HICKORY, N.C. - Head coach Emry Tsitouris and the Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball team have been selected to finish first in this year's South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bears come into this season with high expectations as they are ranked ninth in the WBCA Preseason Poll.

Last season the Bears finished with a record of 26-6 (20-2 SAC), winning program's fifth SAC Regular Season Championship and advanced to the Southeast Region Championship for the first time in LR women's basketball history. 

South Atlantic Conference Preseason Players to Watch were Aaliyah El, Abigail Brown, and Elyseia Brown, all members of the SAC All-Conference team last season. Aaliyah El was named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American last season, just the fifth All-American in program history. Abigail Brown was named SAC Freshman of the Year while Elyseia Brown was an All-SAC Third Team honoree and hit 51 threes, the 10th most in a single season in Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball history.

Coach Tsitouris and her team open the season at home on Tuesday, November 10th, when Belmont Abbey comes to town. The Crusaders went 21-7 last season and are just one year removed from an NCAA Tournament appearance. 

2026-27 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Lenoir-Rhyne - 120 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Carson-Newman - 108 points (2 first-place votes)
3. Wingate - 92 points
4. Lincoln Memorial - 89 points
5. Anderson - 72 points
6. Coker - 71 points
7. UVA Wise - 68 points
8. Catawba - 62 points
9. Newberry - 42 points
10. Emory & Henry - 31 points
11. Mars Hill - 24 points
12. Tusculum - 13 points

2026-27 SAC Women's Basketball Players to Watch
Anderson: Rose Gravel, Ashley Hill
Catawba: Sheree Gidney, Brayla Harris
Carson-Newman: Mattie Nuckolls, Keeleigh Rogers
Coker: Kamari Thompson, Dasia Ferguson
Emory & Henry: Rhyan Harris, Gracyn Hall
Lincoln Memorial: Kallie Housley, Keyonee Neal
Lenoir-Rhyne: Aaliyah El, Abigail Brown, Elyseia Brown
Mars Hill: Jadiyah Peoples, Shyann McCummings
Newberry: Mary Kate Grant, Sanae Graham
Tusculum: Marin Lind Agustsdottir, Angela Gomez
UVA Wise: Alissa Cheek, Grace Vyborny
Wingate: Kyleigh Bacon, Laura Montiel