Mackenzie Buchanan joined the Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball coaching staff prior to the 2025-26 season as a volunteer assistant coach and was promoted to a full time assistant in the Spring of 2026.
In 2025-26 Buchanan helped lead the Bears to one of the best seasons in program history and the team's first ever Southeast Regional Championship game appearance. Lenoir-Rhyne finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 26-6 (20-2 SAC) record and won the fifth SAC Regular Season championship in program history. Helped along by a program-record 19-game win streak, the Bears won 20 SAC games, a new program record. The Bears ranked second on the country in both free throws made and scoring offense, and were 13th in scoring margin. Aaliyah El was named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American while Abigail Brown became Lenoir-Rhyne's fourth SAC Freshman of the Year. Elyseia Brown was an All-SAC Third Team honoree while Ralee Bear was named to the All-Freshman Team.
