The Francis Marion University women's basketball team has been picked to finish first according to the 2025-26 Conference Carolinas Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Francis Marion finished as East Division co-champions and tournament runner-up in 2024-25 with a 23-7 record and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.  The Patriots received 221 points, including 11-of-16 first place votes, to sit atop the 2025-26 preseason poll.

Defending tournament and Northwest Division champion Belmont Abbey College is picked second with two first place votes and 199 points. UNC Pembroke and Chowan University each received one first place votes and were picked third and fourth with 192 and 184 points, respectively.

Young Harris College is picked fifth with 178 points, followed by Shorter University (155), Barton College (131), Emmanuel University (124), King University (115), Lees-McRae College (93), Converse University (81), North Greenville University (76), University of Mount Olive (61), Southern Wesleyan University (56), Erskine College (33) and Ferrum College (21).

Eleventh-year FMU head coach Jerri Porter returns three letterman, including two starters, from last season's squad.  The returning starters include sophomore point guard Kiara Croskey, who averaged 12.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while earning the conference Freshman of the Year award, and junior center Trinity Delaney, who averaged 8.3 ppg and 6.2 rpg while shooting 46.3 from the field.  Also returning is junior guard MacKenzie Feagin (3.3 ppg).

Newcomers include four freshmen and seven transfers – including 5-5 guard Tyra Myers, who averaged 4.1 ppg in 16 games at Division I Stetson University last season.  As a freshman, Myers was an NEC All-Conference selection at St. Francis College Brooklyn.

The Patriots open their season on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. when they face eighth-ranked Coker University as part of the Conference Carolinas/South Atlantic Conference Challenge in Pembroke, N.C.  FMU will play Wingate University on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. to conclude the two-day event. 
 
Francis Marion's home opener will be Nov. 19 against Lenoir-Rhyne University at 5:30 p.m.

The team's 2025-26 slate consists of 28 games, including 13 home contests and a 20-game conference slate.

The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's and Women's Basketball Championship Tournament will get underway on March 1 and 2 at on-campus sites.  The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals are set for March 6, 7, and 8 at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on the campus of Wofford College.

The poll was voted on by the conference head coaches.
 
 
2025-26 Conference Carolinas Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
No.  School (first-place votes)        Total
1          Francis Marion (11)              221
2          Belmont Abbey (2)               199
3          UNC Pembroke (1)              192
4          Chowan (1)                          184
5          Young Harris                        178
6          Shorter                                 155
7          Barton                                  131
8          Emmanuel                           124
9          King                                     115
10        Lees-McRae                         93
11        Converse                              81
12        North Greenville                   76
13        Mount Olive                          61
14        Southern Wesleyan              56
15        Erskine                                 33
16        Ferrum                                  21