The Angelo State men’s basketball team has opened the 2025-26 season with the kind of momentum every program dreams of. With a perfect 5–0 record through mid-November, including two convincing home wins and three strong performances on neutral courts, the Rams are quickly establishing themselves as one of Division II’s early success stories.

Emory & Henry is 11th in the SAC poll after a 7-23 season, but the Wasps flashed a 5-1 nonconference mark.

Tusculum checks in 10th on the SAC preseason poll and returns a pair of backcourt anchors on the SAC Players to Watch list.

Newberry enters the 2025–26 season determined to make a move up the South Atlantic Conference standings. The Wolves were picked ninth in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll, positioning them as a team looking to surprise higher-ranked opponents.

UVA Wise is eighth in the SAC poll and embraces a youth-fueled reset with no seniors and depth across sophomores and freshmen.

Lincoln Memorial ranks seventh and stands out as the only program with two preseason All-SAC Conference honorees.

Catawba is sixth after a 17-12 overall season and 15-9 SAC mark that finished fifth in 2024–25.

Lenoir-Rhyne is fifth in the SAC poll and enters a new era under head coach Emry Tsitouris after her successful run at Mars Hill.

North Carolina A&T women’s basketball opens its 2025-26 season aiming to build on one of the best campaigns in program history.

North Carolina A&T women’s basketball enters the new season with momentum after finishing 19-12 overall and 15-3 in Coastal Athletic Association play last year.

Anderson sits fourth with one first-place vote in the SAC preseason poll after a 24-10 season capped by a SAC Tournament championship and a 12-game win streak.

Wingate, third in the SAC preseason poll, carries momentum from a 19-11 season with a 17-7 SAC mark and a backcourt that drives winning habits.

Carson-Newman opens at No. 2 in the SAC poll with two first-place votes and its 11th straight season placing a player on the preseason first team.

Mars Hill is 12th in the SAC Preseason Poll and turns the page under new head coach NaJarius “JJ” Green, a program builder with a track record of rapid improvement.

Mars Hill looks to build momentum in 2025–26 after being picked 12th in the SAC preseason coaches’ poll. The Lions return core contributors and several new additions focused on taking the next step in conference play.