LOUISBURG, N.C. – A perennial favorite and a league newcomer are picked to vie for the NSAC Women’s Basketball crown come February.

Voting in the NSAC Preseason Poll, the league coaches put defending champ Apprentice and new member Denmark Tech atop the standings in a tie for first.

“I want to thank the people before me because I wouldn’t be in the position I am now without them,” Builders coach Ieshia Small Gainey at the NSAC Media Day on Thursday. “With my playing career, I had opportunity to be coached by Hall of Fame coaches Kim Mulkey and Brenda Frese. So learning from them, being able to teach the same thing to the girls that’s here next to me and the other ones that may be on the job right now. I mean, that right there itself tells the way we try to keep that standard at a high level.”

Both Apprentice and DTC accepted invitations to the USCAA National Tournament last season. Panthers coach Javon Gilliard was grateful for the accolades.

“We thank God for any type of positive recognition we can get for our program,” said Gilliard. “However, it’s kind of personal to be tied for first, and you know that means now we got to get back to the drawing board and figure out how we can win every conference game that we have, so we can just be number one by ourselves.”

2026 NSAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

T1. Apprentice (21 points)

T1. Denmark Tech (21)

3. SC Central (12)

4. Beacon (11)

5. Atlantis (9)

6. MACU (8)