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One Word to Describe Each SoCon Football Team Entering 2026

Unknown — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, S.C. — College football media days are about storytelling and projecting. Teams send their top players and coaches to represent their school and tell stories that provide insight into their programs while projecting their performance in the upcoming season. But can those stories be condensed into one word? I think so.

That’s why I asked every SoCon football representative at 2026 media day to describe their team entering this season in one word. Yet, before we get to the teams, we have to start with the commissioner of the conference, Michael Cross.

Commissioner Michael Cross — It’s All Here

“It’s All Here” is a SoCon motto, but for Cross it’s more than that. It’s an indicator that the conference has everything a student-athlete could want from resources and academics to on-field performance. When it comes to on-field play this football season, Cross is hoping the “it’s all here” motto showcases the talent of the teams in the conference.

“We are an unbelievably competitive conference,” said commissioner Cross. As the polls start to take shape, as the voters get into their business and as the NCAA committee starts to dissect who’s worthy of postseason opportunities, I’m very confident and comfortable that we will see our teams perform in an exceptional way this year that will allow us to have multiple teams in the postseason.”

The SoCon hasn’t had multiple postseason teams since 2023 when Chattanooga and Mercer both made it. Could 2026 be the year that changes?

If the teams live up to their one-word descriptions, it might just be. Here’s the best one-word preview of each team in the SoCon.

Chattanooga — Obsessed

Chattanooga is coming off a 5-7 season, the first losing season of Rusty Wright’s tenure as head coach. As the Mocs look to return to their winning ways, there’s an obsession with success amongst the players.

“Obsessed with the game. Obsessed with the goal. Obsessed with each other and what we’re trying to accomplish,” offensive lineman Devin Lively described.

The goal is to win and return to the postseason for the first time since 2023. To do so will take an obsession with attention to detail from guys like Preseason First-Team All-SoCon linebacker Zion Rutledge as he tries to take the next step in his game after a 100-tackle season.

“A lot of it is looking back at the things that I was strong at and the things that I was weak at,” said Rutledge. “It’s making those strengths unbeatable and making those weaknesses, trying to turn those into strengths.”

As weaknesses turn to strengths, losses can turn to wins. Even with a losing overall record, Chattanooga still finished .500 in conference play a season ago. 2026 could turn things around.

“We’ve got a chance to have a good football team. We’ll see,” coach Wright said.

Mercer Bears — Attack

Head coach Joel Taylor has taken over the reins for Mercer football this fall, and he’s brought a new acronym to Macon.

Attack.

Attitude, Toughness, Togetherness, Accountability, Character and Knowledge.

Those six words are what define the Mercer program’s mindset entering 2026 as back-to-back SoCon football champions.

“All six of those things are all controllable,” Taylor said. “We don’t have to worry about what the scoreboard’s gonna be. We don’t have to worry about the referee making a bad call. You don’t have to worry about your playing time. Just control what you can control, attack the day.”

It was echoed by Preseason First-Team All-SoCon offensive lineman Brody Balliew, who gave “attack” as his one-word description of the 2026 Bears.

“That’s our mentality. That’s one thing that coach Taylor brought with him, and I think that has really stuck with the team,” Balliew said. “Attack everything we do. Whether that’s a run, a lift — anything team-wise, we try to attack everything."

Yet, it’s more than just an acronym. There’s an intentionality behind what Mercer’s doing.

“Every school in the conference gets the same amount of time to prepare for the games. It’s about what you do in that time,” said defensive lineman Cam Moore.

Both Moore and Balliew are a part of the 12 transfers that followed coach Taylor from West Georgia to Mercer. They’re carrying over a mindset to help continue a winning culture as Mercer attempts to become the first SoCon team to become outright conference champions in three consecutive years since Furman won four in a row from 1980-1983.

ETSU — Prove-It

Yes, I know prove and it are two separate words, but in this case think of it as a compound modifier in the phrase prove-it season. That’s exactly what 2026 will be for ETSU as the Buccaneers look to build off of a 7-5 season to start the Will Healy era.

ETSU was voted No. 3 in the SoCon preseason poll after last season’s success, but there’s more to accomplish.

“I’ve got a bunch of questions about how it feels to be picked third. Well... it’s not first,” said coach Healy. “Prove it that we’re good enough. Believe that we can do what we set out to do. If that’s the mentality, then we’ll be just fine.”

The expectations are different after closing 2025 with four straight wins. One side of the ball that stands out is the defense. Four players earned preseason all-conference honors, including defensive lineman Brenden LeBlanc on the first team.

“We’ll be tough. We’ll be really hard to beat, and I think we have a lot of experience,” LeBlanc said.

With more veterans on the squad this year, ETSU will look to make a postseason run for the first time since 2021.

Furman — Confident

It’s easy to be confident when you have the best returning defensive player in the FCS on your squad, and that’s exactly the case for the Furman Paladins. Furman will see Buck Buchanan Award runner-up Joshua Stoneking back on the field after he led the FCS in sacks and tackles for loss a year ago.

However, it’s not just one player that has the team confident entering 2026. It’s the preparation from the whole team.

“I think when you prepare well, you have confidence,” coach Clay Hendrix said. “I think they have a lot of confidence in their teammates and good leadership.”

As starting center and preseason Second-Team All-SoCon honoree Chris Luna puts it, the team is very detail-oriented entering 2026. He’s taken more of a leadership role this season, making sure that the details are focused on every day.

“One of our strength coaches says, ‘the tip of the spear has to be sharp.’ The center’s always the tip of the spear,” Luna said. “The little things always matter in every single game.”

There’s also a competitive side amongst the team in practices, especially in the trenches where guys like Luna can compete against a Buchanan finalist day-in and day-out. The competition continues to grow the team’s confidence.

“Going against Josh every day has made me 100 percent better,” Luna said. “That’s one thing that the Furman culture prioritizes, making each other better. Iron sharpens iron.”

“We have grown together throughout the spring,” Stoneking said. “We’ve grown together as brothers, and I think that’s going to help a lot with our practices and going into games with some energy.”

There's confidence in Furman’s locker room this year from their practice habits. If practice truly makes perfect, the Paladins could be in for a big year in 2026.

Samford — Determined

Samford went 1-11 in 2025. They’ll have a new coach in John Grass this fall — with a new mindset too. The Bulldogs are determined to put last season behind them in 2026.

“We’re a very determined group. I’ve seen a different side of guys and a different side of myself that I haven’t seen before that this coaching staff, coach Grass, has brought out of me,” preseason Second-Team All-SoCon safety Jalen Nelson said. “I feel like we’ll come together and show people what they're not expecting.”

Currently, the expectations for Samford are for the Bulldogs to finish eighth in the SoCon in 2026. At least that’s what the preseason predicted order of finish says. Yet, the Bulldogs aren’t going to let preseason predictions deter them from turning the program around.

“Every week it’s Samford vs. Samford at the end of the day,” Nelson said.

“We’ve just been working,” preseason First-Team All-SoCon wide receiver Preston Bird emphasized. “It’s given me a lot of confidence. I feel like we’re just a hungry group right now. We’re trying to come for everything they say we can’t have.”

There’s a determination among the Bulldogs as they try to learn how to win. They have a good teacher for winning in coach Grass, as he comes from Clemson under coach Dabo Swinney, who’s won College Football Playoff titles, and Jacksonville State, where he led multiple deep playoff runs as head coach.

“You can talk about a lot of things, but you gotta be able to do it. I think we put the work in and that’s how we establish our culture,” Grass said.

It’s only year one of the Grass era in Birmingham, but if a winning culture is established, the sky could be the limit for this determined group.

“You can become a national contender at Samford. That’s our goal, and that’s what we want to do.

Tennessee Tech — Motivated

Tennessee Tech is a motivated group in 2026 after losing a home playoff game in the first round last year. Whether it’s returnees like wide receiver Tre Holloway or one of 45 transfers like defensive back Chris “Cee” Rhodes, the Golden Eagles want to surpass last season’s success.

“We got a little taste of the playoffs, and now we want to reach that again. We want more,” Rhodes said. “We don’t want just a slice of the cake. We want the whole cake.”

“Losing that playoff game at home to North Dakota has been a driving factor for all of us coaches and players,” head coach Bobby Wilder said. “You gotta play the game and win. We didn’t answer the call.”

Beyond last season’s disappointment, there’s an added level of motivation that comes with proving the Golden Eagles belong. Tennessee Tech is the newest member of the SoCon and has already been voted the No. 2 team in the conference. TTU wants to show it belongs among the conference’s best.

“We’re the new kids on the block,” Holloway said. “We’re surrounded by great teams. We know that to become what we want to become as a program and get to where we want to get to, it takes stacking days and the discipline and togetherness to achieve that goal.”

Tennessee Tech wants to be more than just 2025’s one-year-wonder. They want to be a consistent winner atop the FCS. With a motivated mentality, coach Wilder thinks they can get there.

“I really like the mentality of this team. They want to win,” coach Wilder said. “The guys who return from last year are motivated to do better than losing in the first round of the playoffs, and the new guys look at it as, ‘I got an opportunity to be a part of something special’”.

The Citadel — Blue-Collar

“Blue-Collar Bulldogs. That’s just who we are,” said The Citadel head coach Maurice Drayton once he heard the word running back Rhyder Poppell used to describe the team entering 2026.

While both could’ve just said that “blue-collar” phrase to literally describe the blue on the collars of the uniforms, it’s not what it refers to here. It refers to a grittiness and toughness that The Citadel plays and prepares with.

“We grab our lunch pail like coach Drayton says. We go to work every day. We work on getting one percent better and improving,” Poppell said.

The Citadel is a team that led the SoCon in rushing with over 210 yards per game on the ground while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. No team can do that without physicality and soundness that allows you to run the ball effectively play after play.

“It’s a toughness you can see on film,” coach Drayton said.

The toughness has slowly improved The Citadel from 0-11 in coach Drayton’s first year in 2023 to going 3-5 in SoCon play in each of the last two seasons. With a blue-collar focus, the Bulldogs are hoping to finally break through and land a winning record for the first time this decade.

“We just have a 1-0 mentality. Every day. With everything that we do,” said coach Drayton. “The mailman’s gotta go to work. He doesn’t go to work sometimes. He goes to work every day.”

VMI — Brotherhood

VMI has gone 1-11 in both 2024 and 2025. Head coach Ashley Ingram has taken over from Carson-Newman. He has used a goal of establishing a brotherhood to change the culture for the Keydets.

“Our philosophy is simple with football,” head coach Ashley Ingram said. “If we can be the closest football team in the country, a true brotherhood... if we can care about each other, if we can lay it on the line for each other... we think that’s going to be the key to us winning.”

Ingram brings over experience from a long stint at Navy, so he knows the importance of brotherhood at a military institution. So much so that it’s written across the shirts that players wear. It’s early, but Ingram’s doing all he can to revitalize the VMI program.

“It’s been a burst of new energy. When he came in, we were all very excited. He has a record of proven success,” said preseason Second-Team All-SoCon offensive lineman Bryce Burnett.

The sense of brotherhood has been more than just coach-led during the turnaround process. Players are doing their part to create camaraderie amongst the Keydets too.

“A big goal of ours has been to get the guys around each other to create some chemistry beyond the football field so when you get onto the field you're playing with guys that you love, guys that you respect,” said preseason Second-Team All-SoCon linebacker Isaiah Grevious. “I feel like that kind of chemistry... that will help you win football games”

Winning football games is what it’s all about. VMI doesn't want to settle for another one-win season in 2026. Brotherhood is nice, but winning is even better.

“We want to put a program and a team on the field that makes VMI very proud. We want to reflect what the place is all about. Toughness, edge, discipline. And then we want to win,” said Ingram. “We didn’t come here to pat ourselves on the back. We didn’t come here to put on a good show. We came here to win.”

Western Carolina — Feasting

Western Carolina’s preseason Second-Team All-SoCon wide receiver AJ Colombo described the 2026 Catamounts as “hungry”. Preseason First-Team All-SoCon defensive back Ken Moore Jr. described the 2026 Catamounts as “thirsty”. Together, they combined to say “feasting.”

This is a Western Carolina team that’s starving for a taste of the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1983. That’s a 43-year playoff drought in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Despite all of the All-American honors, all-conference honors and records set by the Catamounts in recent years, the playoffs have been the one thing to escape them.

“Accolades and stats, it’s all cool and all, but my main thing is I want to win,” said Moore. “I want to go to the playoffs. I want to get a ring. I want to get a trophy for the team.”

Team is a word that head coach Kerwin Bell also acknowledged. While Western Carolina may not have the superstar player of the years past, Bell still sees 2026’s team as a talented group filled with quality players. Together, this year’s talent could end the hunger for a playoff appearance.

“We had the talent. We’ve had the ability to do it. We just haven’t finished those games,” said Coach Bell. “Just like Michael Jordan did when he was young: he had to learn how to get over the Detroit Pistons, past the Lakers. But once you have that experience, now you draw on that experience. I think our team is ready to take that experience and take us to a point where we can get over the top.”

Wofford — Relentless

Wofford is coming off its first winning season under head coach Shawn Watson after closing the season with a 6-1 stretch and on a four-game win streak. The strong finish has led to a relentless pursuit of success for the Terriers in 2026.

“There’s definitely momentum carried over. We’re trying to keep improving any way we can and keep getting better to keep the confidence,” Preseason First-Team All-SoCon defensive back Eli Campbell said.

“The way we finished our season. The veterans that we’ve brought back. The reason they came back... we’re pursuing something we all came there to do,” said Watson. “Wofford has one of the great football traditions in all of FCS history. [The goal is] to get it back and that’s where our commitment is.”

The tradition included seven SoCon championships and ten FCS playoff appearances. After five one-score losses last season, Wofford believes it’s on the verge of getting back to the postseason.

“[There is] no worse feeling than walking off the field losing by one point,” offensive lineman Dillon Porter said. “We definitely were on the brink of something special. Those five games... we definitely feel close. We won’t forget those.”

A relentless and motivated Terrier football team could be the difference in a one-score game going the way of Wofford in the future.

27 Numbers to Know about SoCon Football in 2026

Unknown — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

by Stan Becton

GREENVILLE, SC — The 2026 SoCon football season is rapidly approaching and after the conference media day, excitement for the upcoming season is higher than ever. After talking with 30 players and coaches from every SoCon team, plus commissioner Michael Cross, here are some numbers to know entering the 2026 season.

0

The number of sacks allowed by the newest Western Carolina transfer Aaron McIver last season at Gardner-Webb per PFF. He earned Second-Team All-OVC honors last fall before joining the Catamounts.

Quotables

“We lost two or three of our own offensive lineman in the portal. We felt like Aaron... we had to have him this year,” head coach Kerwin Bell said. “He’s very important for us to come in and stabilize our offensive line.”

1

Only one defensive starter is not back with Chattanooga this year. The Mocs allowed the fewest pass yards per game in the conference last year, but had the fifth-worst run defense and allowed 33 points per game. With more experience returning, Chattanooga hopes to be improved on defense in 2026.

Quotables

“We were not good defensively at any point in time last year,” head coach Rusty Wright said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have played a lot of football for us playing this year. We’re way ahead on that side of the ball compared to where we were at this time last year.”

2

Mercer has won two-straight SoCon football titles. The Bears are going for a three-peat in 2026.

Quotables

“You’ve got to get lucky. The ball has to bounce your way some games. Another thing is health. Just having that depth will be important. The next thing I think is preparation. I tell our kids all the time you’re not preparing for a game; you’re preparing for a moment. The last piece I think we’ve gotta do is execute,” head coach Joel Taylor said. “Those four things I think we have to do well if we want to repeat.”

3

Tennessee Tech has a three-headed quarterback battle this offseason. Jax Leatherwood was named Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon, but he remains in an open competition with Zolten Osborne and Richie Munoz

Quotables

“Jax is tall. He can see over the line and get me the ball in certain aspects. We have Zolten. He is a great improviser. He can use his feet to make plays, extend plays. We have Richie Munoz who came last year and he’s another guy who can use his feet as well,” wide receiver Tre Holloway said. “They all can get me the ball and get the other receivers the ball. We have a great room and I love the competition that they’re building within each other.”

“They’re all very unique quarterbacks in that they all have statistics,” head coach Bobby Wilder said. “All three of them have the ability to take this team to a championship. We’re going to take this competition into preseason camp and we’re going to let it play out.”

4

ETSU blocked four punts last year.

Quotables

“What’s the teaching? Are you teaching fear of running into the kicker or are you teaching aggressiveness to go and block punts? For us, our mentality is we’re coming after you,” head coach Will Healy said. “That’s like having four turnovers.”

5

Five of Wofford’s six losses were by one possession last year.

Quotables

“It’s no worse feeling than walking off the field losing by one point,” offensive lineman Dillon Porter said. “We definitely were on the brink of something special. Those five games... we definitely feel close. We won’t forget those.”

“We were on the verge of getting there... but we weren’t doing the little tiny things that it took,” said Coach Shawn Watson. “We needed to play cleaner. We needed to start fast. And we needed to finish”

9

Wofford quarterback J.T. Fayard threw nine touchdowns in his last three games as Wofford went on a four game win streak and 6-1 run to close the season. However, Fayard is in a quarterback competition this offseason with Ethan Drumm after the latter went down with an injury last season.

Quotables

“J.T.’s going to have the first shot at it,” coach Watson said. “In all fairness to Ethan, he got hurt. He didn’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.”

10

The number of teams in the SoCon after Tennessee Tech joined. Conference realignment has taken college sports by storm in recent years and the SoCon has joined the fray.

Quotables

“You want to think about expansion in one of two ways. One is much better than the other,” commissioner Cross said. “You want to expand out of opportunity which is a positive. You don’t want to expand out of necessity which puts you on defense.”

“From a football standpoint, it’s the fifth ranked conference out of 13 FCS conferences. The OVC was ninth. From that standpoint, it's a stronger conference for us football wise to join,” coach Wilder said.

11

The number of losses from VMI in the past two seasons. Back-to-back 1-11 seasons led to Ashley Ingram taking over as head coach. One of his first initiatives since taking the role is to build a winning culture.

Quotables

15

Wofford had 15 interceptions in 2025. The Terriers also had 10 forced fumbles and five defensive touchdowns.

Quotables

“Every day we’re punching at the ball. Every play we’re punching at the ball. It’s really just an effort thing. Takeaways are just effort,” free safety Eli Campbell said.

17

ETSU tight end Charlie Browder caught 17 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns last year, his first with the Buccaneers. The preseason First-Team All-SoCon honoree will be a pivotal target for the winner of ETSU’s quarterback battle between Michigan transfer Jadyn Davis, Louisville transfer Mason Mims and returnee Jake McNamara (last year’s starter Cade’s younger brother).

Quotables

“I wanna be as consistent as I can for those guys because I know they have so much else going on outside with the whole competition,” Browder said. “I just want to be a security blanket for those guys. When stuff’s breaking down and plays don’t go the right way, they know where 88’s going to be.”

25

That’s how many points Tennessee Tech lost by against North Dakota in last year's FCS playoffs (31-6). Now the Golden Eagles are motivated to bounce back in 2026.

Quotables

“Last year the standard was to aim high and this year it’s to aim higher,” defensive back Chris “Cee” Rhodes said. “We always talk about that loss because that’s the threshold we have to get over if we want to be a great team.”

“Losing that playoff game at home to North Dakota has been a driving factor for all of us coaches and players,” coach Wilder said.

31

The number of total games The Citadel running back Rhyder Poppell played as a dual sport athlete last year. He’s on both the football and baseball teams

Quotables

“It’s time consuming, but it’s fun,” Poppell said. “It’s like I have two families built in. Both sets of teammates are amazing and I know what I’m getting when I come from football to baseball and from baseball to football”

“Rhyder manages himself,” head coach Maurice Drayton said. “I don’t have to police him. He understands time management. He understands where to be and what to do and how to listen to his body.”

38

The number of points Western Carolina scored per game last season. The Catamounts have consistently been one of the high-powered offenses in the FCS across the last three seasons, winning seven games in each.

Quotables

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

43

That’s how many years it’s been since 1983, the lone FCS playoff appearance from Western Carolina.

Quotables

“We had the talent. We’ve had the ability to do it. We just haven’t finished those games,” said Coach Bell. “Just like Michael Jordan did when he was young: he had to learn how to get over the Detroit Pistons, past the Lakers. But once you have that experience now you draw on that experience. I think our team is ready to take that experience and take us to a point where we can get over the top.”

“It would be great [to end the playoff drought],” defensive back Ken Moore Jr. said. “Not even just for the team but for everyone. For fans. For the people that live in Cullowhee. It would bring a lot of energy back to the city.”

45

The number of transfers this year for Tennessee Tech. With all of the new pieces, Coach Wilder has used an emphasis on a strong culture to make sure his team bonds quickly.

Quotables

“They know the threshold so perfectly between friend and coach,” Rhodes said. “It made me feel comfortable and they breathe confidence into you which makes you more comfortable to play for you.”

“Two years in a row we've recruited 60 new players out of 120,” coach Wilder said. “You can’t overlook your culture. You’re asking young men to gel in eight months and then go out and play for each other.”

46

That’s how many passes former Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens completed in a row for an NCAA record in 2025. He’s gone to the FBS now and the Catamounts will have to replace him as Thomas and Lee battle it out.

Quotables

“[Taron] had as great a year as I’d ever seen. 38 touchdowns. Two interceptions. Over 70% completion percentage. So we lost a lot,” coach Bell said. “I’ve got two guys that really are the kind of players that I’m gonna want at that position. What they are, they’re Hall of Fame point guards. They distribute the ball at a very high, efficient rate.”

“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.

61

The number of receptions from Western Carolina wide receiver AJ Colombo in 2024 which led the SoCon. After missing the 2025 season after an injury, Colombo is back with Catamounts this fall.

Quotables

“It was motivating. I had to find out a lot about myself in that period of time. I got closer with God and kind of found the silver lining in everything,” Colombo said on his time off.

72

That’s the number of wins new Samford head coach John Grass had at Jacksonville State from 2015-2021. He spent the last few years as an analyst at Clemson before returning to the head coach seat this year.

Quotables

“I think God made me to be a head football coach. I’ve been a head coach most of my career so it’s good to be back and leading men and leading people,” coach Grass said.

79

The team-leading amount of tackles for Furman last year, impressively set by Joshua Stoneking from his defensive line position.

Quotables

“He’s one of those guys where you say do like he does it,” said head coach Clay Hendrix. “For him it starts with his preparation and how he practices.

81

The amount of times The Citadel and VMI have played in their rivalry known as The Military Classic of the South. The Citadel has won the last two Silver Shako trophies.

Quotables

“It truly does not matter what your records are or what your season is at that point in time. When The Citadel plays VMI, we get after each other,” coach Drayton said. “It’s hard to beat the opponent in that game three times in a row.”

119

The number of points from votes Furman’s Joshua Stoneking finished with during his runner-up finish in Buck Buchanan voting. That’s 14 points behind winner and Mercer Bear Andrew Zock, despite Stoneking’s 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss leading the FCS.

Quotables

“There’s definitely a chip on my shoulder to go win it this year,” Stoneking said. “I definitely was disappointed that I lost that, but Zock was a good player. He deserved it too.”

210

The average rushing yards per game from The Citadel last year — the most in the SoCon.

Quotables

“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,” said Poppell. “Don’t be fooled, we led the conference in rushing but we want to score any way we can.”

“I’m really high on our offensive line. We’ll be able to move the line of scrimmage and anytime you can move the line of scrimmage you’ll get first downs and with first downs you’ll eventually get touchdowns,” coach Drayton said.

375

That’s the amount of pounds that ETSU defensive lineman Brenden LeBlanc bench pressed... in high school! That’s a Brother Martin High School Bench Press Record. He’s now up to 415.

Quotables

“You gotta know how to use it. A lot of people don’t think bench press... it doesn’t really apply to every position. It does to mine,” LeBlanc said. “The ability to work hard and then to allow yourself to use that on the field is huge.”

485

Western Carolina leads the FCS with an average of 485.1 offensive yards per game under head coach Kerwin Bell from 2021-25.

Quotables

“I try to recruit the same kind of player with the same qualities. I don’t get stuck on size or physical ability,” said coach Bell. “If I have a truckload of players with the same quality, when I plug the next one in he’s going to play the same way.”

740

The number of days between Mercer head coach Joel Taylor’s departure as a defensive coordinator for the Bears to becoming Mercer’s newest head coach. Taylor left for a head coach job at West Georgia before ultimately returning to Macon.

Quotables

“I just think Mercer is a place of growth,” said coach Taylor. “I think we can build something that can be really special and that’s what drew me back to Mercer.”

4,075

The record for punt yardage from VMI punter Ben Shrewsbury. He was named a 2026 Preseason First-Team All-American by Stats Perform.

Quotables

“I hope he doesn’t get to punt as much this year as he did last year. I’ll go on record and say if he punts 84 times this year, we probably won’t have a good year,” joked coach Ingram. “Ben Shrewsbury’s a great player. One of the best in the country, if not the best.”

SoCon football preseason all-conference team, poll announced

Unknown — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mercer senior wide receiver/return specialist Brayden Smith has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Furman redshirt junior defensive end Joshua Stoneking has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's 10 head coaches. The coaches picked the Bears to win the SoCon.

The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference first and second teams and were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes or teams in the voting process. Due to ties in the voting, the second team includes an additional offensive lineman and long snapper.

Smith was voted onto the all-conference teams following the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Last week, Smith was one of the 30 players named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List.

The senior played and started 12 games last season for the Bears as Mercer went 9-3 and 8-0 in conference games last season. Smith accounted for 1,267 all-purpose yards, leading the team in return yards and finishing second in receiving yards. The native of Macon, Georgia, had seven games in 2025 where he accounted for more than 100 yards.

Stoneking had a stellar season in 2025, landing on seven different All-American squads which is a record for the program. The product of Raleigh, North Carolina, was a first-team all-conference selection and was the runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

A three-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Week last season, Stoneking completed his 2025 campaign leading the nation in sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (23.0). Stoneking, who was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List last week, recorded two or more sacks in a game five times a year ago.

Mercer completed the 2025 season earning the No. 6 seed in the FCS Championship. The Bears collected 76 points and six first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. The Bears placed six players on the preseason first-team all-conference. Tennessee Tech, who went a perfect 8-0 in the Big South/OVC last season, came in second in the preseason poll with 70 points and three first-place nods. The Golden Eagles had four players voted to the preseason all-conference second team.

ETSU collected 61 points and the final first place vote in the preseason poll. The Bucs had a league- best nine selections to the preseason teams. Western Carolina finished in fourth with 58 points and three selections to the all-conference squads.

Chattanooga (48) and Furman (46) follow in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the preseason poll. The Mocs placed seven players on the preseason team, while the Paladins had eight picks.

Wofford is seventh in the preseason poll with 36 points. The Terriers logged six preseason all-conference selections. Samford came in eighth with 23 points and four all-conference picks.

The Citadel was in ninth with 22 points and three first-team selections. VMI rounded out the poll with 10 points and four preseason all-conference selections.

The SoCon's 2026 season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 27, with Furman hosting Anderson, and Chattanooga traveling to West Georgia. The rest of the league will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 29.

2026 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll

Team (1st-place votes) Total

1. Mercer (6) 76

2. Tennessee Tech (3) 70

3. ETSU (1) 61

4. Western Carolina 58

5. Chattanooga 48

6. Furman 46

7. Wofford 36

8. Samford 23

9. The Citadel 22

10. VMI 10

2026 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Brayden Smith, WR/RS, Mercer

Defensive Player of the Year: Joshua Stoneking, DL, Furman

First team offense

QB Quentin Hayes, The Citadel

RB Jason Albritton, ETSU

RB Leo Boehling, VMI

OL Tyler Heggins-Hill, The Citadel

OL Will McCraw, ETSU

OL Brody Balliew, Mercer

OL Tyler Murray, Mercer

OL Aidan Donald, Chattanooga

TE Charlie Browder, ETSU

WR Brayden Smith, Mercer

WR Preston Bird, Samford

First team defense

DL Brenden LeBlanc, ETSU

DL Joshua Stoneking, Furman

DL Kobe McInnis, Mercer

DL Orlando Daniels, Chattanooga

LB Raleigh Herbert, Furman

LB Jyarius Carter, Mercer

LB Zion Rutledge, Chattanooga

DB Mike Jenkins, ETSU

DB Kam Baah-Slay, Chattanooga

DB Ken Moore Jr, Western Carolina

DB Eli Campbell, Wofford

First team specialists

PK Ewan Johnson, ETSU

P Ben Shrewsbury, VMI

LS Tommy DiLiegro, The Citadel

RS Brayden Smith, Mercer

Second team offense

QB Jax Leatherwood, Tennessee Tech

RB Marcus Harris, Tennessee Tech

RB Gerald Modest, Wofford

OL Chris Luna, Furman

OL Noah Watts, Samford

OL Eric Nunez, Tennessee Tech

OL Bryce Burnett, VMI

OL Zach Watson, Western Carolina

OL Reggie Houston, Wofford

TE Gerard Grewe, Tennessee Tech

WR Josh Williams, Chattanooga

WR AJ Colombo, Western Carolina

Second team defense

DL Demetrius Baldwin, Furman

DL Elihu Lipscomb, Furman

DL Ky Tayo, Chattanooga

DL Ramon McCollough, Wofford

LB Dre Delinois, ETSU

LB Isaiah Grevious, VMI

LB Wyatt Ward, Wofford

DB Jivon Oggs, ETSU

DB AK Burrell, Furman

DB Josh Tarver, Furman

DB Jalen Nelson, Samford

Second team specialists

PK Sam Spence, Wofford

P Heath Jehu, Chattanooga

LS Brock Winstead, ETSU

LS Aidan Barr, Samford

RS Caleb Easterling, Furman

NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.

SoCon and Nexstar Media Group Announce Contract Extension

Unknown — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Ingles Markets and the Southern Conference announced Friday a new five-year extension, which continues a partnership to broadcast select SoCon contests on Nexstar stations across the Southeast.

The deal will usher in a second decade of the parties working together. Alongside game broadcasts, Ingles and Nexstar will be involved in the promotion and coverage of signature SoCon events.

“Ingles is proud to support The Southern Conference with an extended five-year agreement,” Melissa Leavell, Ingles Advertising Director, said. “With a history built on character and a commitment to education, the Southern Conference is filled with traditions to be shared. That is why we have also partnered with Nexstar to bring all these traditions into your home every week with the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week. Thank you Nexstar and The Southern Conference for making Ingles part of the team.”

"Regional television carries real weight across the cities and towns in the SoCon footprint. This agreement extends the capacity to tell the story of our 11 institutions, our student-athletes, and the towns that stand behind them,” said The Southern Conference Commissioner Michael Cross. “Nexstar has been a genuine partner in that work, and Ingles Markets continues to invest in this conference in a way few sponsors anywhere can match. Doubling down on the partners who are integrated in SoCon communities is a big part of what we mean when we say “It's All Here.” We're grateful to both and excited to keep building alongside them."

The first games in the new agreement will take place during the 2026 football season. The package will also include men’s and women’s basketball games during the regular season and conference tournament.

All games will air on either WSPA or WYCW. These affiliates in the Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville markets serve three SoCon schools. Last year the package included 30 broadcasts.

"Nexstar and Ingles are proud to extend our commitment to Southern Conference athletics for another five years, reinforcing a partnership that has successfully connected fans with their favorite teams since 2018,” WSPA/WYCW General Manager Kenny Lawrence said. “We are honored to continue working alongside the Southern Conference and Ingles to deliver first-class coverage of championship-caliber competition across multiple sports, bringing these events to the conference's passionate and loyal fanbase throughout the year."

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) and WMUB (Macon, GA) will also have the opportunity to air games from this season’s package.

Furman’s Ryu, Mercer’s Zock Named 2025-26 SoCon Athletes of the Year

Unknown — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Previous SoCon Female Athlete of the Year Winners | Previous SoCon Male Athlete of the Year Winners

SPARTANBURG, SC – Furman golfer Audrey Ryu was named 2025-2026 Southern Conference Female Athlete of the Year, and Mercer defensive end Andrew Zock was named 2025-2026 Bob Waters Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year, the conference office announced on Thursday.

The awards are selected annually by a voting panel comprising the conference's Directors of Athletics and one media member from each conference school. The awards recognize athletic achievement, academic performance, and civic involvement.

The men's award was named after the late Bob Waters in 1991-1992. Waters served as the head football coach at Western Carolina from 1969 through 1988 and led the Catamounts to three top-10 national finishes and a berth in the 1983 Division I-AA National Championship Game.

Ryu (Dublin, Ohio) is a repeat winner after claiming the honor in 2024-25 and is Furman's seventh-straight SoCon Female Athlete of the Year. The Furman women's golf program has claimed seven SoCon Female Athlete of the Year plaudits since the award's inception in 1989-90 – and the Paladins have been honored 14 times overall during that timeframe.

Ryu won medalist honors for the second year in a row at the SoCon Women's Golf Championship, leading Coach Jeff Hull's team to another SoCon team title as well. A junior, she was named 2026 SoCon Women's Golfer of the Year and paced her team with a 72.73 stroke average. During the regular season, Ryu recorded six finishes inside the top 11, including a sixth-place effort at the Valspar Augusta Invitational and a seventh-place finish at the Cougar Classic. She was named SoCon Golfer of the Week three times.

Off the course, Ryu carries a 3.96 GPA as a biology major and is also a concert pianist. Ryu is currently working with Prisma Health in cancer pathology clinical research. She has published computational chemistry research at Furman and works with Prisma Hospital's Institute of Translational Oncology Research. Ryu was named to the WGCA All-America Scholar Team and the CSC Academic All-District Team, as well as the SoCon Academic All-Conference Team and SoCon Academic Honor Roll. She is also on the Dean's List at Furman.

Ryu was voted first or second on 17 of the 20 ballots this year, earning 11 first-place votes. She finished with 83 total points, ahead of Samford'sSam De Luca (51 points), UNC Greensboro's Brooklyn Shroyer (51 points), and ETSU's Makayla Bays (45 points).

Zock (Citra, FL) is the first Mercer student-athlete to win the Bob Waters Male SoCon Athlete of the Year award since Bears' soccer standout Will Bagrou did so consecutively in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive end enjoyed a sensational sophomore season, culminating in the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the FCS. Zock was a consensus FCS All-America selection in 2025, earning his status from six different organizations.

The 2025 SoCon Defensive Player of the Year was only the second player in SoCon history to earn the Buchanan Award, joining App State legend Dexter Coakley (1995, 1996) on an exclusive list.

Zock finished the season with 46 total tackles (24 solo) and school single-season marks for sacks (11.5), tackles for loss (20.0), and quarterback pressures (23). He added four pass breakups and two forced fumbles to bolster a Mercer defense that powered the Bears to another SoCon title and berth in the FCS Playoffs.

In addition to his proficiency in tackling and pressuring opposing signal callers, Zock also made his mark in the classroom and community. He forged a 3.41 cumulative GPA in sports marketing and analytics, earning SoCon Academic All-Conference honors and a spot on the conference's Academic Honor Roll. Zock also participated in several initiatives with the school's 'Build The Bear' service program.

Zock received 10 first-place votes to finish with 73 total points, just ahead of Furman's Diego Hernandez (59 points) and Samford's Jadin Booth (52 points).

Voting in 2025-26 saw 100 percent participation, with all 20 ballots submitted for each award.

The SoCon Announces 2025-2026 Academic Honor Roll

Unknown — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

2025-26 SoCon Honor Roll

4.0 GPA

Commissioner's Medal

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference announced its 2025-26 Academic Honor Roll Wednesday afternoon, with 2,698 student-athletes earning recognition.

That total is the second-best in league history, just shy of the 2,735 student-athletes last academic year. There were 281 student-athletes who posted a 4.0 grade point average in 2025-26 and 862 who earned the Commissioner’s Medal – given to those who post a GPA of 3.80 or better.

Mercer led the way this year with 373 student-athletes on the Honor Roll. A conference-high 137 Bears earned the Commissioner’s Medal, and Mercer led the way with 50 perfect GPAs. Wofford (328), Furman (281), The Citadel (257), ETSU (256), and Chattanooga (251) also had more than 250 student-athletes on this year’s Honor Roll.

Seven schools had at least 20 student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

The SoCon Academic Honor Roll was established in 1989 established to recognize the conference's academic success and consists of student-athletes who participated in conference-sponsored varsity sports and posted a 3.0 grade point average or higher for the academic year.

Southern Conference Partners with Spiideo to Modernize Instant Replay

Unknown — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference (SoCon) has selected Spiideo as its instant replay technology partner for football, men's basketball, and women's basketball across the entire league.

Coaches, referees, replay technicians, and conference officials will have quick access to video from multiple angles to assess player performance and challenge decisions from officials within the context of the rules of their sport.

SoCon football will leverage Spiideo Replay's Remote Collaboration capability. Live screen sharing and two-way audio capabilities will allow the replay booth and on-field officials to collaborate when assessing on-field rulings.

For men's and women's basketball, the SoCon will deploy BenchMode, putting live game footage directly in the hands of coaches during competition. Coaching staffs will utilize the tool to determine whether or not to challenge calls. Analysts can tag key moments in real time and push clips to a sideline tablet quickly and efficiently. During stoppages and halftime, curated playlists can be shared with the full staff, through cloud-based platforms, with no local-machine workflows or hardware to manage.

"The Southern Conference is proud to partner with Spiideo to bring their cloud-based replay technology to football and men's and women's basketball across our member institutions. This partnership extends service relationships that already existed in other sports across the SoCon,” said Michael Cross, Commissioner of the Southern Conference. “At a time when college athletics has never been more expensive, Spiideo’s cloud-native, AI-driven approach facilitate continuous technology evolution that adapts to ever-increasing replay expectations and more permissive on-field, on-court and in-game technology-based coaching tools. We're confident we've chosen a partner that will evolve right alongside those innovations."

“We’re excited to partner with SoCon to help coaches and officials in their work while delivering the reliability they need on game day," said Matthew Delicate, Senior Vice President of North America for Spiideo. "The SoCon required a replay solution that combined modern technology and intuitive workflows with outstanding value. This partnership establishes a technology foundation that will enable SoCon’s athletic departments and conference office to embrace future innovation across the conference."

About Southern Conference
The Southern Conference, headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., includes 11 member institutions across six states: The Citadel, East Tennessee State University, Furman University, Mercer University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Samford University, Tennessee Tech University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina University, and Wofford College. Tennessee Tech University will join the SoCon as a full member for the 2026-27 season.

About Spiideo

Spiideo is the video automation platform used to coach, officiate, and broadcast team sports at every level. Built on a unique engine of automated cameras, broadcast video, and arena calibration — threaded with data — Spiideo captures the full context of every game and practice.

Found in 7,000+ arenas across the NCAA, Premier League, NHL, NBA, and more, Spiideo's intelligent camera systems and cloud-first software help the global sports community manage margins on the field and balance the books off it.

Tennessee Tech Officially Joins SoCon

The Southern Conference — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The SoCon Announces 2025-26 Academic All-Conference Teams

Unknown — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

2025-2026 SoCon Academic All-Conference Breakdown (PDF)

2025-2026 SoCon Academic All-Conference Lists

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference announced its 2025-26 Academic All-SoCon Teams for both the fall and spring semesters on Wednesday afternoon, with more than 1,000 total honorees.

The fall Academic All-SoCon team had 394 members, with the spring team – combining winter and spring sports – had 629 student-athletes honored. The SoCon Academic All-Conference teams include student-athletes who compile a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests in a varsity sport sponsored by the Southern Conference. Student-athletes must have at least three semesters of class work at a SoCon institution under their belt to be eligible.

Western Carolina led the way with 121 combined student-athletes, including a league-high 83 for the spring semester. Wofford (118) was close behind in second, followed by Samford (116), ETSU (111), and Chattanooga (110).

There were 72 student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA on the fall and spring teams combined. Mercer with 12 student-athletes on the list with a 4.0 GPA, followed by Samford (10) and Chattanooga (10).

The SoCon's Academic Honor Roll will be released on July 13.

Samford's Franklin Finishes Fifth In The Nation In The 110-Meter Hurdles

The Southern Conference — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Samford’s Franklin Advances To Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles Finals

The Southern Conference — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Samford's Franklin Set To Compete At NCAA Championships

The Southern Conference — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Furman's Doug Allison Named College Soccer News Coach of the Year

The Southern Conference — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Samford's Franklin Advances To NCAA Championships In Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles

Unknown — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Samford sophomore Bradley Franklin advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the men's 110-meter hurdles with his performance at the NCAA East Preliminaries Friday evening at the University of Kentucky.

Franklin ran the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 13.25 seconds, winning his heat and finishing third overall. He will now compete in the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, June 10-13.

This will mark the second time during the 2026 season that Franklin has competed for an NCAA Championship. In the indoor season, Franklin competed in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing second in the nation.

Article Credit: Samford Athletics

Edwards Competes At NCAA Preliminaries In Women’s 800 Meters

The Southern Conference — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Furman's Miller & Ward Conclude NCAA East Preliminaries In Steeplechase

The Southern Conference — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Furman's Velikonja Places 32nd In 5,000m At NCAA East Preliminaries

The Southern Conference — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Edwards Advances In Women’s 800 Meters

The Southern Conference — Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Furman men and women claim Southern Conference all-sports races

Unknown — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. – With the completion of the spring seasons of league competition, Furman’s men’s and women’s programs have won the races for the Southern Conference’s all-sport trophies. The winners were honored at the league’s Honors Reception on Wednesday evening at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District in Savannah, Georgia.

The Commissioner’s and Germann cups are awarded annually to the Southern Conference schools fielding the league’s best all-around men’s and women’s sports programs, respectively. Scoring is conducted on a percentage basis, with only the top seven sports for each school counting toward its season total. The SoCon sponsors 20 total sports, with the league’s three co-ed rifle teams counting toward the Commissioner’s Cup standings and the two women’s rifle teams counting toward the Germann Cup.

Each sport is worth 10 points, with each spot in the standings given equal measure relative to how many schools sponsor that particular sport. For sports that determine a regular-season champion, a two-point bonus is awarded for winning the league tournament. Each school’s total for the year is divided by 70, the maximum number of points possible when counting seven sports, to find its percentage.

The Paladins won the Commissioner’s Cup for the third time, moving up three spots from their fourth-place finish in the standings a year ago. Furman claimed four titles in 2025-26, with those coming in men’s soccer, both the regular season and tournament, along with tournament crowns in cross country and men’s basketball. Furman’s men finished with 60.57 points, which is good for an .865 percentage.

Mercer followed in second with a total of 55.08 points, which is good for a .787 percentage. The Bears captured outright titles in football and baseball during the school year. Samford followed closely behind with 53.85 points and a .769 percentage. The Bulldogs won the indoor and outdoor track & field championships along with the men’s tennis tournament crown.

ETSU was fourth, ending the year with 49.97 points and a .714 percentage. The Buccaneers won the regular season titles in men’s basketball and men’s tennis. Western Carolina finished fifth with 46.78 points and a .668 percentage. The Catamounts had second-place finishes in football, outdoor track & field and baseball.

Coming in sixth was Chattanooga with 39.64 points and a .566 percentage. The Mocs won the men’s golf championship and had a second-place finish in wrestling. Wofford followed in seventh with 37.63 points and a .538 percentage.

UNCG (.476) was eighth, The Citadel (.466), who won the baseball tournament title, was ninth and VMI (.369) rounded out the standings.

In the Germann Cup race, Furman won the cross country and women’s golf tournaments along with the regular season crown in women’s tennis. The Paladins also had second-place finish in volleyball. Furman finished with 58.81 points and a .840 percentage, narrowly defeating Samford and ending the Bulldogs’ run of five consecutive Germann Cup victories.

Since joining the league in 2008-09, Samford has finished in the top two of the Germann Cup standings 15 of a possible 17 times and in the top four each year. The Bulldogs took home the regular season and tournament titles in women’s soccer along with an indoor track & field crown. Samford had 58.17 points and a .831 percentage.

ETSU finished third with 54.06 points and a .772 percentage. The Bucs were the outright regular season champions in volleyball, the co-champions in women’s basketball and the conference tournament winners in women’s tennis. Chattanooga came in fourth with 52.99 points and a .757 percentage. The Mocs won a share of the regular season crown in women’s basketball and were second at the women’s golf championship.

Wofford completed the year in fifth with a .702 percentage. Western Carolina (.669), who won the outdoor track & field championship, finished sixth and UNCG (.544), the softball regular season and tournament champion, came in seventh

Mercer was eighth with .514. VMI (.263) and The Citadel (.145) rounded out the standings.

The Commissioner’s Cup was inaugurated in 1970 and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named for former SoCon Commissioner Ken Germann, who served as commissioner of the Southern Conference from 1974-86 and spearheaded the effort to introduce women’s athletics to the league.

The 2025-26 academic year saw a winner of the Commissioner’s Cup crowned for the 56th time and the Germann Cup awarded for the 39th time. The cups were not awarded in 2019-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Seven schools have won the Commissioner’s Cup in its history, including current members ETSU (2024-25, 2021-22, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16 and 1982-83), Furman (1990-91, 2020-21 and 2025-26), Chattanooga (2014-15 and 2004-05) and Samford (2022-23 and 2023-24).

Five schools have won the Germann Cup. Among current schools, Furman owns a league-best 18, including 12 straight from 1992-2004 and five of six from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Samford has won seven (2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2014-15 and 2009-10) and Chattanooga won in 2007-08.

Three other conference awards were given during the SoCon’s Honors Reception as well. The winner of the Barrett-Bonner Award, given to the institution that places the highest percentage of its student-athletes on the league's academic honor roll, was UNC Greensboro. The Citadel was the winner of the D.S. McAlister Sportsmanship Award, and Samford won the Graduation Rate Award.

(Men’s athletics – final standings)

1. Furman .865

2. Mercer .787

3. Samford .768

4. ETSU .714

5. Western Carolina .668

6. Chattanooga .566

7. Wofford .538

8. UNCG .476

9. The Citadel .466

10. VMI .369

Germann Cup

(Women’s athletics – final standings)

1. Furman .840

2. Samford .831

3. ETSU .772

4. Chattanooga .757

5. Wofford .702

6. Western Carolina .669

7. UNCG .544

8. Mercer .514

9. VMI .263

10. The Citadel .145

Furman's Woodall Finishes 42nd in 1,500m At NCAA East Preliminaries

The Southern Conference — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Samford’s Franklin Advances To NCAA Quarterfinals In Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles

The Southern Conference — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Southern Conference Announces 2026 Graduate Scholars

Unknown — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference announced its 10 postgraduate scholarship recipients for the 2025-2026 academic year on Wednesday.

The scholarships, awarded annually, will be presented during the 2026 awards ceremony at the J.W. Marriott Hotel Savannah Plant Riverside District on Wednesday, as part of the conference’s spring meetings.

The 2025-2026 honorees include: Richard Johnson Graduate Scholarship recipient Kerrington Mariah Johnson (Wofford); Dave Hart Scholarship recipient Brandon Maina (Wofford); Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship recipients Lena Dykes (Mercer) and Colton Sessoms (UNC Greensboro); Dorothy Hicks Scholarship recipient Brianna Cantrell (ETSU); David Knight Scholarship recipient Taylor Waitley (Western Carolina); William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith recipient Darcy Nicholls (Samford); Ingles Presidential Scholarship recipient Landy Green (Western Carolina); and SoCon Presidential Scholarship recipients Fleming Dean (Samford) and Skylar Hilmer (Furman).

Southern Conference member schools submit nominations, and the recipients are selected by the Southern Conference Graduate Scholar Committee. The scholarships are worth $2,000 each and are awarded to student-athletes who plan to pursue graduate or professional degrees. The nominees are evaluated in three areas: academics, athletics, and community service.

Bios for each of this year’s scholarship recipients are listed below, in alphabetical order by school:

Brianna Cantrell – ETSU Volleyball

Dorothy Hicks Scholarship

ETSU volleyball standout Brianna Cantrell excelled both on the court and in the classroom, maintaining a 3.892 GPA while majoring in Rehabilitative Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology. A four-year contributor and team captain, Cantrell earned multiple SoCon honors, including Second Team All-SoCon recognition in 2022 and 2025, as well as 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year laurels. She helped ETSU to the 2025 SoCon Regular Season title and 23 wins, while surpassing 1,000 career kills. Cantrell volunteered extensively with pediatric therapy services, speech and language clinics, and retirement communities to prepare for graduate studies in Occupational Therapy.

Skylar Hilmer – Furman Lacrosse

SoCon Presidential Scholarship

Furman lacrosse student-athlete Skylar Hilmer combined academic excellence, research experience, and athletic achievement while maintaining a 4.0 GPA as a psychology major. A Second Team All-Big South choice in 2025, Hilmer also earned CSC Academic All-District honors, a spot on the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, and multiple Dean’s List recognitions. Inspired by her brother’s autism diagnosis, she pursued research in memory and cognition while interning at an autism behavioral center. Hilmer plans to pursue a master’s degree in psychology at San Diego State before working toward a Ph.D. and pursuing a career focused on educational and social cognition research.

Lena Dykes – Mercer Women’s Soccer

Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship

Mercer women’s soccer standout Lena Dykes excelled academically and athletically while pursuing a degree in biomedical engineeing with a mathematics minor. A President’s List student and three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, Dykes plans to continue at Mercer in graduate school studying biomedical engineering with the goal of becoming a clinical rehabilitation engineer. Inspired by volunteer work fitting prosthetics for amputees in Vietnam, she developed a passion for improving mobility and quality of life through medical technology. Dykes balanced her studies with community service, including tutoring elementary students and extensive international medical mission work. She played a key role through 15 matches this past season, helping the Bears shut out seven opponents. Mercer advanced to the SoCon Championship Game in November.

Fleming Dean – Samford Women’s Soccer

SoCon Presidential Scholarship

Samford women’s soccer captain Fleming Dean paired elite academic achievement with championship success on the field. She helped Samford to back-to-back SoCon championships in 2024 and 2025, earning the Pinnacle Award and second-team All-SoCon honors this past season – all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA while majoring in accounting. Also a member of multiple Dean’s Lists, she plans to pursue a Master of Accounting degree and CPA certification before beginning a career with a major accounting firm. Dean also served on Samford’s Dean’s Student Advisory Council, helping lead community outreach initiatives while demonstrating leadership as a team captain.

Darcy Nicholls – Samford Men’s Tennis

William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith

Samford men’s tennis standout Darcy Nicholls maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while excelling as both a student and athlete. A back-to-back member of the SoCon Men’s Tennis Championship squad in 2025 and 2026, Nicholls earned All-SoCon honors in singles and doubles once again. Nicholls earned the SoCon Pinnacle Award in both 2025 and 2026 and was also an ITA Scholar Athlete. Majoring in Law, Politics and Society and Political Science, he plans to pursue his law degree after competing professionally in tennis. Nicholls also volunteered extensively with special needs students and youth organizations, reflecting his commitment to service and leadership beyond athletics. He was named Samford’s 2026 Mr. Bulldog Award winner, which exemplifies the true meaning of the term student-athlete.

Colton Sessoms – UNCG Men’s Soccer

Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship

UNCG men’s soccer student-athlete Colton Sessoms excelled at balancing academic achievement, athletic success, and leadership while pursuing a degree in kinesiology with a psychology minor. A Southern Conference All-Freshman Team selection and NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and Sweet 16 participant in 2022, Sessoms earned multiple Chancellor’s List and Academic All-District honors. He played in 23 matches as a senior and helped the Spartans to a spot in the Sweet 16 after a first-round win in the NCAA Championship. Motivated by his experiences with injury rehabilitation as an athlete, he plans to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Winston-Salem State University, with aspirations to work in sports rehabilitation and outpatient orthopedics. Sessoms also served in team leadership roles and assisted in kinesiology research.

Landey Green – Western Carolina Cross Country / Track & Field

Ingles Presidential Scholarship

Western Carolina cross country and track student-athlete Landey Green distinguished herself through academic excellence, leadership, and community service while maintaining a 3.8 GPA in psychology. Green plans to pursue a Master of Social Work at the University of Tennessee. A leader within WCU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and multiple campus organizations, she volunteered with food banks, crisis ministries, and organizations supporting survivors of sex trafficking. Green balanced a heavy load of athletic and academic commitments while dedicating herself to advocacy, service, and community engagement to help others.

Taylor Waitley – Western Carolina Softball

David Knight Scholarship

Western Carolina softball standout Taylor Waitley maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in biology and forensic science with a chemistry minor. A multiple-time CSC Academic All-District selection and team captain, Waitley plans to pursue graduate studies in biomedical or medical science as she works toward a career in forensic pathology. Inspired by a lifelong passion for science, she balanced athletics with research-focused academics and extensive service, including hospital volunteer work and relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. Waitley also demonstrated leadership within the softball program while excelling in the classroom and community. She batted a career-best .320 this past season with three home runs and 33 RBI for a WCU team that won 34 games.

Brandon Maina – Wofford Football

Dave Hart Scholarship

Wofford football standout Brandon Maina combined athletic excellence with a passion for healthcare and service while majoring in finance with an accounting minor. A three-time All-SoCon selection with 19.5 career sacks – good for fifth in Wofford history – Maina will pursue an MBA before attending medical school with the goal of becoming a physician for underserved communities. He balanced football with healthcare administration experience, medical volunteer work, and leadership roles within Wofford’s student-athlete organizations. Maina’s commitment to community impact and healthcare advocacy reflects his long-term goal of improving access to quality care. In 2025, Maina ranked fourth nationally in sacks per game and earned a spot on the prestigious FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team.

Kerrington Mariah Johnson – Wofford Track & Field

Richard Johnson Graduate Scholarship

Wofford track and field standout Kerrington Johnson built an exceptional career marked by academic excellence, athletic achievement, and community leadership. The SoCon Freshman of the Year in 2021, Johnson garnered 14 All-SoCon honors, nine conference titles individually, and two relay titles during her career with the Terriers. Also a school record holder in the hurdles, Johnson maintained a 3.91 GPA while majoring in finance. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in health education and behavior at the University of Florida, with aspirations to improve community wellness and healthcare access. Beyond athletics, Johnson served in numerous campus leadership and mentoring roles while dedicating extensive time to volunteerism and student support initiatives.

The Citadel Tabbed No. 3 Seed in Atlanta Regional for NCAA Baseball Championship

The Southern Conference — Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Citadel Tops Samford for Ninth SoCon Baseball Title

Unknown — Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel used a strong pitching performance from ace Will Holmes and some early offense to beat Samford Saturday night, 3-1, for its ninth SoCon Baseball Championship win and the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship.

The Citadel (35-24) remained one of the hottest teams in the country, winning its eighth in a row and 10th in the last 11 games.

The Bulldogs drew early energy from a large, loud partisan Bulldog crowd to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first on timely RBI singles from Christian Stratis and Zach Hunt. TJ Anderson drew a two-out walk and Michael Gibson was plunked to fuel the rally, with Stratis driving home Anderson with a poke through the left side and Hunt scoring Gibson on a hit up the middle.

Samford (31-25) got a run back in the bottom of the sixth after Parker McDonald led off with a walk and moved around to third on a wild pitch and a ground ball. Pierce Dutton drove home the run with a ground ball before Holmes worked out of the jam.

The Citadel got back-to-back doubles from Zach Hunt and Sam Dansky in the eighth to go up 3-1, but Samford would threaten in the bottom half. Pierce Dutton singled to second base with two outs and Jeffrey Ince reached on a dropped third strike that got to the backstop. Cade Carr hit a ball to third base that proved to be a touch chance, but Dansky’s dive at the bag forced out Dutton at third to end the threat.

Tournament Most Outstanding Player Michael Gibson took the mound again in the ninth for his second inning of work and got a nice fielding play in right by Jayden Williams on a 105-mph line drive off the bat of All-SoCon outfielder Jake Sounders for the first out of the frame. After a groundout, Gibson fanned the final batter of the game for his third save of the tournament and the win.

The Citadel finished with 11 hits and had 77 knocks over their five tournament games, just 13 shy of the record set by UNC Greensboro in 2022. Williams led the way with three hits (3-for-5), with Stratis (2-for-3), and Hunt (2-for-4) also collecting multiple hits. Gibson (1-for-4, run) finished the tournament with 14 hits, just two shy of the record set by Kennedy Jones (UNCG) in 2022.

Holmes (7-4) picked up the win, pitching 7.0 strong innings with only one run allowed. He gave up only two singles, walked just one and struck out 10 batters. Andrew Buffkin came on for two outs, and Gibson fanned two in 1.1 innings of relief.

Samford got hits from Ince (1-for-4), Carr (1-for-4), Eddie Marshall (1-for-3), and Dutton (1-for-2).

The Citadel won its first tournament title since 2010 and will learn its next postseason destination on Monday at Noon when the NCAA releases its championship bracket.

2026 SoCon Baseball All-Tournament Team

SP – Will Holmes, The Citadel

SP – Garrett Lambert, Mercer (tie)

SP – Mason Blasche, Samford (tie)

RP – Cannon Lee, UNC Greensboro

C – Phillips Daniels, The Citadel

1B – Zach Hunt, The Citadel

2B – Jeffrey Ince, Samford

SS – Lane Tobin, The Citadel (tie)

SS – Gus Gandy, Samford (tie)

3B – Brant Baughcum, Mercer

OF – Chris Katz, Mercer

OF – Luke Boykin, Samford

OF – Christian Stratis, The Citadel

DH – Michael Gibson, The Citadel

2026 Walt Nadzak Most Outstanding Player: Michael Gibson, The Citadel (DH / RP)

2026 SoCon Baseball Championship Results

Presented by Holston Gases

Wednesday, May 20

Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)

Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5

Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7

Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1

Thursday, May 21

Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2

Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5

Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8

Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3

Friday, May 22

Game 9: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4

Game 10: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1

Saturday, May 23

Game 11: #5 The Citadel 3, #3 Samford 1

The Citadel, Samford Advance To Saturday's SoCon Baseball Title Game

Unknown — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel continued its red-hot run at Fluor Field, beating top-seed Mercer 14-4, Friday morning, and Samford used a pair of late home runs to win a 13-inning marathon over Western Carolina and advance to Saturday’s SoCon Baseball Championship Game.

The Citadel and Samford will meet for the first time ever in the SoCon Baseball Championship, as two sets of Bulldogs battle for the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship at 7:00 pm ET on ESPNU.

GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4 (7 innings)

The Citadel scored five runs in the third inning and six runs in the seventh to power a 14-4 win over No. 1 seed Mercer and advance to their first SoCon Championship Game appearance since 2013.

The Bulldogs have won eight SoCon baseball championships, with the last trophy coming in 2010.

The Citadel’s Bryce Coulter went the distance on the mound, scattering 10 hits and four runs for the win.

Christian Stratis provided plenty of pop at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI to lead a 16-hit offensive effort for the ‘Dogs. Lane Tobin (2-for-4), Jayden Williams (2-for-3), Michael Gibson (2-for-4, 4 RBI), Zach Hunt (2-for-5), and Phillips Daniels (2-for-3) also had big days in a balanced attack.

The Citadel wasted little time going in front, scoring twice in the top of the first on RBI singles by Gibson and Hunt. Gibson now has 13 hits in the tournament, just three shy of the event record set by Kennedy Jones (UNCG) in 2022.

Mercer cut the lead to 2-1 on a sacrifice fly in the second, but Straits roped a two-run single in the third, followed by an RBI knock from Sam Dansky, and another RBI single from Daniels. Williams pushed the lead to 7-1 when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Gibson had the big hit in the seventh, clearing the bases with a double to put the Bulldogs up 12-2. Stratis followed with his fourth RBI of the game, and Zach Hunt plated the final run for The Citadel with a double.

Mercer got long home runs from Chris Katz (419 feet) and Michael Graziano (420 feet) in the game, with Katz going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Brant Baughcum also went 3-for-4 for the Bears, who remain inside the top 30 nationally in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

GAME TWO: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1

Samford scored four runs in the top of the 13^th after a rain delay that lasted nearly three hours (2:57) and held on for a 5-1 win over Western Carolina to advance to face The Citadel for the 2026 SoCon title on Saturday night.

The game was halted with a man on second in the top of the 12^thwith one out. Western Carolina relief ace Mason Snyder retook the mound after the lengthy delay and quickly got a ground ball and strikeout to get the Catamounts back on offense. Western Carolina managed a base runner, but Samford tracked down a deep fly ball to avoid a potential winning run – and got a strikeout to send the game into the 13^th.

Gabe Gandy drew a leadoff walk, and Jeffrey Ince was plunked with one out to set the stage for high drama. Jackson Harris lined a 1-1 pitch to right that caught a piece of the replica Pesky’s Pole 302-feet away in right field for a 4-1 lead. A replay review upheld the call, and Luke Boykin belted his 20^th home run of the season to left center two batters later for what would be the final margin.

Zak Spurrier came on for Samford in the bottom of the 13^th and recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

Samford had 12 hits in the game and Western Carolina had 10, but the teams combined to strand 29 base runners in a low scoring affair.

Boykin led Samford offensively, going 3-for-6 with the solo home run. Trey Higgins had a pair of hits as well. Cameron Murray went 4-for-5 to pace Western Carolina’s offense.

The Bulldogs are making their fourth championship game appearance in four seasons, last winning the title in 2023. Samford also won titles in 2012, 2018, and 2021.

2026 SoCon Baseball Championship

Presented by Holston Gases

Wednesday, May 20

Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)

Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5

Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7

Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1

Thursday, May 21

Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2

Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5

Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8

Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3

Friday, May 22

Game 9: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4

Game 10: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1

Saturday, May 23

Championship Game, 7:30 pm (ESPNU)

The Citadel, Samford Remain Undefeated After Day Two

Unknown — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel won its third game in two days, racing past top-seed Mercer, and Samford knocked off Western Carolina to remain undefeated heading into Friday’s semifinals at the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases.

Mercer bounced back with two home runs to eliminate Wofford and Western Carolina followed suit to eliminate UNC Greensboro in the nightcap.

GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2

Michael Gibson continued his torrid SoCon Championship performance Thursday morning, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and picking up the save in The Citadel’s 9-2 upset of regular season champion Mercer in the early game.

Gibson drove in a run with an RBI double in the third for a 1-0 lead and helped the Citadel out of a jam with two outs in the seventh. Gibson needed only two pitches to end the inning and scored an insurance run on an error by the Bears in the eighth.

The Citadel exploded for seven runs in the top of the ninth, getting RBI knocks from Jayden Williams and Gibson to go up 4-0 and taking advantage of another error to forge a 5-0 lead. Zach Hunt roped a two-run home run down the right field to put the game out of reach. Phillips Daniels closed the scoring with a two-run single for a 9-0 lead.

Mercer came alive for two runs in the ninth – on solo home runs by Chris Katz and Titan Kamaka – for the final margin.

Trip Brown stifled one of the country’s top offenses for the win, pitching 6.0 scoreless frames with seven strikeouts and three walks. CJ VanSlooten worked the first two outs in the seventh, before Gibson came on for his ninth save of the season, scattering four hits and allowing the two late runs in 2.1 innings of relief.

The Citadel had 11 hits, giving the Bulldogs 50 hits over three games this tournament. UNC Greensboro set the SoCon Championship record with an eye-popping 90 hits in their 2022 title run.

In addition to Gibson’s torrid effort – the Rock Hill native has 11 hits himself through three games – The Citadel got two hits Hunt, TJ Anderson, and Sam Dancy.

Mercer collected 10 hits, with Eli Stephens and Brant Baughcum both going 2-for-5 to lead the charge. The Bears stranded 12 runners in the game.

The Citadel advanced to Friday’s semifinal game and will play Mercer again at 9:00 am after the Bears’ rally over Wofford.

GAME TWO: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5

Samford stayed hot at the plate Thursday, using a steady effort to get past No. 2 seed Western Carolina Thursday afternoon.

Jeffrey Ince went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, Jake Souders went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, and two other Bulldogs had a pair of hits in the win.

Samford went up 1-0 in the first and never trailed, adding two runs each in the fourth and the sixth for a 5-0 advantage. Western Carolina cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a fielding error, and the two teams traded volleys over the next three innings for the final margin.

Western Carolina pulled closer in the late innings, getting a two-run home run from Mason Holton in the seventh and a two-run blast from Noah Quarless in the eighth.

Samford used its bullpen heavily after starter Noah Berry exited after only 0.2 innings of work, with John Whitney getting the win after 3.1 scoreless frames.

Trent Turner led Western Carolina’s 11-hit offense, going 3-for-5, while Quarless and Holton each had two hits.

Samford advanced to Saturday’s semifinals and will face Western Carolina at 12:30 pm.

GAME THREE: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8

Mercer used a pair of late home runs to rally past Wofford Thursday night and stay alive for rematch with The Citadel on Friday morning.

Trailing 8-6 in the seventh, Mercer got a leadoff walk from Brant Baughcum but needed some heroics from pinch hitter Kaleb Huffman with two outs in the frame to even the score. The senior from Locust Grove, GA, stepped into the box and pounded a 2-1 fastball high and deep over the fence in right field to tie the game – giving the Bears a heavy momentum swing.

Lawson Cole retired Wofford in order in the top of the eighth, setting the stage for the final blow. With one out in the inning, SoCon Player of the Year Chris Katz came through, ripping a ball off the base of the wall in right field and hustling all the way around for an inside-the-park home run and what proved to be the game winner. It was the 22^nd home run of the season for Katz.

Wofford got a one-out single to right from Lucas Manning in the ninth, but Braydon Kersey the hit and a two-out walk with a strikeout and ground ball to end the game.

Mercer had nine hits in the game, led by Katz (2-for-2) and Eli Stephens (2-for-5). Wofford managed 12 hits, with Niko Brini (3-for-5), Cade Collins (2-for-4), Manning (2-for-5), Raul Feliz (2-for-4), and Tanner Hardin (2-for-5) leading the effort.

Cole picked up the win with his scoreless inning out of the pen and Kersey picked up his sixth save of the season.

Mercer advances to face The Citadel on Friday morning. If the Bears win, the two teams will play again later in the day for the right to play in Saturday night’s championship game.

GAME FOUR: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3

Western Carolina rallied with two runs in the fifth and a big hit in the bottom of the eighth to get past UNC Greensboro in Thursday night’s finale, 4-3.

After Jackson Lyda led off the eighth with a walk, the Spartans’ Hunter Shuey recovered with a pop fly, but Catamounts’ standout Trey Turner blistered an RBI double off the Fluor Field Green Monster in left and Lyda sprinted in under the tag after a great relay throw for what proved to be the game winner.

UNC Greensboro led 3-1 after four innings, using a two-run blast from Jacob Budzik in the top of the first and a bases loaded walk in the fourth. Wyatt Stanley got the Cats on board with a solo home run in the second. Western Carolina tied the score in the bottom of the fifth after Jaylen Jones hit a solo home run and Cameron Murray scored from second on an error one out later.

After Turner’s heroics, which was only the Catamounts’ third hit of the game, Davis Wright marched back to the mound and recorded a strikeout and foul pop up to put the Spartans’ backs against the wall. Wright followed with another strikeout on three pitches to end the game.

The southpaw picked up the win, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts and no walks. He scattered three hits.

Stanley, Jones, and Turner had all three of Western Carolina’s hits in the win. Jake Mueller collected a pair of UNC Greensboro’s six hits.

Western Carolina advances for a rematch with No. 3 Samford on Friday at 12:30 pm. Should the Catamounts win, the two teams will play again at 7:30 pm for the right to play in Saturday’s championship game.

2026 SoCon Baseball Championship

Presented by Holston Gases

Wednesday, May 20

Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)

Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5

Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7

Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1

Thursday, May 21

Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2

Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5

Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8

Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3

Friday, May 22

Game 9: #1 Mercer vs. #5 The Citadel, 9:00 AM

Game 10: #2 Western Carolina vs. #3 Samford, 12:30 PM

Game 11: If Necessary (Game 9), 4:00 PM

Game 12: If Necessary (Game 10), 7:30 PM

Saturday, May 23

Championship Game, 7:30 pm (ESPNU)

Five Samford Bulldogs Earn Spots At NCAA East Preliminaries

The Southern Conference — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Six Furman Athletes Qualify For NCAA East Preliminaries

The Southern Conference — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

First Day of SoCon Baseball Championship in the Books

Unknown — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel picked up a pair of wins Wednesday to advance to Thursday’s second round to face top-seeded Mercer and Samford captured its lone game in a run-heavy day to open the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases.

GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)

The Citadel tied a conference tournament record with 24 hits and Jayden Williams belted a single up the middle to end a 21-11 win over rival VMI in the eighth inning. All-SoCon slugger Michael Gibson tied a tournament batting average record by going 5-for-5, finishing a triple shy of the cycle for the surging Bulldogs.

The Citadel scored four in the first and two in the second to go up 6-0 early and led 7-1 after the third. VMI rallied, scoring three runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game, 7-7, but a five-run burst in the sixth and a seven-run explosion in the eighth ended the game.

In addition to Gibson’s big day, the Bulldogs got three hits from TJ Anderson (3-for-5), Sam Dansky (3-for-5), and Phillips Daniels, and two hits apiece from Tobin Lane, Williams, Zach Hunt, Aryan Patel. Dansky, Gibson, and Hunt each left the yard on Wednesday morning.

VMI had 12 hits in the game, with four different batters collecting two each.

Zane Davis (3-2) picked up the win in relief, tossing 2.0 innings with only one run allowed.

GAME TWO: #7 UNC Greensboro 6, #6 ETSU 5

Luke Holland led the game off with a long home run, and UNC Greensboro used an eighth-inning single from All-SoCon third baseman Jacob Budzik to get past ETSU, 6-5, in the second game of Wednesday’s action.

The Spartans led 3-0 after a Jake Barbour single a costly fielding error in the outfield, but the Buccaneers pushed four runs across in an effective bottom of the second inning – getting three-straight home runs from Mason Ault, Joey Little, and Nate Conner – to surge in front.

UNCG regained the lead on RBI knocks from Nate Conner and Barbour in the fifth, before ETSU tied the game on Jamie Palmese’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half.

An error at the hot corner allowed Luke Holland to reach for UNCG in the top of the eighth and, after Jake Mueller was plunked, Budzik singled to third base to plate the game winner.

ETSU got the winning run to third base with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, but two strikeouts and a foul ball to first base ended the game.

Cannon Lee worked 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and fanned eight batters to pick up the win for the Spartans. Barbour went 3-for-4 to lead the Spartans’ offense, with Jacob Dilley (2-for-4) and Jenkins (2-for-5) each collecting two hits.

Nate Conner led ETSU with three hits and two runs scored.

GAME THREE: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7

The Citadel continued its hot start in Greenville, collecting 15 hits in a 13-7 win over No. 4 seed Wofford. The Bulldogs plated six runs in the top of the first against SoCon Pitcher of the Year Alec Bouchard to set the pace.

Wofford got right back in it with five runs in the bottom of the first, with the inning lasting just under 45 minutes. The Citadel scored twice in the fourth and three times in the sixth to take control of the game. Wofford scored again in the eighth on a majestic solo home run from Ben Timblin, but The Citadel answered with an insurance run in the top of the ninth for the final margin.

Michael Gibson led the way again, going 3-for-5 with three RBI in the win. Tobin Lane (2-for-6), Jayden Williams (2-for-3), TJ Anderson (2-for-4), and Aryan Patel (2-for-5) also had multiple hits for the Bulldogs.

Andrew Buffkin picked up the win, tossing 5.0 innings with eight strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Andrew Bowers closed the game with 4.0 effective innings for his sixth save of the season.

Wofford had 11 hits in the game, with Cade Collins (2-for-5), Niko Brini (2-for-4), Lucas Manning (2-for-4) and Tanner Hardin (2-for-4, 3 RBI) leading the way. Hardin had a pair of doubles, including a three-run hit in the first to keep Wofford in contention.

The Citadel advances to play top-seed Mercer at 9:00 am on Thursday. Wofford will await the loser of that game at 4:00 pm in an elimination game.

GAME FOUR: Samford 13, UNC Greensboro 1

Samford belted five home runs and five doubles in Wednesday’s late game to power a 13-1 win over UNC Greensboro in seven innings.

The Bulldogs went up 6-0 early and never looked back. An error starting things, with a Cade Carr grounder plating Ethan Brittain for an early lead. Trey Higgins followed with a two-run blast to left, putting the ‘Dogs up 3-0 in the first. Gus Gandy launched a solo shot with one out in the second for a 4-0 lead and Carr singled through the left side for a 5-0 lead before UNC Greensboro could get out of the jam.

Eddie Marshall joined the parade in the bottom of the third, roping a solo home run to dead center for a 6-0 lead. Higgens smashed another home run, his 13^th of the season, in the fifth to put Samford up 7-1. With his team leading 9-1, Luke Boykin cranked a grand slam deep to right field for a 13-1 lead that would hold.

Samford ace hurled 6.0 innings with only one run allowed, scattering six hits for the win. He struck out seven and walked just one.

Higgins led Samford’s 14-hit attack with three hits in four at bats, driving in three runs with his two home runs and a double. Four other Bulldogs had two hits in the win.

Luke Holland (2-for-3) and Brantley Truitt (2-for-3) each had a pair of UNC Greensboro’s six hits.

Samford advances to play No. 2 seed Western Carolina at 12:30 pm on Thursday. UNC Greensboro will face the loser of that game at 7:30 pm Thursday.

2026 SoCon Baseball Championship

Presented by Holston Gases

Wednesday, May 20

Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)

Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5

Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7

Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1

Thursday, May 21

Game 5: #1 Mercer vs. #5 The Citadel, 9:00 AM

Game 6: #2 Western Carolina vs. #3 Samford, 12:30 PM

Game 7: #4 Wofford vs. Loser of G5, 4:00 PM

Game 8: #7 UNCG vs. Loser of G6, 7:30 PM

Chattanooga Punches Ticket to NCAA Division Men's Golf Championship

The Southern Conference — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

2026 All-SoCon Baseball Teams Announced

Unknown — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer outfielder Chris Katz was named 2026 SoCon Player of the Year and Wofford ace Alec Bouchard was named 2026 SoCon Pitcher of the Year in voting by the conference’s eight head coaches Tuesday afternoon in advance of the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases.

Mercer pitcher Garrett Lambert was named 2026 SoCon Freshman of the Year and The Citadel third baseball Aryan Patel earned the second annual SoCon Golden Glove Award as the circuit’s top defender. Mercer head coach Craig Gibson was named 2026 SoCon Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to their first SoCon regular season crown since 2017.

Katz (Raleigh, NC / Heritage HS) enjoyed a sensational regular season, batting .374 with 17 doubles, 20 home runs, and 71 RBI for the high-powered Bears’ offense. He is tied for the SoCon lead with 79 hits and leads the conference in runs scored, RBI, on base percentage, and total bases. He fuels a Mercer offense that leads the SoCon in 12 different major offensive categories.

Bouchard (Soddy Daisy, TN / Notre Dame HS) anchored the Terriers’ rotation in 2026, finishing the regular season with a 9-2 record, 2.29 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 82.2 innings of work. The righthander leads the SoCon in victories, strikeouts, innings pitched, and WHIP (1.09) through 14 starts. Bouchard was at his best in a pair of SoCon wins, tossing 7.0 shutout innings and fanning 12 in a win at The Citadel on April 10, then striking out a season-high 14 batters with no walks in a 9.0 inning win over Western Carolina on May 1.

Lambert (Lilburn, GA / Parkview HS) lived up to his preseason billing after being tabbed as the SoCon’s preseason Freshman of the Year by both D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game. He finished with a 5-0 record in 14 starts, forging a 4.55 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched. Lambert was 3-0 with a 4.29 ERA in seven SoCon starts.

Patel (Hanahan, SC / Hanahan HS) collected the most votes on the 2026 SoCon All-Defensive Team, earning the Golden Glove Award. Patel has 46 starts at third base this season, fielding a clean .975 with only four errors in 163 chances.

Gibson has his Mercer Bears on a roll, entering the 2026 postseason on an eight-game win streak. The veteran head coach has now earned SoCon Coach of the year three times and has directed the Bears to four SoCon regular season titles. Mercer (43-13, 15-6 SoCon) is 18-1 since a four-game skid in mid-April, bolstering the team’s RPI to No. 26 nationally this week.

Mercer led the way with eighth All-SoCon selections, including seven on the first team. ETSU (6) and The Citadel (5) were close behind. All eight schools had at least one All-SoCon selection this season.

The 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, begins on Wednesday morning at 9:00 (ESPN+) with The Citadel battling VMI in a rivalry rematch of last weekend’s series. Four games will be played Wednesday, before top-seed Mercer and second-seed Western Carolina take the field on Thursday morning.

The entire All-SoCon Baseball Team is listed below:

Player of the Year

Chris Katz, Sr., OF, Mercer (Raleigh, NC)

Pitcher of the Year

Alec Bouchard, Jr., RHP, Wofford (Soddy Daisy, TN)

Freshman of the Year

Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., RHP, Mercer (Lilburn, GA)

Golden Glove Award (Defensive Player of the Year)

Aryan Patel, Sr., 3B, The Citadel (Hanahan, SC)

Coach of the Year

Craig Gibson, Mercer

First-Team All-SoCon

SP – Alec Bouchard, Wofford

SP – Garrett Lambert, Mercer

SP – Will Holmes, The Citadel

RP – Mason Snyder, Western Carolina

RP – Jess Ackerman, Mercer

RP – Zak Spurrier, Samford

C – Cade Carr, Samford

1B – Grayson Fitzwater, VMI

1B – Tristan Curless, ETSU

2B – Trent Turner, Western Carolina

SS – Titan Kamaka, Mercer

3B – Brant Baughcum, Mercer

OF – Chris Katz, Mercer

OF – Eli Stephens, Mercer

OF – Jake Souders, Samford

DH – Braydon Kersey, Mercer

Second-Team All-SoCon

SP – Michael Harpster, ETSU

SP – Andrew Buffkin, The Citadel

SP – Cullen Condon, Wofford

RP – Michael Gibson, The Citadel

RP – Andrew Garnett, Mercer

RP – Zane Davis, The Citadel

C – Cole Raile, VMI

C – Noah Quarless, Western Carolina

1B – Michael Gibson, The Citadel

2B – Ian Guanzon, ETSU

SS – Henry Ferguson, ETSU

3B – Jacob Budzik, UNC Greensboro

OF – Ben Timblin, Wofford

OF – Jamie Palmese, ETSU

OF – Luke Boykin, Samford

DH – Nate Conner, ETSU

2026 SoCon All-Freshman Team

Garrett Lambert, P, Mercer

Jaylen Jones, OF, Western Carolina

Brady Gold, SS, Wofford

Jayden Williams, OF, The Citadel

Evan Myers, P, Western Carolina

Eddie Marshall, C, Samford

Cooper Jones, P, ETSU

Tanner Berry, C, UNC Greensboro

Mason Ault, C, ETSU

Ethan Buffone, 2B, Mercer

Ayden West, P, UNC Greensboro

Buddy Baker, P, VMI

2026 SoCon All-Defensive Team

Aryan Patel, 3B, The Citadel

Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMI

Owen Prince, OF, VMI

Henry Ferguson, SS, ETSU

Jayden Williams, OF, The Citadel

Parker McDonald, 3B, Samford

Jamie Palmese, OF, ETSU

Cade Carr, C, Samford

Jeff Ince, 2B, Samford

Niko Brini, OF, Wofford

Trent Turner, 2B, Western Carolina

Gus Gandy, SS, Samford

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Western Carolina's Jones Third After First Round of NCAA Men's Golf Regional

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