MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Berry College men's basketball team was selected sixth in the 2026 SAA preseason poll, as announced by the conference Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Vikings return much of their roster from the prior season that finished the regular season 9-16 (5-9 SAA), but with another year to gel as a unit, the team looks to make a push for the SAA Tournament at the end of the year.
 
All-SAA Honorable Mention Cameron Pope headlines Berry's returning core. In a breakout junior season, he averaged 13.1 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per game on 46.9% from the field. He also started in every game and led the team in minutes played per game (26.6).
 
Nile King also returns to the Vikings looking to build off of a shortened sophomore campaign. In just 13 games, King averaged 13.2 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game on 49% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
 
Other returners such as Canon Armstead, Drew Winegarden, Ryan Luttrell, and Grant Stubbs provide the team with crucial floor spacing as they all shot over 35% from three last season. Winegarden even became the program's all-time leader in career three pointers made with 153.
 
Trinity was picked to finish first in the SAA with 71 points and seven first place votes. Centre was picked second with 64 points and one first place vote, and reigning SAA champion Rhodes was picked third with 58 points and the final first place vote.
 
Maryville finished fourth in the poll with 47 points, and Millsaps rounded out the top five with 45 points. Voting was conducted among the SAA's nine head coaches.
 
2026-27 MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL RESULTS
1. Trinity - 71 (7)
2. Centre - 64 (1)
3. Rhodes - 58 (1)
4. Maryville - 47
5. Millsaps - 45
6. Berry - 33
7. Sewanee - 29
8. Southwestern - 28
9. Oglethorpe – 21

The 2027 SAA Men's Basketball Championship is slated for February 25-27 in Maryville, Tennessee, hosted by Maryville College.