ROCK HILL, SC – The UVA Wise football team has been picked to finish in ninth place in the Preseason South Atlantic Conference Coaches Poll, which was released by the conference earlier today. In addition, six Highland Cavaliers were listed as Players to Watch for the upcoming season.

Wingate was picked to finish first in the poll, followed by Newberry and Lenoir-Rhyne. Carson-Newman, Emory and Henry, and Catawba were next. Anderson placed seventh, followed by Mars Hill, UVA Wise, and Tusculum.

Players to Watch for UVA Wise were Daniel Thomas, McCalan Beason, and Jack Tews on offense. Defensive Players to Watch were Kenneth Long, Jalen Pickens, and Braylon Henry.

Thomas, a junior running back from Middlesboro, Kentucky returns after having a potential All-American season cut short by injury. At the time he was leading the SAC in rushing and set a new program NCAA-era record with 256 rushing yards vs. Catawba on September 13.

Beason steps into a starting role for his sophomore season after being the main backup quarterback last year. In his appearances last season the Hoover, Alabama native was 65-131 for 876 yards and four touchdowns.

Tews joins the team after transferring in from Iowa Western last season, where the Brandon, South Dakota native helped anchor an offensive line that went 12-1 and won the NJCAA Division I national championship.

Long, a senior defensive lineman from Huntsville, Alabama, returns after posting 39 tackles last season, including 6.5 for loss. He also forced two fumbles and had a sack.

Pickens is one of the top returning linebackers from last season. The redshirt junior from Gainestown, Alabama had 50 total tackles (16 solo, 34 assist) last season, including four for loss.

Henry, a sophomore defensive back from Birmingham, Alabama, had 29 tackles and three breakups last season.

The team will open fall camp today as preparations begin for the 2026 season, which will start when the Highland Cavaliers play at Presbyterian on August 27th. The Blue Hose and UVA Wise have met twice before, in 1999 and 2000, with Presbyterian winning both meetings. At the time PC was a member of the SAC while the Cavs were in the NAIA's Mid-South Conference.

UVA Wise will host Chowan in the home opener on September 5 at 6 p.m.