SoCon Announces 2025-26 Preseason Coaches' Poll & Preseason All-Conference Team
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team was voted to finish fifth in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced on Wednesday by the league.
Chattanooga and Furman split the 10 first-place votes, while the Mocs were voted to finish first overall with 77 points. The Paladins totaled 73 points. Samford rounded out the top three with 62 points and ETSU wasn't far behind with 61 points, taking fourth. The Spartans tallied 43 points with VMI closely behind with 41 points.
Head Coach
Mike Jones will lead the Spartans during his fifth year with the Blue & Gold. Jones and UNCG went 20-12 overall and 13-5 in the SoCon at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
This was the eighth year out of nine with 20 or more wins for the Spartans and third year out of four under Coach Jones winning 20 or more games.
Nationally, UNCG was ranked 14th in three point percentage defense (30.1), 15th in field goal percentage defense (40.0), 25th in scoring defense (65.4), 26th in turnovers per game (9.9) and 32nd three point percentage (37.2).
The Spartans welcome back three returners from the 2025-26 roster, adding 12 to this year's squad.
UNCG begins its 2025-26 season traveling to the Midwest to face Big 12 foe Kansas State for the first time in program history on Nov. 4 at Bramlage Coliseum. The Spartans will host Triad foe Elon on Nov. 8 inside Fleming Gymnasium for their home opener.
2025-26 Southern Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
| Team (1st-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. Chattanooga (5) |
77 |
| 2. Furman (5) |
73 |
| 3. Samford |
62 |
| 4. ETSU |
61 |
| 5. UNCG |
43 |
| 6. VMI |
41 |
| 7. Western Carolina |
32 |
| 8. Mercer |
30 |
| 9. Wofford |
21 |
| 10. The Citadel |
10 |
2025-26 Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year
Rickey Bradley Jr, Sr., G, VMI
2025-26 Preseason All-Southern Conference Team
Jaylen Smith, Jr., G, ETSU
Cooper Bowser, Jr., F, Furman
Tom House, Sr., G, Furman
Jadin Booth, Gr., G, Samford
Dylan Faulkner, Jr., C, Samford
Jikari Johnson, Gr., G, Chattanooga
Collin Mulholland, R-So., F, Chattanooga
Teddy Washington Jr., Gr., G, Chattanooga
Rickey Bradley Jr, Sr., G, VMI
Marcus Kell, R-Jr., F, Western Carolina
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