ROCK HILL, SC – The UVA Wise women's basketball team has been chosen to finish seventh in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which was released earlier today. Additionally,
Alissa Cheek and
Grace Vyborny were named as Players to Watch.
The Highland Cavaliers received 68 points in the poll, landing them in seventh place. Lenoir-Rhyne placed first, followed by Carson-Newman and Wingate. Lincoln Memorial, Anderson, and Coker are next, followed by UVA Wise. Catawba is eighth, then Newberry, Emory & Henry, Mars Hill, and Anderson.
Cheek is the top returning scorer from last season, when she averaged 9.8 points a game. The junior also was named to the College Sports Communicators All-District Team last season. Vyborny averaged 1.8 points and 2.2 rebounds a game. Also returning from last year's squad are
Jalie Ruehling (5.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.0 spg), Emilia Preece (7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg),
Mia Nienaber (6.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg),
Shelby Higgins (4.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg),
Katy Hoover (2.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg),
Kyndra West (2.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg), and
Abbie Jordan (2.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg). Also returning after missing last season is
Ella Karst, who averaged 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals a game her freshman season, earning her a spot on the SAC All-Freshman team in 2024-25.
Coach
Jamie Cluesman returns for her ninth season at the helm of the Highland Cavalier program. She earned her 100th career win last season and is poised to surpass former head coach and program founder Doris Kilgore (1969-73, 1975-81) as the program's winningest coach this season.
Caitlyn Ross (2nd season) and
Kalee Johnson ( 5th season) also return as assistant coaches this season.
The team opens the season by hosting the Southeast Regional Challenge Nov. 13-14, which is a rematch of last season's opening weekend as they face USC Beaufort and Georgia Southwestern. They will host a program-record 16 home games this season, with King, Glenville State, and Young Harris joining the regional challenge games and the eleven game SAC slate.
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.
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| 2026-27 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Score |
| 1. |
Lenoir-Rhyne (10) |
120 |
| 2. |
Carson-Newman (2) |
108 |
| 3. |
Wingate |
92 |
| 4. |
Lincoln Memorial |
89 |
| 5. |
Anderson |
72 |
| 6. |
Coker |
71 |
| 7. |
UVA Wise |
68 |
| 8. |
Catawba |
62 |
| 9. |
Newberry |
42 |
| 10. |
Emory & Henry |
31 |
| 11. |
Mars Hill |
24 |
| 12. |
Tusculum |
13 |
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2026-27 SAC Women's Basketball Players to Watch
Anderson: Rose Gravel, Ashley Hill
Catawba: Sheree Gidney, Brayla Harris
Carson-Newman: Mattie Nuckolls, Keeleigh Rogers
Coker: Kamari Thompson, Dasia Ferguson
Emory & Henry: Rhyan Harris, Gracyn Hall
Lincoln Memorial: Kallie Housley, Keyonee Neal
Lenoir-Rhyne: Aaliyah El, Abigail Brown, Elyseia Brown
Mars Hill: Jadyiah Peoples, Shyann McCummings
Newberry: Mary Kate Grant, Sanae Graham
Tusculum: Marin Lind Agustsdottir, Angela Gomez
UVA Wise: Alissa Cheek, Grace Vyborny
Wingate: Kyleigh Bacon, Laura Montiel
