ROCK HILL, SC – The UVA Wise men's basketball team has been chosen to finish seventh in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which was released earlier today. Additionally,
Cy Hardy and
Anderson Cummins were named as Players to Watch.
The Highland Cavaliers received 56 points in the poll, landing them in seventh place. Lenoir-Rhyne placed first, followed by Lincoln Memorial and Catawba. Tusculum, Carson-Newman, and Wingate are next, followed by UVA Wise. Emory & Henry is eighth, then Newberry, Coker, Mars Hill, and Anderson.
Hardy is the top returning scorer and rebounder from last season's team, as he averaged 7.4 points and 2.0 rebounds a game. Cummins returns for his junior season after averaging 6.3 points and 1.7 rebounds a game. Other returnees include
Cole Caywood (6.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg), who is joined this year by his brother Cade. Also returning are
Gunner Garrett,
Caden Giles,
Hensley Ward,
Teshawn Ricks, and
Filip Brkic'.
Coach
Blake Mellinger returns for his 14th season at the helm of the Highland Cavalier program. He is joined this year by
Joe Adgate, who joins the staff after a stint as an assistant at Catawba.
Andrew Sharpe also returns for a second season.
The team opens the season in the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge Nov. 13-14, where they will play Lees-McRae and King. They will then play at Young Harris Nov. 18 before opening the season at home on Nov. 22 against Virginia University at Lynchburg. After a road game at Bluefield State they will then dive into South Atlantic Conference play, with only a non-conference game against Lander on Feb. 1 breaking up the next 22 games.
Tickets are now available for all 13 home games, with each game costing $6 apiece when ordered online or $10 at the door. Tickets are available at the following link -- https://uvawisecavs.com/sports/2023/2/6/tickets.aspx.
----------------------------------------------------------
| 2026-27 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Score |
| 1. |
Lenoir-Rhyne (5) |
115 |
| 2. |
Lincoln Memorial (5) |
111 |
| 3. |
Catawba (1) |
103 |
| 4t. |
Tusculum (1) |
80 |
| 4t. |
Carson-Newman |
80 |
| 6. |
Wingate |
74 |
| 7. |
UVA Wise |
56 |
| 8. |
Emory & Henry |
44 |
| 9. |
Newberry |
41 |
| 10. |
Coker |
36 |
| 11. |
Mars Hill |
34 |
| 12. |
Anderson |
18 |
2026-27 SAC Men's Basketball Players to Watch
Anderson: Kendall Davis, Kory Davis
Carson-Newman: Matt Bilbrey, Sean Lindsay
Catawba: Carson Daniel, Chase Daniel
Coker: Khalil Green, Kenney Rogers
Emory & Henry: Melchior Hughes, Isaac Hymes
Lenoir-Rhyne: Deuce Benjamin, Jaylen Subject
Lincoln Memorial: Kam Roberts, Trey Horton III
Mars Hill: Keenan Wilkins, Ashton Troutman
Newberry: Kayzzin McDowell, Brett Dent
Tusculum: Jordan Attia, Amari Allen
UVA Wise: Cy Hardy, Anderson Cummins
Wingate: Jordan Miller, Chase McKey
