CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced the 2025-26 men's basketball preseason poll and all-conference selections on Tuesday morning, naming High Point University as the preseason No. 1 pick with two players on the All-Conference list. After winning the Big South Regular-Season and Tournament titles in 2024-25, the Panthers earned the programs fifth No. 1 pick in the Big South preseason poll (2007-08, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2024-25, 2025-26). Rob Martin and Scotty Washington, two new transfers for the Panthers squad, were named to the All-Conference selection.
 
Rob Martin - First Team All-Conference
 
Martin joined the Panthers after spending the past two seasons at Southeast Missouri (SEMO). As the team's main point guard, he led the team with 14.8 points per game and scored 20+ points in seven games with a career-high 31 points at SIUE (Feb. 27, 2025) after going 13-for-19 from the field (68.4%). Overall he shot 46.4% from the field, 40.7% from three-point range and 82.8% from the free throw line. He led the Ohio Valley Conference in assist rate last season with a 2.63 ratio while averaging 4.7 assists per game. He posted his first double-double of his collegiate career in assists and points versus Western Illinois (Feb. 20, 2025) with 11 assists and 10 points. Martin was a First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection following the 2024-25 regular season after helping lead SEMO to its second most wins in its programs division I history with 21 wins.

 Scotty Washington - First Team All-Conference
 
Washington joined the Panthers ahead of the 2025-26 season after spending the past season at Cal State Northridge. Following the 2024-25 season, he was named to the All-Big West Honorable Mention Team. During the 2024-25 season, he started all 33 games and finished second on the team in points per game (14.6), field goals made (161), 3-point field goals made (53) and free throws made (106). He ranked 10th in the Big West in points per game and fourth in free throw percentage (85.5) - his free throw percentage ranks 10th-best in a season in team history. From the floor he shot 42.6 percent overall and 35.1 percent from 3-point range. On the defensive end he averaged 3.2 rebounds per game and totaled 30 steals. Washington reached double figures in 23 games and scored 20 or more points seven times during the season. During Big West league play, he improved his scoring average to 15.9 points to go with a 46.0 field goal percentage, 42.0 3-point percentage and 89.0 free throw percentage. Washington registered a career-high 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting with five made threes versus Cal Poly (2/15/25). Following the 2024-25 season, he was named to the All-Big West Honorable Mention Team.

Below is the full list of selections for the 2025-26 Big South Preseason Poll and Awards.

2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
 
Rk          Team (first-place votes) _____Points
1.           High Point (8)                                80
2.           UNC Asheville (1)                          68
3.           Longwood                                      53
4.           Radford                                          52
5.           Winthrop                                        51
6.           Presbyterian                                  37
7.           Charleston Southern                     27
8.           Gardner-Webb                              19
9.           USC Upstate                                 18
 
Note: points are based on a weighted system.  First-place votes received 9 points, followed by 8 points for second-place, and so on.

 
2025-26 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
 
First-Team
Toyaz Solomon, UNC Asheville (Preseason Player of the Year)
Rob Martin, High Point
Scotty Washington, High Point
Elijah Tucker, Longwood
Jaylon Johnson, Radford
 
Second-Team
Kameron Taylor, UNC Asheville
Jonah Pierce, Presbyterian College
Daylen Berry, Winthrop
A'lahn Sumler, Charleston Southern
Karmani Gregory, USC Upstate

The Panthers will kick-off the season with an exhibition at UNCW on October 18 at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, N.C. The game will tip-off at 2:00 p.m.