Lenoir-Rhyne Voted as Preseason Favorites in SAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll; Preseason Honors Announced

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears have been picked as the 2026 South Atlantic Conference softball preseason favorite, the league office announced today. Lenoir-Rhyne received nine first-place votes from the conference's head softball coaches and 130 total points.

The Bears won their second straight SAC Tournament title a season ago and enter the year ranked No. 19 in the NFCA national poll. LR came one win from advancing to Super Regionals for a second straight season.

Wingate was voted in at No. 2 with three first-place votes and 123 total points and will be looking for a fourth straight SAC regular season title, while Lincoln Memorial earned the No. 3 spot with 101 points.

Carson-Newman placed fourth in the poll with 99 points, followed by Tusculum at No. 5 with 95 points. Anderson was selected sixth with 79 points, while Emory & Henry earned the No. 7 position with 74 points.

Catawba came in at No. 8 with 67 points, while Mars Hill placed ninth with 53 points. Newberry was voted 10th with 47 points, followed by UVA Wise at No. 11 with 30 points and Coker rounding out the poll at 12th with 26 points.

In addition to the preseason coaches' poll, the SAC announced its 2026 Preseason All-Conference Team. Lenoir-Rhyne placed two on the first team with Lani Warren earning honors at catcher and Avery Kiger at first base. Tusculum added three selections with Brooke Smith at second base, Ellie Alvarez at shortstop and Abby Hunter in the outfield.

Carson-Newman's Macauley Bailey earned first-team honors at third base, while Wingate's Kaylee Hobgood was named to the outfield. Newberry's Maddy Staples rounded out the outfield selections and Lincoln Memorial's Hanna Bogoski was named the first-team designated player.

Catawba's Brianna Gallagher, the reigning SAC Player of the Year, earned first-team honors as the utility non-pitcher, while Anderson placed two on the pitching staff with Carson Hobbs earning utility/pitcher recognition and Katie Morris and Jillian Thomas of Wingate earning first-team honors in the circle.

In addition, the Players to Watch from each program have been announced. Teams get a maximum of five players to highlight combined between Preseason All-Conference and the Players to Watch list. 

First pitch for the 2026 season will take place on Saturday, January 31. For a full schedule of games, visit www.thesac.com.

2026 Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll

2026 SAC Softball Preseason All-Conference

Catcher
C – Lani Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne

Infield
1B – Avery Kiger, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B – Brooke Smith, Tusculum
SS – Ellie Alvarez, Tusculum
3B – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman

Outfield
OF – Kaylee Hobgood, Wingate
OF – Abby Hunter, Tusculum
OF – Maddy Staples, Newberry

Designated Player / Utility
DP – Hanna Bogoski, Lincoln Memorial
UTL/Non-P – Brianna Gallagher, Catawba
UTL/P – Carson Hobbs, Anderson

Pitchers
P – Katie Morris, Anderson
P – Jillian Thomas, Wingate

Players to Watch

Anderson: Shelby Bandt, Kora Kilgore, Bella Harbour
Carson-Newman: Grace Gregory, Santana Anderson, Abbi Martin, Malyiah Smith
Catawba: Alex Baquie, Maddy Altiers, Grace Flynn, Kate Holland
Coker: Cheyenne Palmer, Mya Cribbs, Brooklyn Lovin, Bailee Gaskins, Lacey Hennessy
Emory & Henry: Abigail Street, Rachel Hill, Malorie Reeves, Hannah Booth, Tristyn Tofano
Lenoir-Rhyne: Sage Young, Autumn Joyce, Montana Honeycutt
Lincoln Memorial: Reese Vivrette, Hannah McMeen, Kristin Griffin, Anna Kate Reichter
Mars Hill: Maia Sholter, Bri Weimer, Sara Rexrode, Brooke Hanson, Sydney Hodges
Newberry: Sam Clark, Maddy Staples, Peyton Little, Haidyn Campbell
Tusculum: Sammy Jimenez, Catherine O'Donohue
UVA Wise: Taylor Clay, Adyson Gibson, Chloe Murphy, Kaylynn Baker, Lindsey Polan
Wingate: Lily Robbins, Lily Huneycutt, Damyia McFadden