Championships quarterfinals are set for Friday, March 6 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. The semifinals will be contested on Saturday, March 7, while the men's and women's basketball finals are scheduled for Sunday, March 8.
2025-26 Conference Carolinas
Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
|
School |
Total (First Place) |
| 1 |
Francis Marion |
221 (11) |
| 2 |
Belmont Abbey |
199 (2) |
| 3 |
UNC Pembroke |
192 (1) |
| 4 |
Chowan |
184 (1) |
| 5 |
Young Harris |
178 |
| 6 |
Shorter |
155 |
| 7 |
Barton |
131 |
| 8 |
Emmanuel |
124 |
| 9 |
King |
115 |
| 10 |
Lees-McRae |
93 |
| 11 |
Converse |
81 |
| 12 |
North Greenville |
76 |
| 13 |
Mount Olive |
61 |
| 14 |
Southern Wesleyan |
56 |
| 15 |
Erskine |
33 |
| 16 |
Ferrum |
21 |
2025-26 Conference Carolinas Women's Basketball
Players to Watch
Barton
- Lauren Mingo, Sr., G, Clinton, Maryland, (2024-25 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Leah Hampton, So. G, Richmond, Virginia
- Celeste Bailey, So., G, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Belmont Abbey
- Riley James, Sr., G, Davidsonville, Maryland
- Janiah Shular, Jr., F, Huntersville, North Carolina
- Leigha Dennison, Jr., G, Hilliard, Ohio
Chowan
- Yasmine Brown, Sr., G, Suffolk, Virginia (2024-25 All-Conference Carolinas third team)
- Desiree Askew, Gr., F, Ahoskie, North Carolina
- Nyeisha Savage, Jr., F, Suffolk, Virginia
Converse
- Tatiana Brown, Jr., C, Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Madison Fileen, Fr., G, Monroe, New York
- Mazie Helpman, Sr., G, Bryson City, North Carolina
Emmanuel
- Naomi Roberts, Jr., F, Cleveland, Georgia
- Lizzie Teasley, Sr., G, Covington, Georgia
- Hannah Harris, So., G, Ball Ground, Georgia
Erskine
- Albany Wilson, Sr., G, Florence, South Carolina
- Ahrianna Scott, So., G, Anderson, South Carolina
- Angel Oguegbunam, Fr., C, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ferrum
- Breyana Kimmons, Fr., G, Sacramento, California
- Alexsandra Kubiak, Fr., G, Poznan, Poland
- Alyson Cassell, Sr. F, Purcellville, Virginia
Francis Marion
- Kiara Croskey, So., G, Sumter, South Carolina (2024-25 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Trinity Delaney, Jr., C, Columbia, South Carolina
- Tyra Myers, Sr., G, Columbia, South Carolina (2022-23 All-NEC third team)
King
- Le'Aije Ellington, Sr., G, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Jaelyn West, Sr., G/F, Blountville, Tennessee
- Ashley Allen, Gr., G/F, Sterling, Virginia
Lees-McRae
- Kaylee Carson, So., G, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Nadiya Hairston, Jr., G, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Layla Tillery, Jr., G, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Mount Olive
- Jada Priebe, Sr., F, Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Kayla Jackson, Sr., G, Springville, Utah
- Savannah McAfee, Sr., F, Apopka, Florida
UNC Pembroke
- Anastasia Sinclair, Jr., G, Charlotte, North Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas third team)
- Tiana Spann, Sr., F., Charleston, South Carolina
- Natalie Evington, Jr., G, Red Springs, North Carolina
North Greenville
- Maliyah Mason, Jr., F, West Columbia, South Carolina
- Amiyah Clark-Lamelle, So., PG, Greer, South Carolina
- Janyia Williams, Fr., F, Greenville, South Carolina
Shorter
- Tori Smiley, Sr., G, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Amiya Redus, So., G, Tanner, Alabama
- D'Naylah Williams, Jr., F, Kosciusko, Mississippi
Southern Wesleyan
- Peyton Looky, So., G, Weston, Florida
- Makayla Raines, Jr., G, Jonesboro, Georgia
- Lexie Ransom, So., G, Casper, Wyoming
Young Harris
- Annalise Malone, Sr., F, Fayetteville, Tennessee (2024-25 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, All-Conference Carolinas first team)
- Kamryn Bates, Sr., G, Marietta, Georgia
- Rhiannon Saller, Sr., F, Beecher, Illinois