ATLANTA, Ga. (November 3, 2026) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) has announced its 2026-27 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, with defending tournament champion Belhaven emerging as the favorite following a vote by the league's six head coaches.
The Blazers secured 25 points and five first-place votes, earning the top position after a postseason run that saw them capture their first CCS title last season. LaGrange, which met Belhaven in the championship game, followed in second with 18 points, while Asbury claimed third with 17 points and the remaining first-place vote.
Covenant was selected fourth with 13 points, followed by Huntingdon in fifth with 11 points and Piedmont in sixth with six points.
BELHAVEN | 1ST, 25 POINTS (5 FIRST PLACE VOTES)
Belhaven enters the 2026-27 season atop the preseason rankings after a memorable postseason run that resulted in the program's first CCS Championship. The Blazers entered last year's tournament as the No. 3 seed before winning three consecutive games to secure the title and the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Belhaven opened postseason play with a commanding 113-77 quarterfinal victory over Covenant before knocking off second-seeded Huntingdon, 85-73, in the semifinals. The Blazers completed their championship run with a 92-73 win over LaGrange in the title game, closing the season with a 17-13 overall record and a 7-5 mark in conference play.
The defending champions return a pair of All-CCS First Team selections in CJ Minton and Dan Robinson, who led the Blazers offensively last season. Minton averaged a team-high 16.2 points per game, while Robinson followed with 14.6 points per contest. The returning duo gives Belhaven an experienced scoring presence as they prepare to defend their conference title.
LAGRANGE | 2ND, 18 POINTS
After advancing to the CCS Championship game a season ago, LaGrange enters the 2026-27 campaign ranked second in the preseason poll with 18 points.
The Panthers finished last season 16-12 overall and 5-7 in conference play before putting together a postseason run of their own. Entering the tournament as the No. 4 seed, LaGrange defeated fifth-seeded Asbury, 91-80, in the quarterfinals before pulling off an 82-71 semifinal upset over top-seeded Maryville on the Scots' home court.
The victory sent LaGrange to the championship game, where its tournament run concluded with a 92-73 loss to Belhaven. Coming off a runner-up finish, the Panthers will look to carry their postseason momentum into the new season as they pursue another appearance in the conference title game.
ASBURY | 3RD, 17 POINTS (1 FIRST PLACE VOTE)
Asbury secured third place in the preseason rankings with 17 points and one first-place vote, despite finishing the 2025-26 campaign with a 6-20 overall record and a 4-8 mark in conference action.
The Eagles return their two leading scorers from last season in All-CCS selections Jonathan Combs and Jordan Lewis. Combs, a First Team honoree, averaged a team-high 12.2 points per game, while Lewis earned Second Team recognition after contributing 10.9 points per contest.
With both offensive leaders returning, Asbury enters the new campaign with an experienced scoring tandem as the Eagles look to improve upon last season's finish.
COVENANT | 4TH, 13 POINTS
Covenant was picked fourth in the preseason poll with 13 points following an 8-18 overall finish and a 3-9 conference record in 2025-26.
The Scots earned a berth in the CCS Championship Tournament as the No. 6 seed but saw their season conclude in the quarterfinal round with a loss to eventual champion Belhaven.
Covenant will welcome back reigning CCS Defensive Player of the Year Pierce Smith, who returns for his senior season after leading the Scots with 7.6 rebounds per game. Smith, an All-CCS First Team selection, provides an established presence on the defensive end as Covenant prepares for the upcoming season.
FINALIZING THE POLL
Huntingdon was selected fifth with 11 points despite posting one of the conference's strongest regular-season performances a year ago. The Hawks finished 21-5 overall and 11-1 in league play, earning the No. 2 seed in the CCS Championship before falling to eventual champion Belhaven in the semifinals.
Piedmont rounded out the six-team preseason poll in sixth place with six points.
Conference play tips off Tuesday, January 5, with the opening CCS matchups of the 2026-27 season.
The conference postseason will culminate with the 2026-27 CCS Men's Basketball Championship, scheduled for February 26-27, with the highest seed hosting the tournament.
Fans can stay connected throughout the season with updated schedules, scores, standings and championship information at
www.collegiateconferenceofthesouth.com.
A look at the 2026-27 CCS Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll:
2026-27 CCS Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| 1 |
Belhaven |
25 points (5) |
| 2 |
LaGrange |
18 points |
| 3 |
Asbury |
17 points (1) |
| 4 |
Covenant |
13 points |
| 5 |
Huntingdon |
11 points |
| 6 |
Piedmont |
6 points |
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features seven member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, and Piedmont University) and sponsors championships across 16 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
Follow all things #CCSWSOC and #CCSMSOC on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram at @ccofsouth for all the latest news around the league.
Watch championship action on the CCS Network!