ATLANTA, Ga. (November 3, 2026) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) has announced its 2026-27 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, with Piedmont and defending conference champion LaGrange sharing the top spot following a vote by the league's head coaches.
Both programs collected 30 points in the preseason rankings, with Piedmont receiving three first-place votes and LaGrange earning two. The close vote sets the stage for another competitive season following a 2025-26 campaign in which both programs reached the conference semifinals and LaGrange captured its first CCS championship.
Asbury followed closely in third with 27 points, while Belhaven secured fourth with 26 points, each with one first place vote. Huntingdon, Covenant, and Agnes Scott rounded out the seven team poll.
PIEDMONT | T-1ST, 30 POINTS (3 FIRST PLACE VOTES)
Piedmont enters the 2026-27 season tied atop the preseason rankings after finishing last year with a 14-13 overall record and a 10-6 mark in conference play. The Lions advanced to the CCS semifinals following a 60-49 quarterfinal victory over Maryville before falling to eventual champion LaGrange, 76-64.
The Lions welcome back 2025-26 CCS Rookie of the Year Kylie Watkins, who made an immediate impact during her debut season. Watkins started 25 games and led Piedmont in scoring at 11.4 points per contest while averaging 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists. The sophomore forward also shot 43.3 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range, establishing herself as a key contributor heading into her second season.
LAGRANGE | T-1ST, 30 POINTS (2 FIRST PLACE VOTES)
Defending champion LaGrange shares the top position in the preseason poll following a historic 2025-26 campaign. The Panthers posted a 20-8 overall record and went 14-2 in conference action, securing the regular-season title before defeating Belhaven, 69-62, in the CCS Championship game to claim the program's first conference tournament crown.
LaGrange returns All-CCS Second Team selection Adazha Burrell, who emerged as a contributor during her freshman campaign. Burrell finished as the Panthers' third-leading scorer, averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 66.1 percent from the free-throw line.
The Panthers will once again be guided by head coach Steve Kenner, the reigning CCS Coach of the Year, as they look to build on last season's championship success.
ASBURY | 3RD, 27 POINTS (1 FIRST PLACE VOTE)
Asbury enters the new season ranked third in the preseason poll with 27 points and one first place vote after posting a 14-12 overall record and an 11-5 conference finish in 2025-26. The Eagles earned an 80-63 victory over Huntingdon in the CCS quarterfinals before their postseason run ended with an 88-79 semifinal loss to Belhaven.
The Eagles return a trio of all-conference performers, led by senior Emily Sizemore, who earned All-CCS First Team honors a season ago. Sizemore is joined by fellow First Team selection Ma'Kiya West and Second Team honoree Anna Hellums, giving Asbury an experienced group of returning talent heading into the season.
BELHAVEN | 4TH, 26 POINTS (1 FIRST PLACE VOTE)
Belhaven secured fourth place in the preseason poll with 26 points and one first place vote after putting together a postseason run that culminated in an appearance in the 2026 CCS Championship game.
The Blazers finished conference play with an 11-5 record and earned the tournament's No. 2 seed, advancing directly to the semifinals. Belhaven then defeated Asbury, 88-79, to earn a spot in the title game, where its championship bid ended with a 69-62 loss to LaGrange.
FINISHING OUT THE POLL
Huntingdon was selected fifth with 17 points following a 12-14 overall finish and a 9-7 record in conference play last season. Covenant followed in sixth with 11 points, while Agnes Scott rounded out the preseason rankings in seventh with six points.
The 2026-27 conference schedule begins Tuesday, January 5, with three CCS matchups opening league play.
The season will culminate with the 2026-27 CCS Women’s Basketball Championship, scheduled for February 26-27, with the highest seed serving as host.
Fans can follow all the CCS women's basketball action throughout the season, including 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 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| T1 |
Piedmont |
30 points (3) |
| T1 |
LaGrange |
30 points (2) |
| 3 |
Asbury |
27 points (1) |
| 4 |
Belhaven |
26 points (1) |
| 5 |
Huntingdon |
17 points |
| 6 |
Covenant |
11 points |
| 7 |
Agnes Scott |
6 points |
First place points are in parenthesis.
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.
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