ODAC ANNOUNCEMENT

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College has been picked third in the 2026-27 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Tigers earned 99 points in voting among the 12 conference schools, after finishing 2025-26 with a final overall record of 17-10, including 10-6 in the ODAC and advancing to the ODAC Tournament Semifinals.
 
"Every year, we believe that if we do the things we're supposed to do, we can put ourselves in a position to compete for a conference championship," said eighth-year head coach Caleb Kimbrough. "With that said, our focus has never been on preseason rankings. It's about the standard we hold ourselves to every day and how we compete for each other. We have a group that's hungry to get better, and we're excited to see what we can become together."
 
Randolph-Macon College was picked first with 117 points and seven first-place votes, while Roanoke College was chosen second with 115 points and the other five first-place votes, followed by H-SC, Batten University (84) and Washington and Lee University (82) to round-out the Top Five. The remainder of the poll includes the University of Lynchburg (66), Guilford (NC) College (62), Averett University (56), Shenandoah University (40), Eastern Mennonite University (29), Bridgewater College (27) and Randolph College (15).
 
H-SC returns six lettermen among 17 team members, including three returning starters in senior center Alex Cannon (Loganville, GA) along with junior guards Peter Moye (Charlotte, NC) and Travis Stickney (Mount Pleasant, SC). Cannon (6-9) started 18 of 26 games and averaged 5.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. He shot 62% (56-90) from the field and 45% (21-47) at the free throw line with career-highs of 10 points and 12 rebounds. Moye (6-2) started 23 of 27 games and averaged 11.8 points and 4.0 rebounds with 45 three-point field goals, earning Third Team All-ODAC honors. He shot 46% (116-255) from the field, including 34% (45-131) on three-pointers, and 84% (42-50) at the line with career-highs of 21 points, 11 rebounds and five three-pointers. Stickney (6-2) started 26 of 27 games and averaged 10.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists, earning Second Team All-ODAC honors. He shot 37% (101-272) from the field, including 29% (32-111) on three-pointers, and 75% (46-61) at the line with career-highs of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
 
Senior guard William Britt (Richmond) and sophomore forward Jaelen Solomon (Goldsboro, NC) also return, while top newcomers include junior transfer Carter Wesson (Charlottesville), as well as freshman guard Damon Phillips (Raleigh, NC) and freshman forward Caleb Straughter (Richmond). Britt (6-5) started six of 27 games with career-highs of 17 points and seven rebounds. Solomon (6-5) played in 10 games with career-highs of eight points and four rebounds. Wesson (6-4) played in nine games at NCAA Division II Montevallo (AL) University in 2024-25, following a year at Fork Union Military Academy, and earned Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 5 All-State honors at Albemarle High School in 2022. Phillips (6-0) was a two-time All-Conference selection at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, and Straughter (6-7) was an All-Region and All-Metro honoree at Varina High School.
 
H-SC opens on the road with its participation in the non-conference Peace Classic hosted by William Peace University on November 6-7 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Tigers will play host William Peace to open the season on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., then will play North Carolina Wesleyan University on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m.