Samford women’s basketball returns to the court following a surprising run to the SoCon Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in head coach Matt Wise’s first season at the helm. With much of last year’s roster returning and confidence building in the locker room, can the Bulldogs return to the mountaintop, or is Wise due for a sophomore slump in his second season?
Last season, the Bulldogs finished 16-19 overall and 6-8 in SoCon play, earning a sixth-place finish in the regular-season standings. Despite their regular season struggles, Samford made an impressive postseason run, advancing through the conference tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four, where the Bulldogs fell to Southern, 65-53.
With several key contributors returning, Samford will look to build on last season’s Cinderella run.
Sophomore guard Kaylee Yarbrough returns after an impressive freshman campaign that earned her a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Yarbrough led the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game while shooting 37.2% from beyond the arc. Her performance has already earned her Preseason All-SoCon recognition heading into the 2026-27 season.
Another sophomore to watch is Francie Morris, who also earned Preseason All-SoCon honors. Morris was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team last season and earned SoCon Sixth Woman of the Year recognition after averaging 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She will play an important role as the Bulldogs look to repeat their postseason success.
Rounding out Samford’s returning Preseason All-SoCon selections is junior guard Briana Rivera. Rivera averaged 11.7 points per game and knocked down 112 three-pointers, leading the SoCon in three-pointers made per game. She also started all 35 games for the Bulldogs last season, making her one of the team’s most experienced returning players.
Samford has lost two key players, Emily Snoddy and Sierra Godbolt. Wise has reloaded five freshmen on the roster. Players Martha Bishop and Carla Baguda will likely round out the rest of the starting lineup.
Wise looks to continue his trend of a rigorous nonconference schedule to challenge his players early. A move that paid off in the post season. This year sees the Bulldogs travel to five Power Four opponents: Georgia Tech, Indiana, Purdue, Alabama and Mississippi State.
Entering the season, Samford has been picked to finish third in the SoCon preseason coaches’ poll, receiving two first-place votes. While expectations are high, repeating conference champions will be no easy task. With a talented group of returners and postseason experience, the Bulldogs have an opportunity to make another run. Now, they must prove last season was only the beginning.
Sports Editor
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