ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference announced the 2025-2026 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday, tabbing the Trojans 2nd alongside Lincoln Memorial.
 
A strong season of competition awaits the Trojans, as the poll's 1st-place votes were split among three different teams-Lenior-Rhyne (8), Anderson (3), and Carson-Newman (1). Anderson and Lincoln Memorial both sit second behind Lenior-Rhyne.
 
Last season, the Trojans were given the No. 6 spot in the Preseason Coaches' Poll before going 16-13 overall and 12-12 in the SAC.
 
Along with the rankings, the league also announced the 2025-26 Preseason All-Conference team, naming senior Ian Blue (Pinehurst, N.C.) and junior AJ Wright Jr. (Clearwater, Fla.) to the SAC Preseason All-Conference First Team.
 
In the 2024-2025 season, Blue earned All-Conference honors and finished No. 9 in the SAC with a 3PT percentage of 42.2. He averaged 13.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game on the season. Wright Jr. finished last season leading the SAC in assists with 6.2 per game. He averaged 11.2 points per game with a 44.7 shot percentage.
 
"Really excited about this team." said head coach Jimmie Williams. "We have a great combination of returners and newcomers that are all bought into how we do things. In today's time, when you return seven of your top nine players from the previous year, you feel good about what you can accomplish. What has been great is seeing the value the new guys are adding and how quickly they have adjusted and picked up out way of doing things. We look forward to getting after it together in two weeks."
 
The Black and Gold open the 2025-26 season when they host the 2025 Conference Crossover. Anderson will take on Erskine College on Friday, Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. and Emmanuel University (Ga.) on Saturday Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.