The South Atlantic Conference enters the 2026-27 women’s basketball season following a year that showcased the league’s depth, competitive regular-season race and NCAA Tournament potential.
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Lenoir-Rhyne finished first in the conference standings, but Lincoln Memorial and Coker remained close behind. Coker captured the SAC Tournament championship, while four conference programs advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Carson-Newman made the deepest run, winning the Southeast Regional and reaching the Elite Eight. With no preseason poll released yet, last season’s results offer a useful starting point for evaluating the contenders and storylines heading into the new campaign.
1. Lenoir-Rhyne Set The Regular-Season Standard
Lenoir-Rhyne finished the 2025-26 regular season atop the SAC standings with a 20-2 conference record and a 26-6 overall mark. The Bears won 90.9% of their conference games, establishing themselves as the league’s most consistent team over the course of the schedule.
Their home performance was particularly impressive. Lenoir-Rhyne went undefeated at home in conference play, finishing 13-0 on its own floor. That consistency helped the Bears edge out Lincoln Memorial for first place and earn a strong position heading into postseason play.
The Bears also proved their success could translate to March. Lenoir-Rhyne reached the NCAA Southeast Regional final, defeating Augusta and Coker before falling to Carson-Newman. Although the regional championship slipped away, the Bears demonstrated that they could compete with the region’s top programs. Their combination of regular-season consistency and postseason experience makes them an important team to watch again in 2026-27.
2. Lincoln Memorial Is Positioned To Challenge
Lincoln Memorial finished second in the SAC standings with a 19-3 conference record and a 26-5 overall mark. The Railsplitters were only one conference victory behind Lenoir-Rhyne, setting up what could be another close race at the top of the league.
Lincoln Memorial’s 14-1 home record reflected its strength on its own floor, while its overall record showed the program’s ability to win consistently throughout the season. The Railsplitters also reached the SAC Tournament semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Coker.
Their postseason continued in the NCAA Tournament. Lincoln Memorial defeated Lees-McRae 68-53 in the opening round of the Southeast Regional before falling to Carson-Newman in the regional semifinals.
That combination of regular-season success and NCAA Tournament experience gives the Railsplitters a strong foundation to build on. If they can maintain that level of consistency, Lincoln Memorial should remain part of the conversation for the conference’s top spot.
3. Coker Proved Tournament Championships Are A Different Challenge
Coker finished third in the regular-season standings at 17-5 in conference play and 26-7 overall. While the Cobras trailed Lenoir-Rhyne and Lincoln Memorial in the standings, they delivered when the SAC Tournament arrived.
Coker defeated Wingate 60-42 in the quarterfinals, knocked off Lincoln Memorial 52-44 in the semifinals and capped the run with a 60-46 victory over Carson-Newman in the championship game. The three wins earned the Cobras the conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Coker continued its success in the Southeast Regional, opening with an 83-54 victory over Francis Marion. The Cobras’ run ended in the regional semifinals, however, with a 54-45 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne.
Even with that loss, Coker showed it could compete with the region’s strongest teams. The Cobras enter the next season with recent championship experience and a clear example of how a team can turn a strong regular season into a memorable postseason.
4. Carson-Newman Delivered The Conference’s Deepest NCAA Run
Carson-Newman finished fourth in the regular-season standings with a 15-7 conference record and a 24-11 overall mark. The Eagles were competitive throughout the year, but their biggest statement came during the postseason.
After reaching the SAC Tournament championship game, Carson-Newman earned an NCAA Tournament berth and made an outstanding run through the Southeast Regional. The Eagles defeated Columbus State 85-73, knocked off Lincoln Memorial 69-55 and then beat Lenoir-Rhyne 72-53 to win the regional championship.
That regional title sent Carson-Newman to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, placing the program among the final eight teams in the national tournament. The Eagles’ season ended with a loss to Grand Valley State, but their regional championship highlighted the quality of basketball coming out of the SAC.
Carson-Newman’s postseason performance is a reminder that the conference’s contenders cannot be judged by regular-season standings alone. The Eagles will look to carry that experience into 2026-27 and remain among the teams capable of making a postseason push.
5. The Race Behind The Favorites Remains Wide Open
The SAC’s competitive landscape extends beyond its top four teams. Wingate finished fifth at 14-8 in conference play, followed by UVA Wise at 13-9. Both programs posted winning conference records and will look to close the gap on the teams above them.
Catawba finished seventh at 10-12, while Anderson (SC) went 8-14 and Newberry finished 7-15. Emory & Henry recorded a 5-17 conference mark, and Mars Hill and Tusculum each finished 2-20.
Those results create different goals across the league. The leading programs will look to secure favorable postseason positioning and pursue another NCAA berth, while the teams lower in the standings will aim to turn close games into conference victories and build momentum.
With no preseason poll available yet, last year’s standings provide a useful baseline rather than a final prediction. Lenoir-Rhyne and Lincoln Memorial have demonstrated regular-season consistency, Coker has proven it can win the conference tournament, and Carson-Newman has shown it can advance deep into the NCAA Tournament.
6. Top Games To Watch In 2026-27
With four SAC programs reaching the NCAA Division II Tournament last season, the upcoming schedule features several matchups that could have major implications for the conference standings and postseason picture. These five games are worth circling on the calendar.
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Lincoln Memorial — November 28, 2026
The first meeting between last season’s top two regular-season teams arrives early. Lenoir-Rhyne finished 20-2 in conference play, while Lincoln Memorial finished 19-3. The Bears will have home-court advantage in this early-season showdown, giving both programs an opportunity to make a statement before the conference race takes shape.
Carson-Newman at Lenoir-Rhyne — January 9, 2027
This matchup brings together the team that won the Southeast Regional and the team that finished first in the regular-season standings. Carson-Newman defeated Lenoir-Rhyne in the regional championship game last March, making this a particularly intriguing rematch. The Eagles will look to prove their postseason success was no fluke, while the Bears will have a chance to respond on their home floor.
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Coker — January 13, 2027
Coker captured the SAC Tournament championship, while Lenoir-Rhyne finished the year as the regular-season leader. Their meeting in Hickory offers an early look at how the conference’s regular-season and tournament champions match up. With both programs having reached the NCAA Tournament, this game could provide a useful measuring stick for each team.
Lincoln Memorial at Lenoir-Rhyne — January 23, 2027
The return meeting between Lincoln Memorial and Lenoir-Rhyne could be even more important than their November matchup. By late January, the conference standings should offer a clearer picture of the title race, and a road win could be especially valuable for the Railsplitters. If both teams remain near the top, this game could have implications for postseason seeding.
Carson-Newman at Lenoir-Rhyne — February 27, 2027
The regular-season finale gives these programs another opportunity to make a statement just before the SAC Tournament. With Carson-Newman’s Elite Eight experience and Lenoir-Rhyne’s strong regular-season history, this late-February matchup could carry significant weight for tournament positioning. It also offers fans one final chance to see two of the conference’s most accomplished teams face off before postseason play begins.
These games stand out because of the teams involved and their recent postseason success. The conference race will ultimately be shaped by the entire schedule, but these matchups offer some of the clearest storylines to follow throughout the season.
As the 2026-27 schedule unfolds, head-to-head matchups and late-season results could determine who earns the strongest position heading into March. Lenoir-Rhyne will look to stay atop the conference, Lincoln Memorial will pursue the regular-season crown, Coker will try to defend its tournament title, and Carson-Newman will aim to build on its Elite Eight appearance.
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