GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman's women's basketball team is the favorite to win the Southern Conference, and Paladins Clare Coyle and Alyssa Ervin have been named to the league's preseason squad, it was announced today.
 
The poll and preseason all-conference squad were selected by vote of head coaches, who could not vote their own team or players.
 
Furman earned three of nine first place votes to finish with 56 points, edging second place Wofford, which collected two first place votes and 54 points.  Samford was third in the poll, earning 50 points and two first place votes. 
 
East Tennessee State was fourth and Chattanooga fifth, earning 44 and 40 points and a first place vote, respectively.
 
Rounding out the poll in sixth place was Tennessee Tech (28 points), Mercer seventh (27 points), UNC Greensboro eighth (17 points), and Western Carolina ninth (8 points).
 
Coyle and Ervin were among 10 players named to the team.  The Paladin juniors are both coming off all-conference campaigns that proved instrumental in helping Furman to an 18-13 overall record and 9-5 league records a year ago.
 
Coyle, a 6-foot-1 forward proved to be the Southern Conference's most complete players a year ago, pacing the league in rebounding (9.1), field goal percentage (.547), and double-doubles (11), while ranking fourth in scoring (14.8), third in steals (2.0), and fourth in blocked shots (1.38).  She was the only player in the conference to rank in the top four in all six categories.  The Jacksonville, Fla., product took home a bevy of honors a year ago, including first team All-SoCon, SoCon All-Defensive Team, and second team SoCon All-Tournament.
 
Ervin fashioned an outstanding first season with the Paladins, ranking sixth in the league in scoring (13.8), seventh in free throw shooting (.728), eighth in steals (1.64), and ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (.351).  The 5-foot-11 Galax, Va., native connected on game winning shots in three of the Paladins' record six SoCon road victories — vs. East Tennessee State, vs. Wofford, and vs. UNC Greensboro.  She was a second team all-conference pick who captured first team SoCon All-Tournament laurels.
 
Under the direction of Pierre Curtis, who is entering his fourth year as head coach, Furman returns four starters and eight letterwinners off last year's squad.
 
The Paladins open the 2026-27 season on Nov. 2 at South Florida.
 
2026-27 SoCon Coaches Preseason Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total 
1.          Furman (3)      56
2.          Wofford (2)      54
3.          Samford (2)     50
4.          East Tennessee State (1)        44
5.          Chattanooga (1)        40
6.          Tennessee Tech           28
7.          Mercer              27
8.          UNC Greensboro        17
9.          Western Carolina       8
 
2026-27 Preseason SoCon Player of the Year  
Gabby Mundy, So., G, Wofford 
 
2026-27 Coaches Preseason All-SoCon Team
Daniela López, Sr., G, East Tennessee State
Carmen Richardson, Jr., G, East Tennessee State
Clare Coyle, Jr., F, Furman
Alyssa Ervin, Jr., G, Furman
Francie Morris, So., G, Samford
Briana Rivera, Jr., G, Samford
Kaylee Yarbrough, So., G, Samford
LaReesha Cawthorn, So., F, Tennessee Tech
Maddie Heiss, Sr., G, Wofford
Gabby Mundy, So., G, Wofford