Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern
Kayla Cleaveland Earns Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Honors
10/19/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Second-year forward named to the third team; Eagles picked 11th in SBC Preseason Poll
STATESBORO - Georgia Southern second-year forward Kayla Cleaveland has been named to the 2026-27 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Third Team, announced today by league officials.
The Woodstock, Ga., native had an outstanding debut season for the 2025-26 Sun Belt Conference regular season champions, averaging 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while playing in all 31 games. Cleaveland shot 40.1 percent from the floor (77-of-192) and 32.2 percent from three-point range (39-of-121) and most notably set the Georgia Southern freshman scoring record with 35 points in the Eagles' annual Kids Field Trip Day game vs. Coastal Georgia on December 12, hitting 12-of-15 shots from the floor, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, as well as 6-of-8 from the free throw line. She had 19 points and six rebounds in the Eagles' 78-72 overtime win at Marshall on February 27, clinching the Sun Belt Conference regular season title for the Eagles , and registered nine games of double-digit scoring on the year.
As a team, the Eagles were picked to finish 11th in a preseason poll of the league's coaches for 2026-27.Â
Listed below are all three SBC Preseason All-Conference teams and the 2026-27 Preseason Coaches Poll. Georgia Southern opens up play under first-year head coach Heather Macy on Monday, Noevember 2, traveling to Bowling Green State for a 7 p.m. contest against the Falcons.
2026-27 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
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Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | F | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
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Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
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Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
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Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
*Parentheses indicate first-place votes
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The Woodstock, Ga., native had an outstanding debut season for the 2025-26 Sun Belt Conference regular season champions, averaging 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while playing in all 31 games. Cleaveland shot 40.1 percent from the floor (77-of-192) and 32.2 percent from three-point range (39-of-121) and most notably set the Georgia Southern freshman scoring record with 35 points in the Eagles' annual Kids Field Trip Day game vs. Coastal Georgia on December 12, hitting 12-of-15 shots from the floor, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, as well as 6-of-8 from the free throw line. She had 19 points and six rebounds in the Eagles' 78-72 overtime win at Marshall on February 27, clinching the Sun Belt Conference regular season title for the Eagles , and registered nine games of double-digit scoring on the year.
As a team, the Eagles were picked to finish 11th in a preseason poll of the league's coaches for 2026-27.Â
Listed below are all three SBC Preseason All-Conference teams and the 2026-27 Preseason Coaches Poll. Georgia Southern opens up play under first-year head coach Heather Macy on Monday, Noevember 2, traveling to Bowling Green State for a 7 p.m. contest against the Falcons.
2026-27 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
Â
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Tessa Grady, Coastal Carolina [R-Jr. | F | Dublin, Ohio]
Jordan Marshall, Louisiana Tech [3rd | F | Little Rock, Ark.]
Daisia Mitchell, App State [Sr. | G | Riverside, Calif.]
Bree Robinson, James Madison [4th | G | Mississauga, Ontario]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [4th | G | Sachse, Texas]
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Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Imani Daniel, Louisiana [So. | F | Gramercy, La.]
Aniya Hubbard, Troy [5th | G | Hoover, Ala.]
Olivia Olson, Marshall [So. | G | New Smyrna Beach, Fla.]
Zakiya Stephenson, James Madison [4th | G | Virginia Beach, Va.]
Joi Williams, App State [Sr. | G | Leesburg, Va.]
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Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Kayla Cleaveland, Georgia Southern [2nd | F | Woodstock, Ga.]
Grace McDonough, James Madison [2nd | F | Harleysville, Pa.]
Chrysta Narcisse, Southern Miss [R-Jr. | G | Lafayette, La.]
Riley Stack, Old Dominion [4th | F | Piedmont, S.C.]
Alexia Weaver, Louisiana Tech [4th | G | Louisville, Ky.]
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Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. James Madison – 189 (11)
2. Troy – 166
3. Arkansas State – 165 (1)
4. Marshall – 151 (1)
5. Louisiana Tech – 148 (1)
6. Old Dominion – 106
T7. Coastal Carolina – 99
T7. Southern Miss – 99
9. App State – 79
10. ULM – 77
11. Georgia Southern – 62
12. South Alabama – 61
13. Louisiana – 42
14. Georgia State – 26
*Parentheses indicate first-place votes
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Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballFriday, October 16
Tuesday, October 13
Monday, October 12
Sunday, October 11
