Harrogate, TN - The South Atlantic Conference has released the men's basketball preseason polls along with the preseason all-conference teams, as voted on by members of the conference.

Lincoln Memorial was tabbed the top team in the conference with 143 points. The Railsplitters also received 11 first place votes to secure the top spot following a 16-2 conference record in 2022 and a 30-5 overall record. Catawba came in as the second ranked team in the poll, tallying 134 points with two first place votes. Newberry took the third spot in the rankings with 107 points, followed by Wingate who was ranked fourth with 105 points. Tusculum came in at No.5 with 98 points to round out the top five teams in the conference.

The Railsplitters also had five players named Preseason All-Conference. Me'Kell Burries and Chase Rankin were named to the First Team. Martez Brown and Jordan Walters were named to the Second Team. Matthew Sells was named to the Third Team.

2023-2024 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll:

Rank         Team (First Place Votes)             Points

1	Lincoln Memorial (11)	143
2	Catawba (2)	134
3	Newberry	107
4	Wingate	105
5	Tusculum	98
6	Carson-Newman	89
7	Anderson	76
8	Lenoir-Rhyne	55
9	Emory & Henry	53
10	Limestone	47
11	UVA Wise	45
12	Coker	34
13	Mars Hill	28

2023-24 South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball PRESEASON All-Conference

First Team
Gabe Brown, Emory & Henry
Me'Kell Burries, Lincoln Memorial
Kory Davis, Mars Hill
DeAngelo Epps, Catawba
Javeon Jones, Catawba
Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial

Second Team
Mahmoud Bangura, Coker
Martez Brown, Lincoln Memorial
Garrett Denbow, Anderson
Connor Jordan, Tusculum
Donell Nixon II, Wingate
Jordan Walters, Lincoln Memorial

Third Team
Nick Brenegan, Carson-Newman
Kendall Davis, Mars Hill
Kadyn Dawkins, Mars Hill
Peyton Gerald, Catawba
Jake Moynihan, Emory & Henry
Matthew Sells, Lincoln Memorial

Me'Kell Burries:
Honors:
Third team All-SAC
2022-23: (REDSHIRT JUNIOR) Played in 34 games, starting 21
Averaged 23.1 minutes per game
12.1 points per game on 413 total points
48% field goal percentage, 39.3% three-point percentage
83.8% from the line
Averaged 3.2 rebounds per game
1.2 assist per game, four total blocks, and 25 total steals on the year
Four 20+ point games
27 against Limestone (Dec. 17)
23 against Carson-Newman (Jan. 7)
22 against Limestone (Feb. 15)
31 against UVA-Wise
Double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds against Tusculum (Jan. 25)
2021-22 (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE)
Played in 31 games, starting 20 of them
Averaged 26.9 minutes per game
13.2 points per game
76.9% free-throw percentage
Shot 49.5% from the field, 45.1% from three-point range
Averaged 3.1 rebounds per game
2.2 assists per game, 11 total blocks, and 20 total steals
Seven 20+ point games
21 against Wingate (Nov. 20)
25 against Tusculum (Dec. 4)
23 against Newberry (Jan. 5)
20 against Queens (Jan. 15)
21 against Mars Hill (Feb. 7)
22 against Tusculum (Feb. 17)
22 against Georgia College (March 12)
2020-21 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
Played in 18 games
Averaged 4.9 minutes per game
Scored 40 points for an average of 2.5 per contest 
Also averaged 1.3 rebounds and dished out 0.4 assists per game
Season-high eight point performance came against Limestone (Jan. 23) as he shot a perfect 3-3 from the field, 1-1 from three point range, and made his lone free throw 
Season high six rebounds came against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg (Dec. 19)
Recorded two assists on two occasions
2019-20 (FRESHMAN)
Utilized his redshirt season

Chase Rankin:
Honors:
2022-23 SAC Scholar Athlete of the Year
2021 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll
2020 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll
2022-23 (REDSHIRT SENIOR)
Started all 35 games on the season
Averaged 32.9 minutes per game
432 total points to average 12.3 per game
50.8% from the field, 42.9% from three, 79% from the line
207 total rebounds (5.9 per game), 249 assists (7.1 per game)
16 blocks and 50 steals 
Triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists against Emory & Henry (Feb. 8)
Six double-doubles
14 points, 11 assists against Valdosta State (Nov. 5)
10 points, 10 assists against Tusculum (Dec. 3)
19 points, 14 assists against Anderson (Jan. 14)
19 points, 11 rebounds against Limestone (Feb.  15)
10 points, 12 assists against UVA-Wise (Feb. 22)
17 points, 10 rebounds against USC Aiken (March 14)
2021-22 (REDSHIRT JUNIOR)
Started all 31 games
Averaged 34.1 minutes per game
413 total points to average 13.3 per game
5.9 rebounds per game, 7.2 assists per game
57.1% field goal percentage, 39.4% three-point percentage
86.6% free-throw shooter
Five blocks, 39 steals on the year
Triple-double of 11 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists against Erskine (Dec. 1)
Triple double of 17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists against UVA-Wise (Feb. 9)
Four double-doubles
15 points, 10 rebounds against Clayton State (Nov. 12)
20 points, 13 assists against Mars Hill (Dec. 11)
21 points, 11 assists against UVA-Wise (Dec. 15)
13 points, 12 assists against Wingate (Jan. 29)
2020-21 (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE)
Played in 19 games
Averaged five minutes per contest
Scored 30 points for an average of 1.6 per game
Knocked down 9-19 shots from the field and made eight of his ten free throws
Season-high seven points came against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg (Dec. 19)
Grabbed 10 rebounds, nine of which were on the defensive end for an average of 0.5 per game
Added in 14 assists and three steals on the season
2019-20 (SOPHOMORE)
Utilized his redshirt season after transferring from fellow NCAA Division II member Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana

Martez Brown:
Honors:
SAC Conference All-Tournament Team
2022-23 (Junior)
Played in 35 games, starting 29
Averaged 21.7 minutes per game
73.6% from field goal range
327 total points to average 9.3 per game
Averaged 8.9 rebounds per game, 310 total on the year
One assist per game on average
26 blocks and 29 steals on the season
11 double-doubles
16 points, 10 rebounds against Valdosta State (Nov. 15)
12 points, 12 rebounds against Clayton State (Nov. 11)
12 points, 13 rebounds against King (Nov. 16)
16 points, 11 rebounds against Erskine (Dec. 19)
10 points, 13 rebounds against Anderson (Jan. 14)
12 points, 14 rebounds against Newberry (Jan. 21)
10 points, 14 rebounds against Catawba (Jan. 28)
24 points, 18 rebounds against Limestone (Feb. 15)
10 points, 13 rebounds against UVA-Wise (Feb. 22)
15 points, 12 rebounds against Coker (March 1)
15 points, 14 rebounds against UVA-Wise (March 4)
2021-22 (Sophomore)
Played in 31 games
Averaged 14.3 minutes per game
Scored 206 total points to average 6.6 per game
70.9% field goal percentage
182 total rebounds to average 5.9 per game
Averaged one assist per game
Tallied 33 blocks and 26 steals on the year
19 points, 11 rebounds against Coker (Feb. 5)
Double-doubles against Erskine (Dec. 1) and UVA-Wise (Dec. 15)
2019-21 (Bevill State Community College)
Ranked as a Top 200 JUCO player
Ranked first in the ACCC in 2020-21 in rebounds
Played under Tommy Suitts

Jordan Walters:
Honors:
2021 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll
2022-23 (JUNIOR)
Started all 34 games appeared in
Averaged 25.3 minutes per game
11.2 points per game from 380 total points
60.2% field goal percentage, 76.3% free-throw percentage
158 total rebounds to average 4.6 per game
2.3 assists per game on average along with 27 total blocks and 15 total steals
Double-double of 19 points, 10 rebounds against Limestone (Dec. 17)
25 points, 5 rebounds. 4 assists against Mars Hill (Jan. 18)
23 points, 5 rebounds against Carson-Newman (Feb.1)
2021-22 (SOPHOMORE)
Started all 31 games
Averaged 26.8 minutes per game
Scored 352 total points, averaging 11.4
66.5% field goal percentage, 40% from three-point range
79.2% free-throw shooter
190 total rebounds gathered, an average of 6.1 per game
2.6 assists per game on average
Recorded 28 blocks and 11 steals on the season
Double-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds against Anderson (Feb. 2)
29 points, 8 rebounds against UVA-Wise (Feb. 9)
20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists against Georgia College (March 12)
2020-21 (FRESHMAN)
Played in 16 games with four starts
Averaged 7.1 minutes per contest
Scored 57 points for an average of 3.6 per game
Shot 21-34 from the field, also making 4-7 three pointers
Grabbed 29 rebounds, 19 of which were on the defensive end for an average of 1.8 per contest
Scored in double figures on three occasions, including a season-high 13 point performance in his first start against Anderson (Jan. 6)
Also finished with six rebounds in the same contest
Had 12 points in eight minutes on a perfect 5-5 shooting afternoon against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg (Dec. 19)
Had 10 points and a season-high seven rebounds against Mars Hill (Jan. 25), starting off the game with an and-one dunk that got the crowd on its feet
Added in two assists, a steal, and two blocks on the season.

Matthew Sells:
2022-23 (SOPHOMORE)
Played in 35 games, starting 20
Averaged 24.1 minutes per game
350 total points to average 10 per game
42.3% field goal percentage, 39.6% three-point percentage, 82.8% free-throw shooter
2.6 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game
Two blocks, 24 steals on the season
21 points against Alabama Huntsville (Nov. 6)
21 points, 5 rebounds against Georgia College (Nov. 23)
20 points against Salem (Jan. 11)
2021-22 (FRESHMAN)
Played in 31 games, starting 11
Averaged 24.9 minutes per game
330 total points to average 10.6 per game
44.9% field goal percentage, 40.8% from three-point range, 85.7% free-throw shooter
86 total rebounds (2.8 per game), 37 assists (1.2 per game)
Recorded three blocks, 16 steals on the season
23 points (six made threes), 5 rebounds against Coker (Nov. 27)
20 points against UVA-Wise (Dec. 15)
21 points against Mars Hill (Feb. 7)
21 points against UVA-Wise (Feb. 9).