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SoCon Announces Cross Country Athletes of the Week

Unknown — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – ETSU sophomore Mackenzie Armstrong and Mercer sophomore Will Poelker were named SoCon Cross Country Athletes of the Week for races held between September 4-8.

Armstrong (Wheaton, IL) ran a 5K time of 18:43.7 at the 2026 Eye Opener Meet in Spartanburg, SC, finishing 16^th individually and leading ETSU to a fourth-place team finish behind South Carolina, Clemson, and Liberty. Armstrong posted the best 5K time among SoCon runners on opening weekend and had an average mile time of 6:01.6.

Poelker (St. Louis, MO) ran a 6K time of 19:32.9 to finish second at the Julius Johnson Invitational in Macon, GA. His effort paced Mercer to the team championship, with teammates Colby Bornstein, Jacob Peters, and Andrew Jacknewitz rounding out the top 5 individually in that race.

The ETSU women will race next on September 18 at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, VA. The Mercer men will race next on September 18 at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, AL.

Also nominated (Women): Ania San Roman Lopez (Mercer), Hailey Myers (UNCG, Lakin Hailey (Tennessee Tech)

Also nominated (Men): Zak Myles-Hawkins (Tennessee Tech), Alexander Ruge (Western Carolina), Garrett Hawkins (ETSU)

2026-27 SoCon Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week

Sep 9 – Mackenzie Armstrong, So., ETSU (Wheaton, IL)

2026-27 SoCon Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week

Sep 9 – Will Poelker, So., Mercer (St. Louis, MO)

SoCon Announces Women’s Golfer of the Week

Unknown — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – ETSU sophomore Arisa Piyamanit was named SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Week for tournaments played between September 2-September 8.

Piyamanit (Nakhon Prathom, Thailand) finished in a tie for fifth at the 2026 Golfweek Fall Challenge in Pawley’s Island, SC. She shot low rounds of 69 twice in the tournament, doing so in the first round and the final round to finish in a five-way tie – only four strokes back of the lead.

The tournament was played on the 6,004-yard (Par 71) course at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. Piyamanit’s effort helped ETSU into a tie for ninth as a team, two strokes behind Troy and three strokes behind Coastal Carolina.

Furman’s Eva Ringwald was also nominated after a stellar effort against a stacked field at the Cougar Classic hosted by Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, SC. Ringwald finished 14^th, just one stroke out of a tie for ninth place and only five strokes off the lead. She shot 1-under in the opening round and finished at par (71) in the final two rounds to hold her position. The Paladins finished sixth in the team standings, one stroke behind Miami (FL) and ahead of Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Clemson, LSU, and several other Power 4 programs.

ETSU will take a week off before returning the course on September 21 at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in Wolcott, Colorado.

Others Nominated: Eva Ringwald (Furman)

2026-27 SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Week

Sep 2 – Elle Burnette, Sr., UNC Greensboro (Wrightsville Beach, NC)

Sep 9 – Arisa Piyamanit, So., ETSU (Nakhon Prathom, Thailand)

SoCon Announces Men’s Golfers of the Week

Unknown — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – Tennessee Tech sophomore Jacob Rose and Mercer sophomore Phillips Swift were named SoCon Men’s Co-Golfers of the Week for tournaments played between September 2-8.

The duo tied for seventh at the 2026 Golfweek Fall Challenge, played on the 7,024-yard (Par 72) True Blue course on Pawley’s Island, SC.

Rose (Knoxville, TN) used a sizzling second round score of 67 to power his week, sitting second on the leaderboard after 36 holes. He recorded a birdie on the fourth hole and an eagle on the 10^th in the final round.

Swift (Macon, GA) shot his own smoldering round, starting hot on Sunday with a 67 to finish the first 18 holes only one stroke behind the leader. He shot 1-under par on Monday and finished with a 72 on Tuesday to move into a tie for seventh with Rose.

Both golfers finished only four strokes out of first place in a tightly-packed field.

Tennessee Tech and Mercer also finished in a tie for the team championship, with both sitting in fifth alongside UT Martin and Old Dominion.

2026-27 SoCon Men’s Golfer of the Week

Sep 2 – Evan Rogers, So., Chattanooga (Duluth, GA)

Sep 9 – Jacob Rose, So., Tennessee Tech (Knoxville, TN) *

Sep 9 – Phillips Swift, So., Mercer (Macon, GA) *

SoCon women’s soccer players of the week announced

Unknown — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer midfielder Olivia Bori and Furman goalkeeper Reese DeJong have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Sept. 1-7.

Bori, who also won the honor on Aug. 25, helped Mercer to a pair of wins last week. On Sept. 3, the senior scored two goals in a 4-0 win at Winthrop. Three days later, the native of Jacksonville, Florida, scored the opening goal of the contest as Mercer defeated Alabama State, 5-0. Bori leads the SoCon in goals with seven, which is ranked sixth in the NCAA.

DeJong played all 180 minutes inside the net for Furman, logging a pair of shutouts for the Paladins. The junior recorded five saves in an 1-0 victory over Presbyterian on Sept. 3. In a 3-0 win at Charleston Southern on Sept. 6, the product of Huntersville, North Carolina, finished with four saves. DeJong has recorded a shutout in each of her last three times out.

Mercer plays at South Florida on Thursday. Furman hosts USC Upstate on Thursday, and Davidson on Sunday.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Jada Cooper (ETSU), Maddie Massie (Furman), and Quinn Johnson (Chattanooga)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Regan Moore (Mercer), Peyton Hull (Samford), Addie Taylor (Chattanooga), and Amara Yetka (Western Carolina)

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Payton Nutzman, So., MF, Mercer

Aug. 25 Olivia Bori, Sr., MF, Mercer

Sept. 1 Samantha Grantham, Sr., M/F, The Citadel

Sept. 8 Olivia Bori, Sr., MF, Mercer

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Peyton Hull, Jr., GK, Samford

Aug. 25 Addison Yelton, R-Jr., GK, ETSU

Sept. 1 Zoe Santos, Sr., GK, The Citadel

Sept. 8 Reese DeJong, Jr., GK, Furman

SoCon Announces Men’s Soccer Players of the Week

Unknown — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – UNC Greensboro midfielder Caleb Borneo and Mercer goalkeeper Henry Hampshaw were named Southern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for contests held from September 1-6.

Borneo (Morgantown, WVa.) finished the week with four points on two goals, scoring the Spartans’ lone goal in a 1-1 draw at Dayton and finding the net in a 2-2 draw at Davidson. His goal against Davidson came in Borneo’s first start of the season.

Hampshaw (Holmfirth, England) came through with an excellent effort between the posts in a 1-1 draw at Belmont last Friday night. The senior turned back eight of the Bruins’ nine shots in the match, including a clutch save in the 80^th minute off a penalty kick. Belmont’s lone goal came via penalty kick. Hampshaw has managed 22 saves so far this season, which ranks 12^th nationally.

UNC Greensboro (1-0-4) has another nationally-relevant challenge ahead, traveling to face No. 13 South Carolina on September 11 at 7:00 pm. Mercer (0-3-2) travels to face Georgia State on September 9.

Others Nominated on Offense: Elliott Edwards (ETSU), Ronnie Gorman (Liberty), Eli Bannister (Mercer), Max Talley (Wofford).

Others Nominated on Defense: Trym Linberg (UNCG), Kyohei Eguchi (Liberty), Adam Celik (Wofford).

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug 25 – Samson Kpardeh, So., F, Liberty (Worcester, MA)

Sep 1 – Keaviano Francis, Sr., MF, UNCG (East London, South Africa)

Sep. 8 – Caleb Borneo, R-Jr., MF, UNCG (Morgantown, WVa.)

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 25 – Trym Linberg, So., D, UNCG (Bærums Verk, Norway)

Sep 1 – Ryan Wagner, Jr., D, Furman (Leawood, KS)

Sep. 8 – Henry Hampshaw, Sr., GK, Mercer (Holmfirth, England)

SoCon volleyball players of the week announced

Unknown — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week on Monday for matches played Aug. 31-Sept. 6. Tennessee Tech outside hitter Alayna Pierce was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Wofford libero Laney Klika was named Defensive Player of the Week, while UNCG’s Izora Gragg was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.

Pierce averaged 5.15 kills per set as Tennessee Tech grabbed three wins during the Golden Eagle Invitational. On Sept. 4, the junior logged 26 kills, 11 digs, three aces and two blocks in a five-set win over Austin Peay. Later that day, Pierce recorded another double-double, finishing with 25 kills, 15 digs, two blocks and an ace in a five-set victory over Green Bay. The native of Genoa, Illinois, completed the weekend with 16 kills, three digs and an ace in a sweep of Tennessee State on Sept. 5. For her performance over the weekend, Pierce was named the MVP of the Golden Eagle Invitational. Pierce is currently averaging 4.42 kills per set for the season, which is tops in the SoCon alongside UNCG’s Allie Sweet.

Klika anchored the Wofford defense over four matches last week for the Terriers. In a four-set win over Presbyterian on Sept. 1, the native of Novelty, Ohio, had 21 digs and eights assists. In the opening game of the Summit Hospitality Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sept. 4, Klika had 15 digs and a pair of assists in a sweep of Charlotte. The next day, the senior logged 21 digs and two aces in a five-set setback versus host North Carolina State. On Sept. 6, Klika finished with 24 digs and an assist in a sweep of George Washington. Klika leads the conference in digs per set (5.41).

Gragg, who won the honor for the second consecutive week, paced the UNC Greensboro offense at the Clemson Invitational, averaging 10.67 assists per set. The product of Morganton, North Carolina, finished with 38 assists, nine digs and an ace in a four-set setback against Clemson on Sept. 4. The next day, Gragg logged 35 assists, five digs and two aces in a sweep of App State. In the final match of the weekend on Sept. 6, the senior had a career-best 55 assists, seven digs, four blocks, two aces and a kill as UNCG defeated East Carolina in five sets. Gragg leads the league in assists per set (10.68).

Tennessee Tech plays at the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic in Colorado Springs this weekend. The Golden Eagles will take on Idaho State, Air Force and Little Rock during the event. Wofford welcomes three in-state foes this week, beginning with Coastal Carolina on Sept. 10, before playing South Carolina on Sept. 12, and Clemson on Sept. 13. UNC Greensboro will play in the Central Carolina Clash this weekend, facing North Carolina A&T, Davidson and North Carolina Central on Sept. 11-12.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Rachel Reininger (The Citadel), Karis Chatfield (ETSU), Izzy Castelloe (Furman), Lara Matta (Mercer), Allie Sweet (UNCG), Addison Walker (Chattanooga), Zoe Zudans (Western Carolina), and Bradley Brown (Wofford)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Jess Martin (The Citadel), Kacie Moore (Furman), Aubri Martin (Mercer), Chloe Nussbaum (UNCG), Kynli Kirkendoll (Chattanooga), Mallory Jenkins (Tennessee Tech), and Tatum Sharp (Western Carolina)

Also nominated for setter of the week: Allie Davison (The Citadel), Emily Navarro (Furman), Sammi Bergjans (Mercer), Ashley Reynolds (Chattanooga), Morgan Petelin (Tennessee Tech), Katie Boney (Western Carolina), and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)

2026 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 Chloe Smith, Jr., OH, Wofford

Sept. 7 Alayna Pierce, Jr., OH, Tennessee Tech

2026 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 Caiti Barthel, Sr., DS/LIB, Chattanooga

Sept. 7 Laney Klika, Sr., LIB, Wofford

2026 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 31 Izora Gragg, Sr., UNCG

Sept. 7 Izora Gragg, Sr., UNCG

SoCon names football players of the week

Unknown — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played last week. The Citadel running back Gavin Garcia was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Tennessee Tech defensive back Omari Philyaw was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Wofford punter Cillian Bonner was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gavin Garcia, Gr., RB, The Citadel, Catawissa, Pa.

Garcia rushed for 137 yards on 21 carries as The Citadel picked up a 43-41 win at Charlotte in three overtimes on Saturday. The graduate student recorded three touchdowns, including a 25-yard scamper in the first overtime which was named the No. 3 play of the day on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10. The native of Catawissa, Pennsylvania, logged his other two scores from two yards out in the first quarter, and an 1-yard score in the third quarter. On Monday, The Citadel was named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week for the squad’s victory over Charlotte. The victory marked the first win for a SoCon team over an FBS opponent since 2021.

Other nominees: TJ Peyton (ETSU), Jaylen King (Mercer), and Lex Thomas (Western Carolina)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Omari Philyaw, Sr., DB, Tennessee Tech, Charlotte, N.C.
Philyaw had seven tackles and an interception in Tennessee Tech’s 24-9 road win over Chattanooga on Saturday. The senior was part of a defense that allowed just 37 passing yards against the Mocs. The product of Charlotte, North Carolina, recorded his pick in the third quarter at the 2:17 mark, which led to a Golden Eagles touchdown three plays later, making the score 17-6.

Other nominees: Zyion Brown (The Citadel), Dre Delinois (ETSU), Jyarius Carter (Mercer), Jayden Cornelius (Western Carolina) and Alijah Williams (Wofford)

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cillian Bonner, So., P, Wofford, Lettermacaward, Ireland
On Saturday, Bonner punted six times, covering 283 yards in Wofford’s 17-13 win versus Gardner-Webb. The native of Lettermacaward, Ireland, had three punts downed inside the 5-yard line, two at the one-yard line and one at the two-yard line. The sophomore also booted a career-long punt of 56 yards in the third quarter.

Other nominees: Braylon Knauth (The Citadel), Mykel Calixte (Mercer), Chase Lanham (Tennessee Tech), and Bryan McCollum (Western Carolina)

2026 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Aug. 31 Lex Thomas, Jr., QB, Western Carolina

Sept. 7             Gavin Garcia, Gr., RB, The Citadel

Defensive
Aug. 31             Cameron Goggins, Sr., CB, Mercer
Sept. 7             Omari Philyaw, Sr., DB, Tennessee Tech

Special teams
Aug. 31 Davis Penn, Fr., RB, Wofford

Sept. 7 Cillian Bonner, So., P, Wofford

The Citadel Distinguished as Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week

The Southern Conference — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SoCon Five Football Points

Unknown — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Furman Picked to Repeat in SoCon Cross Country Polls

Unknown — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference announced the predicted order of finish for the 2026 Cross Country season Thursday afternoon, with Furman picked to repeat on both sides.

The conference’s 11 head coaches voted in the poll and were not allowed to vote for their own school.

The Paladins will chase their 14th consecutive team title in women’s cross country and men’s cross country, with the 2026 Tryon Southern Conference Cross Country Championships, presented by Ingles, set for October 31 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, North Carolina.

The consecutive win streaks for each Furman team (13) are the longest in SoCon history for cross country.

Furman garnered 98 points and eight first-place votes to sit atop the women’s poll. Mercer (81 points) and Samford (73 points) also garnered at least one first-place vote to slot just behind the defending champion. The Paladins return eight runners who competed in last season’s SoCon Championship, led by individual champion Tessa Walter. Walter won last season’s championship race with a time of 17:03.70 as a freshman, edging classmate Nysa Males by just under six seconds.

The Paladins picked up 100 points and the most possible first-place votes on the men’s side, followed by ETSU (79 points) and UNC Greensboro (74 points). Furman welcomes back five runners who competed in Tryon last season, with Chris Knight the top returning finisher after taking bronze last November.

ETSU returns 2025 SoCon Runner of the Year Jason Bowers to their lineup. Bowers won ETSU’s first individual title since 1995 with a time of 23:44.30 – beating the field by more than 30 seconds.

The 2026 regular season begins this weekend, with all teams set to run on September 4 or 5.

2026 SoCon Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

1. Furman (8) - 98

2. Mercer (2) - 81

3. Samford (1) - 73

4. Chattanooga - 70

5. Western Carolina - 62

6. Tennessee Tech - 59

7. ETSU - 56

8. UNC Greensboro - 39

9. VMI - 32

10. Wofford - 21

11. The Citadel - 14

2026 SoCon Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

1. Furman (10) - 100

2. ETSU (1) - 79

3. UNC Greensboro - 74

4. Chattanooga - 68

5. Samford - 57

6. Tennessee Tech - 53

7. Mercer - 51

8. Western Carolina - 49

9. VMI - 34

10. The Citadel - 21

11. Wofford - 19

Southern Conference to Hold Virtual Basketball Media Day

Unknown — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference will conduct its annual basketball media day virtually this year.

The virtual format will feature a month-long introduction to SoCon basketball throughout October.

The first full week of the month will include the release of the preseason all-conference teams and finish with representatives from each of the SoCon’s men's and women's basketball programs on the Field of 68’s X and YouTube pages on October 8. The next three weeks will feature Instagram takeovers from all 11 institutions on Monday through Thursday beginning on October 12.

Media members may reach out to the conference office or specific institutions for interview availability with players and/or coaches.

SoCon Announces Women’s Golfer of the Week

Unknown — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – UNC Greensboro senior Elle Burnette was named SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Week for events played between August 26-September 1.

Burnette (Wrightsville Beach, NC / Cape Fear Academy) finished tied for third at the 2026 Tiger Classic in Clemson, SC, only two strokes out of first place. The 36-hole tournament was played on the 6,276-yard Walker Golf Course (Par 72).

Burnette carded a round of 69 on Monday, using three birdies on the back nine and five total for a fast start and a spot atop the leaderboard after the first day. She played even par in the final round to tie Clemson’s Sarah Uebelhart for third.

In a field featuring three SoCon teams, Burnette was the top individual golfer among that group, just ahead of ETSU’s Arisa Piyamanit (7^th), and Western Carolina’s Marissa Scaletta (12^th). Burnette’s teammate Kasey McIlvane also finished in 12^th.

UNC Greensboro finished sixth as a team, sandwiched between SoCon foes ETSU and Western Carolina.

Others Nominated: Arisa Piyamanit (ETSU), Marissa Scaletta (Western Carolina)

2026-27 SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Week

Sep 2 – Elle Burnette, Sr., UNC Greensboro (Wrightsville Beach, NC)

SoCon Announces Men’s Golfer of the Week

Unknown — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – Chattanooga sophomore Evan Rogers was named SoCon Men’s Golfer of the Week for events played between August 26-September 1.

Rogers (Duluth, GA / Hebron Christian School) started his second season with the Mocs in style, winning medalist honors at the 2026 Visit Knoxville Collegiate and leading Chattanooga to a third-place team finish.

The 2026 SoCon Freshman of the Year shot the fourth-lowest score in program history, carding a 10-under par 200 (67-67-66) on the Par 70 Fox Den Country Club course (6,962 yards). Rogers averaged 66.67 strokes per round, besting the field average by more than four strokes. He birdied the 17^th hole in the final round to hold off Tennessee’s Rudy Sautron and North Carolina’s Carson Bertagnole.

Rogers finished with 10 birdies, an eagle, and only two bogeys over 54 holes against a loaded field that featured eight teams from the 2026 NCAA finals and 13 NCAA regional teams. He is the 12^th men’s golfer in Chattanooga history to win multiple tournaments in their career.

The Mocs finished in a tie for third with North Carolina, just two strokes out of second place. Veteran Camden Braidech also finished in the top 10 individually for the defending SoCon champs, shooting 4-under par for the tournament.

Others Nominated: Jace Butcher (Western Carolina)

2026-27 SoCon Men’s Golfer of the Week

Sep 2 – Evan Rogers, So., Chattanooga (Duluth, GA)

SoCon women’s soccer players of the week announced

Unknown — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Citadel midfielder/forward Samantha Grantham and goalkeeper Zoe Santos have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Aug. 25-31.

On Aug. 27, Grantham logged a hat trick and had an assist as The Citadel defeated South Carolina State, 8-0. The senior scored unassisted goals in the game’s sixth and 40th minutes. The native of Apple Valley, California, recorded her final goal of the contest off a feed from teammate Jasiah Pack in the 61st minute, before concluding her day with an assist on Gabrielle Macer’s goal in the 71st minute. Grantham currently leads the SoCon in points (12) and goals (5).

Santos had two saves during the Bulldogs’ win over South Carolina State. Three days later, the senior from Bedford, New Hampshire, played all 90 minutes inside the net against Winthrop, finishing with six saves to log her second shutout of the season. Santos is currently second in the league in saves (25).

The Citadel plays at UNC Asheville on Thursday.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Reagan Fitzgerald (ETSU), Bri Pinasco (Furman), Laney Smith (UNCG), Alyssa Tutas (Samford), Savannah Dunahay (Chattanooga), and Annie Andrews (Wofford)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Reese DeJong (Furman), Peyton Hull (Samford), Landry Olson (Chattanooga), Ebba Melin (Tennessee Tech), and Elizabeth Navola (Wofford)

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Payton Nutzman, So., MF, Mercer

Aug. 25 Olivia Bori, Sr., MF, Mercer

Sept. 1 Samantha Grantham, Sr., M/F, The Citadel

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Peyton Hull, Jr., GK, Samford

Aug. 25 Addison Yelton, R-Jr., GK, ETSU

Sept. 1 Zoe Santos, Sr., GK, The Citadel

SoCon Men’s Soccer Players of the Week Announced

Unknown — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – UNC Greensboro midfielder Keaviano Francis and Furman defender Ryan Wagner were named Southern Conference offensive and defensive players of the week for matches held from August 25-31.

Francis (East London, South Africa / Noordgesig Secondary) took a pass from Lasse Dahl in the 23^rd minute against Sun Belt favorite West Virginia, putting home the equalizer in a 1-1 draw. Francis’ effort was the lone shot on goal for the No. 15 Spartans. The senior standout leads UNCG with four points so far this season.

Wagner (Leawood, KS / Blue Valley North HS) delivered the game winner in No. 21 Furman’s 4-3 win at home over No. 22 Duke at home, giving head coach Brandon Tucker his first career win with the Paladins. Wagner took a pass from Wilfer Bustamante in the 76^th minute to put Furman up 4-2 and helped hold off the Blue Devils over the final four minutes after the lead was trimmed to one goal.

Wagner also played a key role in Furman’s 0-0 draw at UNC Wilmington.

UNC Greensboro (1-0-2) begins a three-game road swing on Tuesday night at Davidson (7:00 pm / ESPN+). Furman (1-1-2) plays at Davidson on September 4 (6:00 pm / ESPN+)

Others Nominated on Offense: Samson Kpardeh (Liberty), Bradley Takamo (Wofford).

Others Nominated on Defense: Seth Wilson (UNCG), Adam Celik (Wofford).

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug 25 – Samson Kpardeh, So., F, Liberty (Worcester, MA)

Sep 1 – Keaviano Francis, Sr., MF, UNCG (East London, South Africa)

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 25 – Trym Linberg, So., D, UNCG (Bærums Verk, Norway)

Sep 1 – Ryan Wagner, Jr., D, Furman (Leawood, KS)

SoCon volleyball players of the week announced

Unknown — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week on Monday for matches played Aug. 28-30. Wofford outside hitter Chloe Smith was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Chattanooga libero Caiti Barthel was named Defensive Player of the Week, while UNCG’s Izora Gragg was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.

Smith averaged 4.14 kills per set as Wofford went 2-0 in the Wildcat Classic, which was hosted by Davidson College. On Aug. 29, the junior had 13 kills, seven digs, three aces and two blocks in a sweep of Winthrop. The next day, the native of Louisville, Kentucky, led the team with 16 kills, nine digs and a pair of aces in a four-set win over Davidson. Smith finished the opening weekend of the season as the only SoCon player to average over five points per set (5.07).

Barthel anchored the Chattanooga defense during the Chattanooga Classic, averaging 5.36 digs per set. In the team’s season-opening win over Tennessee State on Aug. 28, the product of Indianapolis, Indiana, recorded 12 digs, four aces and four assists in a three-set victory. Later that day, the senior logged 28 digs, three assists, one kill and an ace in a four-set setback against Valparaiso. On Aug. 29, Barthel finished the weekend with 19 digs and six assists against UAB. Barthel finished the weekend with 59 total digs, which leads the conference.

Gragg paced the UNCG offense during the Gamecock Classic in Columbia, South Carolina, averaging 10.71 assists per set. The native of Morganton, North Carolina, recorded 25 assists and four digs in a setback against South Carolina on Aug. 28. One day later, the senior logged 50 assists, six digs and a pair of block assists in a four-set win over Northeastern.

Wofford welcomes Presbyterian on Tuesday, before heading to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the NC State Tournament on Sept. 4-6. The Terriers will face Charlotte, NC State and George Washington during the tournament. Chattanooga heads to Florence, Alabama, for the Noona Kennard Invitational, which is hosted by North Alabama on Sept. 4-5. The Mocs will take on UT Martin, North Alabama and Jackson State over the weekend. UNCG travels to Clemson, South Carolina, for the Clemson Invitational on Sept. 4-6. The Spartans will tangle with Clemson, App State and East Carolina during the event.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Rachel Reininger (The Citadel), Karis Chatfield (ETSU), Izzy Castelloe (Furman), Lara Matta (Mercer), Kendall Lanclos (UNCG), and Jordin Glass (Chattanooga)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Jess Martin (The Citadel), Phoenix Fogel (ETSU), Aubri Martin (Mercer), Hailey Clifton (UNCG), and Laney Klika (Wofford)

Also nominated for setter of the week: Greta Pleuss (The Citadel), Alex Kreutzmann (ETSU), Sammi Bergjans (Mercer), Ashley Reynolds (Chattanooga) and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)

2026 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 Chloe Smith, Jr., OH, Wofford

2026 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 Caiti Barthel, Sr., DS/LIB, Chattanooga

2026 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 31 Izora Gragg, Sr., UNCG

SoCon names football players of the week

Unknown — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played so far this season. Western Carolina quarterback Lex Thomas was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Mercer cornerback Cameron Goggins was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Wofford running back Davis Penn was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lex Thomas, Jr., QB, Western Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.
Thomas completed 27-of-35 passes, throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns in Western Carolina’s 45-21 season-opening win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. The junior also ran for a team-best 69 yards, including a game-sealing 15-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. The native of Raleigh, North Carolina, tossed each of his touchdown passes in the third quarter, with two scores going to running back Josh Perry and one to Bode Burns. Thomas’ performance helped the Catamounts to their first season-opening victory since 2022.

Other nominees: Mason Mims (ETSU), Brayden Smith (Mercer), Marquise Henderson (Samford), Kevin Lalin (Chattanooga), Jax Leatherwood (Tennessee Tech), and Gerald Modest Jr. (Wofford)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cameron Goggins, Sr., CB, Mercer, Hampton, Ga.
Goggins recorded three tackles (two solo) and returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown as Mercer defeated East Texas A&M, 23-15, on Saturday. The product of Hampton, Georgia, logged his score with 15 seconds left in the opening half, putting the Bears ahead 23-0 before the break. The senior’s touchdown proved to be the game-winning score for Mercer in the contest.

Other nominees: Dre Delinois (ETSU), Eli Lipscomb (Furman), Jalen Nelson (Samford), Kam Baah-Slay (Chattanooga), Joshua Collins (Western Carolina) and Wyatt Ward (Wofford)

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Davis Penn, Fr., RB, Wofford, Southlake, Texas
Penn returned a blocked punt 33 yards for a touchdown in Wofford’s 42-14 victory against The Citadel on Saturday. The native of Southlake, Texas, scooped up the punt that was blocked by teammate Eli Campbell in the second quarter, converting it for a score and giving the Terriers’ a 14-0 advantage. The freshman also logged a tackle and on offense, recorded three carries for 10 yards in his collegiate debut.

Other nominees: Simon Zeidan (Mercer), Will Thorley (Samford), Heath Jehu (Chattanooga), Ben Shrewsbury (VMI), and Bryan McCollum (Western Carolina)

2026 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Aug. 31             Lex Thomas, Jr., QB, Western Carolina

Defensive
Aug. 31             Cameron Goggins, Sr., CB, Mercer

Special teams
Aug. 31             Davis Penn, Fr., RB, Wofford

Michael Cross To Depart The Southern Conference

Unknown — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Southern Conference today announced that Commissioner Michael “M.C.” Cross, Ph.D., has stepped down, concluding a tenure marked by meaningful growth for the league and its member institutions.

Commissioner Cross led the conference through a period of significant growth during his tenure. Highlights included a six-year extension of the SoCon’s media rights agreements with ESPN and CBS Sports, securing national exposure for member institutions through the 2031–32 academic year, and the conference’s first membership expansion in more than a decade. He secured a 10-year extension of the league’s basketball championships in Asheville through 2035, making it one of the most stable championship partnerships in college athletics, and saw the SoCon modernize its branding with new graphics and the “It’s All Here” trademark. Record-setting revenue from the basketball, baseball and volleyball championships also occurred under his leadership among many other improvements to the conference’s broadcast, championship, and business operations.

“It has been a privilege to serve the Southern Conference and its member institutions, and I am proud of what we accomplished together,” Cross said. “I am grateful to the Council of Presidents for the opportunity and for the many relationships formed along the way. I cannot say enough about the SoCon staff who embraced the ‘It’s All Here’ mindset on a daily basis and worked tirelessly for our eleven member institutions to execute at the highest level.”

“M.C. brought strategic vision and thoughtful leadership to the Southern Conference, and the league is stronger from his service,” said Dr. Kelli R. Brown, Chancellor of Western Carolina University and current Chair of the SoCon Presidents Council. “We are appreciative for all he contributed and wish him and his family the very best in the years ahead.”

The Conference will share details regarding interim leadership and the search for its next commissioner in the coming weeks.

About the Southern Conference

Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., the Southern Conference is an NCAA Division I conference competing at the FCS level in football. The league comprises 11 member institutions across the Southeast.

A Look Around the SoCon as Football Opening Weekend Arrives

Unknown — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The college football season is finally here, and after long offseason battles, starting quarterbacks have been decided across the SoCon. Here’s a look at some of the starting quarterbacks to watch across the conference in season-opening games.

Thursday August 27

Chattanooga at West Georgia — Quarterback Battle Alberson

Battle Alberson beat out fellow quarterbacks Matthew Clemmer and New Mexico State transfer Parker Awad forChattanooga’s Week Zero starting nod against West Georgia. Alberson started three games last season, playing in six.

He completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 630 yards and five touchdowns to just three interceptions. Alberson earned SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in a win against Furman last year, his lone win as a starter. It was a late-season bright spot for a Mocs team that went a disappointing 5-7 last year.

With Alberson starting in the season opener against West Georgia, Chattanooga hopes to put last season behind it and start the season on top.

“We’re trying to let the past be the past and focus on what’s ahead of us,” offensive lineman Devin Lively said. “The mindset is in a good place right now. Execution and physicality are the fundamentals of our team.”

Anderson at Furman — Quarterback Jake Garcia

The fifth time is the charm for Furman’s newest starting quarterback Jake Garcia. Garcia started his collegiate career back in 2021 at Miami (FL) before stints at Missouri, East Carolina and Michigan.

Garcia found the most success at East Carolina, where he threw for 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. Garcia also ran for two touchdowns on the ground while with the Pirates, calling back to a 45-yard run from his freshman days at Miami. Garcia’s ability to make plays with his legs made him an attractive transfer portal target for Furman.

“We had to find some mobility at the position,” head coach Clay Hendrix said. “We were a throw-the-football-first team, which I don’t really want to be. But when you don’t have the mobility at the position, it really affects you in lots of ways... I think the skillset is more what we’re looking to get out of that room.”

Garcia has found a home at Furman after multiple stops and will open with DII program Anderson in Week Zero. The Trojans are coached by former Paladins’ quarterback and head coach Bobby Lamb, who was both a high school and college teammate of Hendrix at Commerce (GA) High and Furman.

The game should prove to be a good opportunity for Garcia to get things rolling with the Paladins.

Saturday August 29

Monmouth at Tennessee Tech — Quarterback Jax Leatherwood

Jax Leatherwood drew attention at SoCon Football Media Day after being named preseason second-team all-conference before being named the starter. Leatherwood backed up that selection during the offseason by beating out quarterbacks Richie Munoz and Zolten Osborne for the job. Leatherwood transferred in from Southeast Missouri State this offseason. He threw for almost 2,000 yards in just eight games, making him an attractive portal target.

“It’s like going to the grocery store. You can go buy what you want at the grocery store,” head coach Bobby Wilder said. “Well, you can go into the portal and find a quarterback who has good numbers. All three of them have good numbers from their previous school where they started.”

Leatherwood hopes to build on last season’s numbers after winning the starting job as Tennessee Tech aims higher than last season, when the Golden Eagles made the FCS playoffs. 2026 will be a new frontier for Leatherwood on his new team, and for TTU in a new conference as it plays its inaugural year of SoCon football.

It’ll start with a ranked FCS opener against Monmouth. However, Leatherwood proved last year that he can perform well in big games. He threw for 422 yards with a 70 percent completion percentage last season against Southern Illinois and again completed more than 70 percent of his passes against his now-current team, Tennessee Tech.

Campbell at ETSU — Quarterback Mason Mims

Mims is a transfer from Louisville, where he redshirted last year after entering college as a three-star recruit. In high school, he completed 71 percent of his passes while throwing for over 8,400 yards and 89 touchdowns.

Mims won the job during fall camp after transferring in, beating out Jadyn Davis, Jake McNamara and Jackson Byrd. Ahead of camp, All-SoCon tight end Charlie Browder described the quarterback competition as a battle of improvement and consistency.

“The big thing for them is how can they stack days,” Browder said. “Can they make sure that their Tuesday is better than their Monday, that their Wednesday is better than their Tuesday and just continue to get better?”

Mims was the best at “stacking days” during the summer to win the job. Now, he’ll try to stack wins for an ETSU team that closed last season on a four-game win streak. The first test will be a Campbell squad from the CAA that was the worst pass defense in their conference a year ago. Mims could be in line for a big-time debut.

“The key to our success will hang a lot on — as it does for most football teams — how well do you play at the quarterback position,” head coach Will Healy said.

Eastern Kentucky at Western Carolina — Quarterback Lex Thomas

Lex Thomas won the starting quarterback job at Western Carolina, following in the footsteps of Walter Payton Award runner-up Taron Dickens. Thomas has big shoes to fill, but the 5-foot-11 signal-caller was once the 29th-best player in North Carolina in the class of 2023.

Thomas threw just one touchdown in four games at NC State, but he’ll join an offense that has consistently ranked as one of the most explosive in the FCS. The Catamounts averaged 38 points per game last year.

“Whoever wins the starting quarterback job will be up for all-conference because in our system they do the things that are going to make you successful,” head coach Kerwin Bell said.

Not only does Thomas have the belief of the coaching staff, but the players also are high on his potential running the show.

“I think no matter who it is, they have that edge, they have that dog. In this offense, no matter what, you’re going to put up big numbers and I’m excited to see what we do,” wide receiver AJ Colombo said.

We’ll get the first look at Thomas against a tough Eastern Kentucky pass defense that allowed less than 200 air yards per game a season ago. However, the Colonels only went 5-7, so Thomas could have an opportunity for a breakout day.

The Citadel at Wofford — Quarterback Quentin Hayes

Quentin Hayes is one of the few returning signal-callers in the SoCon this fall. He was named Preseason First-Team All-SoCon after his 63 percent completion percentage ranked third in program history for The Citadel. He’s a true dual-threat option with seven rushing touchdowns and eight passing touchdowns last year.

Hayes’ 682 rushing yards ranked sixth among FCS quarterbacks last year and were a big part of why The Citadel led the SoCon in rushing a season ago.

“It’s no surprise we wanna run the ball, and we have our identity in running the football. We take pride in what we do,” running back Rhyder Poppell said. “Don’t be fooled, we led the conference in rushing, but we want to score any way we can.”

The Citadel and Hayes will try to score any way they can in a conference game as a season opener, facing Wofford. Hayes threw for 153 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 78 yards and a touchdown against Wofford last season — a game that resulted in a two-point loss.

If Hayes takes the next step in his development to open the season, The Citadel could reverse last year’s result.

The Citadel at Wofford — Quarterback J.T. Fayard

Quarterback J.T. Fayard won an offseason competition at Wofford after stepping in midway through the 2025season. Fayard replaced quarterback Ethan Drumm and beat him out this offseason after Drumm suffered an injury.

“J.T.’s going to have the first shot at it,” head coach Shawn Watson said. “In all fairness to Ethan, he got hurt. Hedidn’t lose the job because of performance; he lost the job because of injury. We want to see where he’s at in his development.”

Fayard got his shot this offseason and proved he deserved to be the starter in the season opener. He’ll carry momentum into that game after throwing nine touchdowns in his last three games as Wofford went on a four-game win streak and 6-1 run to close the season.

Fayard’s success has things trending upward at Wofford after the Terriers received five votes in the preseason AFCA poll. The team has confidence in him too as they enter Week Zero.

“He’s a great guy. Great quarterback. Great patience in the pocket,” offensive lineman Dillon Porter said. “When J.T.’s behind us, we’re rolling at all times.”

Teams With Unannounced Starters at Quarterback

Samford

● Opponent: North Alabama (home)

● Top quarterback options:

○ Freshman Will Shields

○ Returnee Charlie Gilliam

○ Davidson transfer Coulter Cleland

○ Oregon State transfer Gabarri Johnson

● Quotables

○ “I think quarterback... you gotta have one,” head coach John Grass said. “We’ve got three guys that I think can win games for us. It’s good. A lot of people don’t have three guys.”

VMI

● Opponent: Idaho State (road)

● Top quarterback options:

○ Junior JoJo Crump

○ Redshirt Junior Chandler Wilson

○ Sophomore Nana Utsey

● Quotables

○ “Offensively we’re going to try to be tough. We’re going to try to be physical. We’re going to run option,” head coach Ashley Ingram said.

Mercer

● Opponent: East Texas A&M (home)

● Top quarterback options:

○ Florida State transfer Jaylen King

○ Franklin Pierce transfer Adrian Parker

○ Sophomore JP Pickles

○ Redshirt Junior Jake Wilson

○ Redshirt sophomore Jake Maxwell

○ Returnee Jake Wilson

○ Freshman Cam Hill

● Quotables

○ “I think Mercer is a place of growth,” head coach Joel Taylor said. “I think we can build something that can be really special.”

SoCon women’s soccer players of the week announced

Unknown — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer midfielder Olivia Bori and ETSU goalkeeper Addison Yelton have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Aug. 18-24.

On Aug. 20, Bori logged the team’s lone goal in the team’s 3-1 setback at Maine, the winners of the America East title each of the last three seasons. Three days later, the native of Jacksonville, Florida, tallied five points in the Bears’ 8-0 home-opening victory over South Carolina State. The senior scored goals in the 57th and 61st minutes, while picking up an assist on a goal by Elizabeth Michaelson in the 48th minute. Bori currently leads the conference in goals (4) and points (9).

Yelton played all 180 minutes inside the net for ETSU last week, leading the Bucs to a pair of shutout wins. The redshirt junior stopped two shots in the team’s 1-0 win over West Georgia on Aug. 20. The product of Johnson City, Tennessee, recorded two more saves as ETSU defeated UNC Asheville, 2-0, on Aug. 23.

Mercer hosts Georgia Southern on Thursday, and Georgia on Sunday. ETSU plays at Longwood on Sunday.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Samantha Grantham (The Citadel), Reagan Fitzgerald (ETSU), Sam De Luca (Samford), Paige Thomas (Chattanooga), and Tori Soutuyo (Tennessee Tech)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Zoe Santos (The Citadel), Anna Bachman (Mercer), Alex Parr (Samford), Landry Olson (Chattanooga), and Tori Soutuyo (Tennessee Tech)

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Payton Nutzman, So., MF, Mercer

Aug. 25 Olivia Bori, Sr., MF, Mercer

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Peyton Hull, Jr., GK, Samford

Aug. 25 Addison Yelton, R-Jr., GK, ETSU

SoCon Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week

Unknown — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – Liberty forward Samson Kpardeh and UNC Greensboro defender Trym Linberg were named Southern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for matches held from August 21-24.

Kpardeh (Worcester, MA / South High Community School) scored twice in Liberty’s cross-country trek to Southern California, finding the back of the net in the season opener to lift the Flames to a 2-1 win over San Diego State and scoring again in a loss to No. 1 San Diego.

Against the Aztecs, Kpardeh scored early in the second half to put his side up 1-0, with Hugo Kopke and Finn Van den Berg assisting on the goal. On Monday against the nationally ranked Toreros, Kpardeh took a pass from Javan Ochieng and dribbled 20 yards into the penalty box and connected on a shot into the bottom right for an early lead at the 40:21 mark. Kpardeh played the full 90 minutes in each of those contests.

Linberg (Bærums Verk, Norway / University School) helped No. 14 UNC Greensboro to a 1-0-1 week with a sterling defensive effort, anchoring a back line that allowed only one goal over two matches. In the season opener vs. VCU, Linberg also dished off a pair of assists to help the Spartans to a 4-1 win. On Monday, he led a defensive effort that held San Francisco scoreless in a 0-0 draw. His performance vs. VCU marked the first multi-assist effort of Linberg’s collegiate career.

Liberty (1-1) is in its first season as an associate member of the SoCon in men’s soccer and will play its home opener on August 28 vs. Florida Gulf Coast at 6:00 pm ET (ESPN+).

UNC Greensboro (1-0-1), no stranger to tough competition, hosts No. 23 West Virginia on August 28 at 7:00 pm inside UNCG Soccer Stadium (ESPN+)

Others Nominated Offense: Diego Hernandez (Furman), Filipe Matos (UNCG), Chris Nezianya (Mercer), Sam Dowdy (VMI), Bear Rice (Wofford).

Others Nominated Defense: Oscar Vallejo (Liberty), Henry Hampshaw (Mercer), Santiago Rocha (VMI), Scott Cheevers (Wofford).

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug 25 – Samson Kpardeh, So., F, Liberty (Worcester, MA)

2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 25 – Trym Linberg, So., D, UNCG (Bærums Verk, Norway)

ETSU tabbed as preseason SoCon volleyball favorite

Unknown — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU was picked as the favorite to win the 2026 Southern Conference volleyball title in preseason voting by the league’s 10 head coaches. The coaches also selected an eight-member preseason all-conference team.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.

ETSU, the defending regular season champion, received five first-place votes and 77 points, claiming the top spot in the preseason poll. Wofford, who will be going for its fourth straight SoCon tournament crown this season, collected four first-place votes and 72 points, finishing second in the poll. Furman secured 69 points and the final first place vote, taking third in the poll. UNCG came in fourth with 50 points. Chattanooga nabbed the fifth spot with 48 points. Samford finished with 46 points, grabbing the sixth spot, while conference newcomer Tennessee Tech got 29 points and the seventh spot in the poll. Western Carolina followed closely behind with 28 points. Mercer was ninth with 22 points. The Citadel rounded out the poll with nine points.

The ETSU Buccaneers are coming off a 23-7 overall record and a 15-1 mark in SoCon play in 2025. Bucs outside hitter Makayla Bays represents the squad on the preseason all-conference team. Bays, the 2025 SoCon Player of the Year, led the league in service aces (45) last season, while finishing second in kills (443).

The Wofford Terriers finished last season 17-14 overall and 10-6 in SoCon matches, concluding their season with their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance under the tutelage of head coach Lynze Roos. A trio of Terriers made the preseason all-conference team. The players are Laney Klika, the two-time reigning SoCon Libero of the Year, middle blocker Bradley Brown and outside hitter Chloe Smith. Klika was the only player in the SoCon to average over five digs per set in 2025. Brown and Smith, both of whom were all-conference and all-tournament team performers a season ago, both finished in the top 10 in the league in total kills.

Furman had a 21-9 overall mark and an 11-5 ledger in SoCon play in 2025. The Paladins are represented on the preseason team by middle blocker Tennyson Gorman. Gorman led the league in blocks (158), blocks per set (1.37) and hitting percentage (.364) last season.

UNCG went 17-12 overall and 9-7 in conference matches a season ago. Outside hitter Allie Sweet was selected to the preseason all-conference team. Sweet, who has been a first-team all-conference selection in each of the last two seasons, led the SoCon in kills (501) during her sophomore campaign in 2025.

Samford outside hitter Ally Cordes and Western Carolina setter Katie Boney rounded out the preseason all-conference team. Cordes was a second-team all-conference pick in 2025 after finishing fifth in the league in kills (370). Boney, the 2025 SoCon Setter of the Year, completed last season as the only conference player to have over 1,000 assists, finishing with 1,066.

The 2026 regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 28, with seven teams in action. Tennessee Tech and Wofford begin on the next day.

The SoCon Volleyball Championship will be on Nov. 19-22 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina. The 2026 volleyball championship marks the second time in the conference’s history that the tournament will be hosted exclusively at a neutral location for all teams. The two first round matches between the No. 8 and No. 9 seed, and No. 7 and No. 10 seed will be played on Nov. 19, with the quarterfinals slated for Nov. 20. The semifinal matches will be held on Nov. 21, and the final is set to be played on Nov. 22.

2026 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. ETSU (5)	77
2. Wofford (4)	72
3. Furman (1)	69
4. UNCG	50
5. Chattanooga	48
6. Samford	46
7. Tennessee Tech	29
8. Western Carolina	28
9. Mercer	22
10. The Citadel	9

() denotes first-place votes

2026 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Makayla Bays, ETSU, OH

Tennyson Gorman, Furman, MB

Allie Sweet, UNCG, OH

Ally Cordes, Samford, OH

Katie Boney, Western Carolina, S

Bradley Brown, Wofford, MB

Laney Klika, Wofford, LIB

Chloe Smith, Wofford, OH

SoCon Interview: Brian Mackin, UNCG AD/Chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Oversight Committee

The Southern Conference — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hear from Director of Athletics Brian Mackin as he talks about his role as Chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Oversight Committee.

SoCon women’s soccer players of the week announced

Unknown — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer midfielder Payton Nutzman and Samford goalkeeper Peyton Hull have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Aug. 12-17.

Nutzman led Mercer to a pair of road victories in the Bears’ opening week of the season. In the season opener versus Jackson State on Aug. 12, the sophomore entered the contest in the 31st minute and immediately made her presence felt, scoring off a penalty kick one minute later for the game’s first score. The native of Greenville, South Carolina, found the back of the net for the second time in the contest in the 42nd minute off a pass from teammate Isabella DeSantis, which proved to be the game-winning score in a 2-1 victory. On Aug. 16, Nutzman logged 55 minutes in a 1-0 win against West Georgia. The first two games of the season marked the first competitive action for Nutzman in 10 months after her freshman campaign ended with an injury in October last season.

Hull played all 180 minutes inside the net for Samford last week. The Bulldogs’ first match of the season ended in a scoreless draw at second-ranked Notre Dame on Aug. 12. The redshirt junior, a native of South Bend, Indiana, had eight saves as she returned to her hometown. Four days later, Hull finished with three saves as Samford defeated Belmont, 2-0, in its home opener.

Mercer travels to Maine on Thursday, before returning home for its home opener versus South Carolina State on Sunday, Samford hosts Georgia State on Thursday, and travels to South Alabama on Sunday.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Laney Smith (UNCG), Martha Bishop (Samford), Quinn Johnson (Chattanooga), Halle Bibee (Tennessee Tech), Gabriela Vatrano (Western Carolina) and Satya Tarafdar (Wofford)

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Caroline Ekern (Chattanooga), Laila McNamee (Tennessee Tech) and Elizabeth Navola (Wofford)

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Payton Nutzman, So., MF, Mercer

2026 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 18 Peyton Hull, Jr., GK, Samford

Furman Picked as Preseason Favorite in 2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer Poll

Unknown — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – Defending champion Furman was picked as the preseason favorite in the 2026 SoCon Men’s Soccer poll released Monday afternoon by the league office.

The SoCon’s seven head coaches voted on the poll and selected a preseason All-Conference team as well. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team or players.

Furman forged a 16-2-5 record and went undefeated in conference play last season en route to the program’s first berth in the College Cup. New head coach Brandon Tucker was hired to take over the lead role after serving nine seasons on staff alongside Furman Hall of Famer Doug Allison. Allison, who retired following last year’s sterling run after 31 seasons, posted a program-record 365 career wins and 11 NCAA appearances. The Furman coaching staff was named the 2025 United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year.

The Paladins return all 11 starters from its College Cup roster, including 2025 SoCon Player of the Year Diego Hernandez, SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year Ivan Horvat, and SoCon Freshman of the Year Braden Dunham. A wealth of returning talent vaulted Furman into the top 3 nationally in two major preseason national polls, with Top Drawer Soccer rating the 2026 edition second in its initial August 6 rankings.

Furman received four of the seven first-place votes and 34 overall points, just ahead of UNC Greensboro (31). The Spartans also return a high level of experience from their 12-win team, which combined a top-5 win with two draws against top-10 teams during the 2025 regular season. UNCG advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling on the road to national runner-up NC State.

The Spartans earned a pair of first-place votes and are ranked as high as No. 11 in the preseason national rankings after going wire-to-wire in the national top 25 during the 2025 season under Coach Chris Rich.

SoCon newcomer Liberty (24 points) garnered the final first-place vote and is third in the preseason poll, just one point in front of Mercer (23 points). The Flames are in their first season as an associate member in men’s soccer after playing in the OVC. Wofford (15 points), ETSU (13 points), and VMI (7 points) rounded out the rankings.

Furman led the All-SoCon team with six selections, paced by Hernandez and Dunham. Horvat also earned a spot, alongside forward Wilfer Bustamante, midfielder Luke Hutzell, and defender Ryan Wagner. All six Paladins were members of the 2025 All-SoCon team last November.

UNCG was next with three selections. Veteran goalkeeper Seth Wilson was joined by forward Steven Hernandez and defender Mohammed Sumaila. Wofford forward Declan Mettee and midfielder Max Talley, alongside Mercer defender Eli Bannister rounded out the team – which features five seniors and four juniors.

All seven SoCon teams open the 2026 season on Thursday, Aug. 20.

2026 SoCon Preseason Men’s Soccer Poll

1. Furman, 34 (4)

2. UNC Greensboro, 31 (2)

3. Liberty, 24 (1)

4. Mercer, 23

5. Wofford, 15

6. ETSU, 13

7. VMI, 7

2026 SoCon Preseason Men’s Soccer All-Conference Team

F – Wilfer Bustamante, Jr., Furman

F – Steven Hernandez, R-Sr., UNC Greensboro

F – Declan Mettee, Sr., Wofford

M – Diego Hernandez, Sr., Furman

M – Luke Hutzell, Jr., Furman

M – Max Talley, Sr., Wofford

D – Braden Dunham, So., Furman

D – Eli Bannister, So., Mercer

D – Mohammed Sumaila, Jr., UNC Greensboro

D – Ryan Wagner, Jr., Furman

G – Seth Wilson, R-Sr., UNC Greensboro

G – Ivan Horvat, R-So., Furman

2026 Opening Night Schedule (Thursday, August 20)

ETSU at Queens (Charlotte, NC, 6:00 pm ET)

VMI at Elon (Elon, NC, 7:00 pm ET)

Wofford at Gardner-Webb (Boiling Springs, NC, 7:00 pm ET)

Florida Atlantic at Mercer (Macon, GA, 7:00 pm ET)

VCU at #11 UNC Greensboro (Greensboro, NC, 7:00 pm ET)

#2 Furman at Clemson (Clemson, SC, 7:00 pm ET)

Liberty at San Diego State (San Diego, CA, 10:00 pm ET)

Samford Names Tyra Perry Head Softball Coach

The Southern Conference — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SoCon Announces 2026-27 Women’s Basketball League Schedule

Unknown — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C.– Thanks to support from Ingles Markets, the Southern Conference officially released its women’s basketball league schedule Tuesday afternoon.

The SoCon’s nine women’s basketball teams will all play double-round-robin, 16-game intraleague schedules, totaling 72 league contests. Conference play begins on Tuesday, Dec. 29, with eight of nine squads in action. The regular season concludes with four conference showdowns on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Chattanooga, ETSU, and Wofford each claimed a share of the 2025-26 regular‑season conference crown. Samford completed a three-day sweep of the SoCon regular-season co-champions to claim the tournament title under first-year head coach Matt Wise.

The SoCon welcomes Tennessee Tech for their inaugural season in the league this year. Led by 11^th year head coach Kim Rosamond, the team is coming off a 15-14 campaign, after claiming the OVC regular-season and championship titles in 2024-25.

The expanded Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships will feature all nine programs. It begins Wednesday, March 3, with a first-round matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds at 6 p.m. ET at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. The winner advances to Thursday’s quarterfinals, joining the top seven seeds in four games beginning at 11 a.m. Friday’s semifinals are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., with the championship game set for noon on Sunday and airing on ESPNU.

The 44th season of Southern Conference women’s basketball opens Monday, Nov. 2.

Dec. 29 (Tue)

TTU at ETSU

Furman at UNCG

Mercer at WCU

Samford at UTC

Jan. 2 (Sat)

Wofford at Furman

UTC at Mercer

UNCG at Samford

WCU at ETSU

Jan. 5 (Tue)

ETSU at Furman

Mercer at Samford

WCU at UNCG

TTU at Wofford

Jan. 9 (Sat)

Samford at ETSU

UNCG at Mercer

UTC at TTU

Wofford at WCU

Jan. 12 (Tue)

Wofford at ETSU

Furman at UTC

TTU at Mercer

WCU at Samford

Jan. 16 (Sat)

ETSU at TTU

Mercer at Furman

UNCG at UTC

Samford at Wofford

Jan. 19 (Tue)

ETSU at WCU

Furman at TTU

Wofford at UNCG

UTC at Samford

Jan. 23 (Sat)

Mercer at ETSU

Furman at Wofford

TTU at UNCG

WCU at UTC

Jan. 26 (Tue)

UNCG at ETSU

WCU at Furman

Samford at Mercer

UTC at Wofford

Jan. 30 (Sat)

ETSU at UTC

Furman at Samford

Mercer at UNCG

TTU at WCU

Feb. 2 (Tue)

UTC at Furman

Wofford at Mercer

UNCG at WCU

Samford at TTU

Feb. 6 (Sat)

ETSU at Samford

Furman at Mercer

TTU at UTC

WCU at Wofford

Feb. 9 (Tue)

Furman at ETSU

Mercer at TTU

UNCG at Wofford

Samford at WCU

Feb. 13 (Sat)

ETSU at Mercer

TTU at Furman

UTC at UNCG

Wofford at Samford

Feb. 16 (Tue)

ETSU at Wofford

UNCG at Furman

Mercer at UTC

WCU at TTU

Feb. 20 (Sat)

UTC at ETSU

Furman at WCU

Samford at UNCG

Wofford at TTU

Feb. 23 (Tue)

ETSU at UNCG

WCU at Mercer

TTU at Samford

Wofford at UTC

Feb. 27 (Sat)

Samford at Furman

Mercer at Wofford

UNCG at TTU

UTC at WCU

#ItsAllHere

SoCon announces men’s basketball league schedule

Unknown — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its 2026-27 men’s basketball league schedule presented by Ingles on Tuesday. The SoCon’s 11 men’s basketball teams will all play double-round-robin, 20-game intraleague schedules, totaling 110 league contests over 11 weeks from Tuesday, Dec. 1, to Saturday, Feb. 27.

The first conference game of the season is on Dec. 1, when UNCG visits VMI. The game will be the first SoCon game for UNCG’s new coach Jerod Haase. Haase comes to Greensboro with over 25 years of coaching experience, including stints at UAB and Stanford as the head coach.

The first full schedule of Saturday games takes place on Saturday, Dec. 5, including Tennessee Tech hosting Samford for its first SoCon game. The Golden Eagles are under the tutelage of new head coach Tobin Anderson, who has previously been the head man at Iona and Fairleigh Dickinson. While at Fairleigh Dickinson, he led the Knights to one of the most memorable moments in NCAA Tournament history as the 16^th-seeded FDU defeated No. 1 seed Purdue in the opening round in 2023.

The final squad to open its conference schedule is Chattanooga when the Mocs hosts Mercer on Dec. 19.

One of the early notable games on the slate this season is Furman traveling to ETSU on Dec. 22, marking a rematch of last season’s conference tournament title game. The Paladins won the tournament title a season ago, while ETSU was the regular season champion.

The 2027 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship will take place at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina, from March 5-8.

Full broadcast schedules will be announced later, but all 11 schools’ home games will air on ESPN+ if not selected for national or regional broadcast.

The 106th season of Southern Conference basketball opens with nonconference play on Monday, Nov. 2.

The full composite schedule will be posted when it has been completed on SoConSports.com .

December 1 (Tuesday)

UNCG at VMI

December 5 (Saturday)

The Citadel at Western Carolina

ETSU at VMI

Furman at UNCG

Wofford at Mercer

Samford at Tennessee Tech

December 19 (Saturday)

Tennessee Tech at The Citadel

UNCG at ETSU

Western Carolina at Furman

Mercer at Chattanooga

Wofford at Samford

December 22 (Tuesday)

Furman at ETSU

Mercer at Tennessee Tech

Samford at Chattanooga

Western Carolina at Wofford

December 30 (Wednesday)

The Citadel at UNCG

ETSU at Mercer

Furman at VMI

Chattanooga at Western Carolina

Tennessee Tech at Wofford

January 2 (Saturday)

Chattanooga at The Citadel

ETSU at Samford

Tennessee Tech at Furman

Wofford at UNCG

VMI at Western Carolina

January 6 (Wednesday)

Wofford at The Citadel

Samford at Furman

Western Carolina at Mercer

January 7 (Thursday)

UNCG at Chattanooga

VMI at Tennessee Tech

January 9 (Saturday)

The Citadel at Samford

Western Carolina at ETSU

Mercer at Wofford

UNCG at Tennessee Tech

VMI at Chattanooga

January 13 (Wednesday)

Furman at The Citadel

Tennessee Tech at ETSU

Samford at Mercer

Western Carolina at UNCG

Wofford at VMI

January 16 (Saturday)

The Citadel at VMI

ETSU at UNCG

Mercer at Furman

Samford at Western Carolina

Chattanooga at Wofford

January 18 (Monday)

ETSU at The Citadel

Wofford at Furman

Mercer at Western Carolina

VMI at Samford

Tennessee Tech at Chattanooga

January 20 (Wednesday)

VMI at Mercer

January 21 (Thursday)

The Citadel at Wofford

Chattanooga at ETSU

UNCG at Samford

Western Carolina at Tennessee Tech

January 23 (Saturday)

Samford at The Citadel

ETSU at Wofford

Furman at Tennessee Tech

UNCG at Mercer

Western Carolina at Chattanooga

January 27 (Wednesday)

The Citadel at Furman

Mercer at ETSU

Wofford at Western Carolina

January 28 (Thursday)

Tennessee Tech at UNCG

Chattanooga at VMI

January 30 (Saturday)

The Citadel at Mercer

ETSU at Furman

Chattanooga at UNCG

Samford at Wofford

Tennessee Tech at VMI

February 3 (Wednesday)

UNCG at The Citadel

ETSU at Chattanooga

Furman at Samford

Tennessee Tech at Western Carolina

VMI at Wofford

February 6 (Saturday)

The Citadel at Tennessee Tech

VMI at ETSU

Furman at Mercer

Western Carolina at Samford

Wofford at Chattanooga

February 10 (Wednesday)

Western Carolina at The Citadel

ETSU at Tennessee Tech

Chattanooga at Furman

February 11 (Thursday)

Mercer at VMI

Samford at UNCG

February 13 (Saturday)

The Citadel at Chattanooga

Wofford at ETSU

Furman at Western Carolina

Mercer at UNCG

Samford at VMI

February 18 (Thursday)

ETSU at Western Carolina

VMI at Furman

Tennessee Tech at Mercer

UNCG at Wofford

Chattanooga at Samford

February 20 (Saturday)

VMI at The Citadel

Furman at Wofford

Chattanooga at Mercer

UNCG at Western Carolina

Tennessee Tech at Samford

February 24 (Wednesday)

The Citadel at ETSU

Furman at Chattanooga

Mercer at Samford

VMI at UNCG

Wofford at Tennessee Tech

February 27 (Saturday)

Mercer at The Citadel

Samford at ETSU

UNCG at Furman

Chattanooga at Tennessee Tech

Western Carolina at VMI

Samford predicted to win 2026 women’s soccer championship

Unknown — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Defending Southern Conference regular-season and tournament champion Samford is the preseason favorite to win the 2026 Southern Conference women's soccer title in voting of the league's 11 head coaches.

The coaches also selected an 11-member preseason all-conference team. Due to a tie in the voting, an extra defender was included on the squad.

ETSU and Samford tied for the league-best with three selections. Mercer placed two on the team, while Furman, UNCG, Chattanooga and Western Carolina had one apiece.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.

Samford, which garnered 10 first-place votes, finished with 100 points. Furman, who received the final first place vote, and ETSU tied for second with 80 points. Western Carolina was picked fourth with 68 points. Chattanooga (67) and Mercer (66) followed behind in fifth and sixth, respectively. UNCG had 43 points and Tennessee Tech finished with 40 points, placing seventh and eighth, respectively. Wofford grabbed 32 points to come in ninth place. The Citadel had 19 points to finish 10^th, and VMI rounded out the poll with 10 points.

Samford was 13-3-5 overall last season and 7-0-2 in conference play en route to regular season and tournament crowns. The Bulldogs’ three preseason all-conference selections were All-SoCon performers in 2025. Forward Sam De Luca, the 2025 SoCon Player of the Year, and defender Caroline Smith were first-team picks, while goalkeeper Peyton Hull was on the second team.

De Luca, who was also the Most Outstanding Player for the conference tournament a season ago, led the league in points (34) and goals (15) in 2025. Smith and Hull led a Bulldogs defense that recorded 12 shutouts last season, with Hull leading the league in goals against average (0.99).

Furman completed the 2025 season with a 10-4-5 overall record and a 3-2-4 mark in conference games. The Paladins placed Norah Roller on the preseason team. ETSU was 9-4-6 last season, logging a 4-1-4 record in SoCon matches. Forward Reagan Fitzgerald, midfielder Georgia Shields and defender Ella Parker were voted onto the preseason all-conference squad.

Mercer put midfielder Payton Nutzman and defender Anna Bachman on the preseason all-conference team. UNCG midfielder Rina Ogimoto, Chattanooga forward Quinn Johnson and Western Carolina defender Mary Mueth round out the preseason squad. Mueth was a first-team pick following last season. Ogimoto and Johnson, who was the 2025 SoCon Freshman of the Year, were second-team all-conference selections a season ago.

Seven squads, including the reigning champion Samford, open the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Furman, UNCG, VMI and Western Carolina open the season the next day.

The SoCon Women's Soccer Championship will feature all 11 schools. The first round will take place at the home fields of the No. 6, 7 and 8 seeds on Nov. 6. The quarterfinals will be hosted by the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on Nov. 8. The highest remaining seed will host semifinals and championship Nov. 13 and 15.

2026 Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Samford (10) 100

2. Furman (1) 80

ETSU 80

4. Western Carolina 68

5. Chattanooga 67

6. Mercer 66

7. UNCG 43

8. Tennessee Tech 40

9. Wofford 32

10. The Citadel 19

11. VMI 10

() denotes first-place votes

2026 Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

F Reagan Fitzgerald, ETSU

F Norah Roller, Furman

F Sam De Luca, Samford

F Quinn Johnson, Chattanooga

MF Georgia Shields, ETSU

MF Payton Nutzman, Mercer

MF Rina Ogimoto, UNCG

D Ella Parker, ETSU

D Anna Bachman, Mercer

D Caroline Smith, Samford

D Mary Mueth, Western Carolina

GK Peyton Hull, Samford

SoCon announces Nexstar football broadcast schedule

Unknown — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc., Ingles Markets and the Southern Conference announced Monday the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week football broadcast package on select Nexstar affiliates for the 2026 season.

Each SoCon squad will make at least one appearance over the course of the 15-game broadcast schedule. This season marks a record number of games for the SoCon’s Nexstar package.

The schedule kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 29, with The Citadel traveling to Wofford at 6 p.m. The game is the season opener for both teams.

Chattanooga hosts the next two matchups in the package. The Mocs host the league’s newest member, Tennessee Tech, on Sept. 5, before welcoming Wofford on Sept. 19.

The month of October features three Saturdays with a pair of games. On Oct. 3, Furman hosts Wofford at 2 p.m., ahead of Tennessee Tech heading to Cullowhee to play Western Carolina at 6 p.m. October 17 will start with VMI heading to Wofford at 1:30 p.m., before Mercer’s trip to Samford finishes the doubleheader at 7 p.m. On Halloween, Western Carolina travels to Furman for a 2 p.m. kickoff, and Wofford heads to Birmingham to play Samford, which is set for a 7 p.m. start.

The conference slate also features three wildcard games on Nov. 7, 14, and 21. The wildcard contests provide an opportunity for the league to showcase games towards the end of the season which will impact the conference title and NCAA FCS playoff berths.

Each game in the Nexstar package will air concurrently on ESPN+.

All games will air on WYCW (Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson). Nexstar stations in other SoCon markets that have the ability to pick up games are WMYT (Charlotte), WWCW (Roanoke), WJHL (Tri-Cities), WCBD (Charleston), WGHP (Greensboro) and WBTW (Myrtle Beach). Although not Nexstar stations, EFLI (Chattanooga, TN), WMUB (Macon, GA), and several other affiliates that will be announced at a later date have the opportunity to air games from this season’s package.

Nexstar football broadcast schedule (all times Eastern)
8/29 - The Citadel at Wofford 6 PM
9/5 - Tennessee Tech at Chattanooga 6 PM
9/19 - Wofford at Chattanooga 6 PM
9/26 - Western Carolina at ETSU 3:30 PM
10/3 - Wofford at Furman 2 PM and Tennessee Tech at Western Carolina 6 PM
10/10 - ETSU at The Citadel 2 PM
10/17 - VMI at Wofford 1:30 PM and Mercer at Samford 7 PM
10/24 - Chattanooga at Western Carolina 2:30 PM
10/31 - Western Carolina at Furman 2 PM and Wofford at Samford 7 PM
11/7 - Wildcard
11/14 - Wildcard
11/21 - Wildcard