ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference (SAC) has released its 2026-27 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, placing Anderson at No. 5. Junior Rose Gravel (Ocala, Fla.) and sophomore Ashley Hill (Covington, Ga.) were also named Players to Watch.
The Trojans finished the 2025-26 season with a 13-17 overall record and an 8-13 mark in SAC play. Anderson earned the No. 8 seed in the SAC Women's Basketball Championship and upset top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne in the quarterfinals before falling to Carson-Newman in the semifinals. Carson-Newman later advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Hill and Gravel return after contributing to the Trojans' efforts last season. Hill appeared in 29 games as a freshman, making 22 starts. She led the team with a 48.0% field-goal percentage, scored 304 points, and averaged 10.48 points and 4.66 rebounds per game. Hill's performance earned her a spot on the SAC All-Freshman Team.
Gravel appeared in 19 games during the 2025-26 season, making seven starts. She recorded 87 points and 76 rebounds while averaging 4.58 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. As a freshman in 2024-25, Gravel earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors and was named to the SAC All-Freshman Team after averaging 11.0 points per game and shooting 56.0% from the field.
Anderson opens the 2026-27 season at home on Monday, Nov. 9, against Young Harris College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
The complete preseason coaches' poll and Players to Watch list are below.
2026-27 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
Lenoir-Rhyne (10) |
120 |
| 2 |
Carson-Newman (2) |
108 |
| 3 |
Wingate |
92 |
| 4 |
Lincoln Memorial |
89 |
| 5 |
Anderson |
72 |
| 6 |
Coker |
71 |
| 7 |
UVA Wise |
68 |
| 8 |
Catawba |
62 |
| 9 |
Newberry |
42 |
| 10 |
Emory & Henry |
31 |
| 11 |
Mars Hill |
24 |
| 12 |
Tusculum |
13 |
*First-place votes in parentheses.
2026-27 SAC Women's Basketball Players to Watch
Anderson: Rose Gravel, Ashley Hill
Carson-Newman: Mattie Nuckolls, Keeleigh Rogers
Catawba: Sheree Gidney, Brayla Harris
Coker: Kamari Thompson, Dasia Ferguson
Emory & Henry: Rhyan Harris, Gracyn Hall
Lenoir-Rhyne: Aaliyah El, Abigail Brown, Elyseia Brown
Lincoln Memorial: Kallie Housley, Keyonee Neal
Mars Hill: Jadyiah 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
