Cullowhee, N.C. – It's March Madness in October as Southern Conference basketball invades the Greenville Marriott and 9/8 Studios on Wednesday (Oct. 1) for the 2025-26 SoCon Basketball Media Day. The league's 10 head men's basketball coaches and eight women's basketball head coaches will be joined by student-athletes from each squad to preview the upcoming season.
Preseason predictions from the league's head coaches on both the men's and women's sides will be unveiled, as well as the coaches' preseason all-conference teams.
Western Carolina will be represented at the event by second-year head coaches Tim Craft and Jonathan Tsipis. Men's basketball redshirt junior Marcus Kell, as well as graduate student Ary Dizon and redshirt junior guard Kehinde Obasuyi from the women's basketball team, will also be on hand for the preseason event.
The 2025-26 SoCon Basketball preview, including interviews with the league's head coaches, will be shown on the "Field of 68" YouTube Channel throughout Wednesday's festivities. Craft is slated for 11:50 a.m. ahead of the Tip-Off Luncheon. Tsipis is slated to be featured on the program in the afternoon session around 3:40 p.m.
Throughout the day, the basketball student-athletes are scheduled to take part in various video interviews and social media content with the SoCon, along with media availability throughout the afternoon.
Catamount fans can get their first look at both the 2025-26 Western Carolina men's and women's basketball teams on Monday, Oct. 20, with "A Night in the 'Whee," presented by Prospect Cullowhee. Ramsey Center doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the event starting at 7:30 p.m., on Ingles Court. Geared to WCU students though open to the general public, admission to the event is free.
The Catamount hoops squads are additionally slated for one of their final intrasquad scrimmages ahead of the start of the season to be held at the Peaches Squirrell Sports & Recreation Complex in Birdtown on the Qualla Boundary. The event is free of charge and open to the public (first come, first serve on gym seating) and begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22. The teams are scheduled to play two halves apiece – the men's team playing its first half after the women's opening frame, with the women's second half to be played at halftime of the men's scrimmage.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's and women's basketball as well as WCU Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@catamountmbb, @catamountwbb, @wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@CatamountMBB, @CatamountWBB, @catamounts).
2025 Southern Conference Basketball Media Day Attendees:
Men:
The Citadel – Head coach Ed Conroy, redshirt sophomore forward Christian Moore, senior forward Sola Adebisi
ETSU – Head coach Brooks Savage, junior guard Maki Johnson
Furman – Head coach Bob Richey, junior forward Cooper Bowser, senior forward Ben Vander Wal
Mercer – Head coach Ryan Ridder, sophomore guard Brady Shoulders, junior guard Baraka Okojie
UNCG – Head coach Mike Jones, junior forward Domas Kauzonas, graduate forward Justin Neely
Samford – Head coach Lennie Acuff, graduate guard Jadin Booth, redshirt senior Keaton Norris
UTC – Head coach Dan Earl, redshirt sophomore forward/center Collin Mulholland, graduate guard Teddy Washington Jr.
VMI – Head coach Andrew Wilson, senior guard Rickey Bradley Jr.
WCU – Head coach Tim Craft, redshirt junior Marcus Kell
Wofford – Head coach Kevin Glitner, sophomore guard Luke Flynn, sophomore guard Kahmare Holmes
Women:
ETSU – Head coach Brenda Mock Brown, senior forward Meghan Downing, sophomore guard Carmen Richardson
Furman – Head coach Pierre Curtis, sophomore forward Clare Coyle
Mercer – Head coach Michelle Clark-Heard, graduate guard Nahawa Diarra, senior forward Arianna Bennett
UNCG – Head coach Trina Patterson, senior guard Jaila Lee, junior guard Makiah Asidanya
Samford – Head coach Matt Wise, senior guard Sierra Godbolt, redshirt sophomore guard/forward Aubrey Blankenship
UTC – Head coach Deandra Schrimer, junior guard Caia Elisaldez, graduate guard/forward Kalifa Ford
WCU – Head coach Jonathan Tsipis, graduate forward Ary Dizon, redshirt junior Kehinde Obasuyi
Wofford – Head coach Jimmy Garrity, senior forward Mia Flor, sophomore guard Molly Masingale
