Big South women’s basketball was highly dramatic and surprising last season, with multiple overachieving and underachieving teams. High Point grabbed the title, coming back to defeat the Longwood Lancers in the fourth quarter of the tournament championship game. High Point and Longwood lead the preseason poll, while Radford isn’t far behind the favorites.
Here are the teams ranked by their likelihood to cut down the nets at the 2026 Big South Conference Tournament.
1. High Point Panthers
Player to Watch: Nevaeh Zavala, Senior, Forward
The defending Big South champions certainly went on a tear to end their 2025 season. They won their last six games in the Big South regular season and then toppled three more teams on their way to the title to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
It certainly will help that Nevaeh Zavala, who averaged over 10 points per game and set career highs in every single stat, is back and was named the preseason player of the year as a senior.
2. Longwood Lancers
Player to Watch: Amor Harris, Junior, Guard
Last season, Longwood finished seventh out of nine teams in the preseason poll. As the Big South conference slate got underway, it was clear that the Lancers were way better than that. The Lancers started 6-0 and ended the season at 11-5 in the conference. In the offseason, Longwood did not lose a single player to the transfer portal.
Amor Harris stood out last season, averaging 11 points per game on 48% shooting. Her performance earned her all-conference second team. The Lancers and Harris will once again be right up with High Point and Radford in the race for the regular-season crown after splitting the regular-season matchups with the two teams last season.
3. Radford Highlanders
Player to Watch: Joi Williams, Junior, Guard
Radford was lights out from deep last season, averaging 7.5 made 3-pointers on 34% shooting, figures that led the Big South. Joi Williams led the charge offensively and averaged 12.6 points per game on 39% shooting from deep and 44% from the entire floor.
Radford’s third-place finish last season should give them plenty of hope as the team looks for a Big South title game appearance.
4. Charleston Southern Buccaneers
Player to Watch: Tyonna Bailey, Junior, Guard
Winthrop eliminated Charleston Southern on a buzzer-beater in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament last season. The Buccaneers have had quite the roster shakeup, but Tyonna Bailey remains on the team, which can only be a good thing for a team looking to take their next steps up the conference pecking order.
5. Winthrop Eagles
Player to Watch: Amourie Porter, Junior, Forward
Winthrop made some waves last season, finishing in fourth place. The best news to come out of Rock Hill, South Carolina, this summer was Porter’s decision to stick with the Eagles instead of transferring. Porter was the driving force for the Eagles last year, averaging 13.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
6. USC Upstate Spartans
Player to Watch: Cassie Gallagher, Sophomore, Guard
Upstate took a major step back last season, finishing seventh after being projected to finish near the top of the Big South. Cassie Gallagher, who averaged 10 points per game, was named freshman of the year and was almost a guarantee to score in double figures in any game she took the floor.
7. Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs
Player to Watch: Anaya Harris, Junior, Guard
Gardner-Webb is the lone Big South women’s basketball team with a new head coach. The Runnin’ Bulldogs also lost one of their greatest players ever, Ashley Hawkins, to graduation. With plenty of new faces, Anaya Harris remains their key scoring threat as she’s poised to lift the Runnin’ Bulldogs to somewhere in the middle of the conference standings.
8. UNC Asheville Bulldogs
Player to Watch: Deborah Orianegbena, Sophomore, Center/Forward
UNC Asheville is shrouded in complete uncertainty. The Bulldogs won just four games last season and have brought in almost a brand new team. Deborah Orianegbena, an old-fashioned glass-cleaning center, remains pivotal for the Bulldogs whenever she touches the floor.
9. Presbyterian Blue Hose
Player to Watch: Shelby Fiddler, Senior, Guard
The Blue Hose finished eighth in the Big South last season and struggled to gain much momentum in head coach Tiffany Hardin’s first season. If sharpshooting guard Shelby Fiddler can have more games like she had at Radford in 2024-25, Presbyterian will be competitive in almost every Big South game.
