
Division III basketball is almost back, and some of the biggest battles this season won't be decided until conference tournament time.
From defending champions trying to extend their dynasties to challengers looking to take over, the 2026-27 season features plenty of intriguing championship races across men's and women's basketball.
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Here are six conference races worth following this season on FloCollege.
NEWMAC Men's Basketball: Babson, WPI And MIT Battle For The Crown
Babson enters the season as the preseason favorite, but the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) could produce one of Division III's closest championship battles.
WPI won last season's regular-season title, while Babson captured the conference tournament championship.
The Beavers received five first-place votes in the 2026-27 preseason poll, compared to one for WPI. But don't overlook MIT, which earned three first-place votes despite finishing fourth in the poll.
Three teams received votes to win the league. Only one can finish on top.
SCAC Women's Basketball: Four Teams Have Their Eyes On The Title
The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) might have one of the most unpredictable women's basketball championship races in Division III.
Colorado College enters as the preseason favorite after finishing 20-6 last season, but Hendrix and Texas Lutheran also received first-place votes.
Then there's Austin College.
The Kangaroos won the 2026 SCAC Tournament championship but were picked fourth in the preseason poll, behind three teams hoping to take their crown.
With four legitimate contenders and a new neutral-site conference tournament, the SCAC race could go down to the wire.
SCIAC Women's Basketball: A Wide-Open Race In Southern California
If last season was any indication, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) could deliver another competitive championship race.
Cal Lutheran won the 2025-26 regular-season title with a 13-3 conference record, but Claremont-Mudd-Scripps claimed the tournament championship.
Pomona-Pitzer and Redlands were also firmly in the picture, finishing just two games behind Cal Lutheran in the regular-season standings.
With multiple programs capable of challenging for the title, the SCIAC could have another unpredictable finish.
SCAC Men's Basketball: Can Anyone End St. Thomas' Dominance?
St. Thomas hasn't given the rest of the SCAC much breathing room.
The Celts went 29-2 overall and undefeated in conference play last season, entering 2026-27 with a 19-game SCAC winning streak.
They've also won four conference tournament championships in seven seasons as a league member.
But Concordia Texas has other plans.
The Tornados finished second in the preseason coaches' poll and received the only first-place vote not awarded to St. Thomas. LeTourneau and Colorado College could also factor into the race.
The question is simple: Can anyone knock the Celts off their throne?
Landmark Women's Basketball: Scranton Is Chasing No. 12
Eleven consecutive conference championships.
That's the streak Scranton brings into the 2026-27 Landmark Conference women's basketball season.
The Lady Royals finished 32-1 last season and reached the NCAA Division III national championship game, continuing one of the most impressive runs in the country.
But a new season brings a new challenge.
Kaitlyn Lewis takes over as head coach, while Catholic, Susquehanna and Elizabethtown will look for opportunities to close the gap.
Scranton remains the team everyone is chasing. Whether anyone can finally catch the Lady Royals is another question.
ODAC Women's Basketball: Washington And Lee's Title Defense
Washington and Lee enters the 2026-27 season with a championship to defend in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC).
The Generals put together a dominant 2025-26 campaign, but another championship won't come easily.
Randolph-Macon remains a major threat after establishing itself as one of the league's strongest programs, while Bridgewater has also shown it can compete near the top of the standings.
With several established contenders looking to challenge Washington and Lee, the ODAC could provide one of the most entertaining women's basketball races on FloCollege.
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