ASUN 2026-27 Preview | Shooty Hoops

01

The opening tip

Every contender has one job to solve.

This is a league of replacement jobs, not a league with one shared style. Queens needs new shooting around Watford and Parker. Jacksonville must blend more scoring into its physical rebounding base. Lipscomb must replace four double-figure scorers. Stetson must restore perimeter punch around Kuhl.

The ASUN lost both of last season’s regular-season co-champions, but it did not lose the team holding the trophy. Queens returns the two players at the center of its next version. Jordan Watford averaged 11.8 points and a team-best 3.9 assists in only 20.8 minutes, then delivered 19 points and six assists in the title game. Avantae Parker shot 67.1 percent, averaged 11.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, and protected the rim. The Royals know that foundation works. Their problem is replacing the shooting and secondary creation that left with Chris Ashby, Carson Schwieger, Nasir Mann and Yoav Berman. Freshman scorer Caleb Jones and transfer Dante Kearse are being asked to fill real jobs, not merely add depth. Jacksonville has the clearest path to taking the league from them. Hayden Wood scored 13.7 points per ASUN game and shot 37.5 percent from three in league play as a freshman. Evan Sterck supplied 98 assists against 48 turnovers, and Jordan Mincy’s team led the conference in league-play rebounding margin. Now Caleb Williams arrives after averaging 15.6 points at Lafayette, while former Stetson scorer Jamie Phillips Jr. adds another proven way to pressure a defense. Jacksonville does not need to invent a new identity. It needs the added offense to fit inside the physical, possession-by-possession basketball Mincy has already built. Lipscomb and Stetson threaten in completely different ways. Mateo Esmeraldo recorded 223 assists against only 51 turnovers. Titas Sargiunas returns beside him, but the Bisons must replace four double-figure scorers. Truman Byrne can pass and shoot at 6-foot-9, Hugo Tidare shot 44 percent from three in Sweden’s top league, and Vuk Visnjic averaged 19.0 points and 5.3 assists in Serbia’s second division. Stetson owns the conference’s most efficient proven interior scorer in Collin Kuhl, who averaged 13.1 points on 65.6 percent shooting. Finley Sheridan and Alex Doyle both shot better than 40 percent from three, but the Hatters must replace Ethan Copeland’s 109 threes and the 16.0 points per game Phillips took to Jacksonville. The next group has reasons to matter beyond depth. FGCU brings back eight players and adds Elijah Brooks to a core led by Darren Williams. Bellarmine still has Kenyon Goodin’s shooting and Tyler Doyle’s playmaking, but it must rebound better after losing its two leading scorers. West Florida enters Division I after averaging 85 points on 48 percent shooting, with Tim Hall Jr. bringing production on both ends of the floor. North Florida is betting that Kent Jackson and Elijah Elliott can lift a young frontcourt. The ASUN is not built around one shared style. It will be decided by which contender solves its specific missing piece first.

The defining storyline
Can Queens replace enough shooting around Watford and Parker before Jacksonville’s new scorers settle in, or will Esmeraldo’s control and Stetson’s frontcourt take over the league?

02

Official projection + model comparison

The big board

See how every team stacks up through projected records, finish ranges, and the model’s view of the race.

Ranking machine · comparison at a glance

Editorial board vs. model

1JacksonvilleCaleb Williams and Jamie Phillips Jr. join Hayden Wood to give Jacksonville the league's most proven collection of scorers.
Conf / overall11-3 / 20-11TierFavoriteCeiling / floor1–4
Boards agree · #1
1Official rankJacksonvilleCaleb Williams and Jamie Phillips Jr. join Hayden Wood to give Jacksonville the league's most proven collection of scorers.Boards agree · #1Conf / overall11-3 / 20-11TierFavoriteRange1–4
2LipscombMateo Esmeraldo can organize every possession, but replacing Grant Asman's scoring and rebounding will require several young forwards to grow up quickly.
Conf / overall10-4 / 19-12TierContenderCeiling / floor1–4
Boards agree · #2
2Official rankLipscombMateo Esmeraldo can organize every possession, but replacing Grant Asman's scoring and rebounding will require several young forwards to grow up quickly.Boards agree · #2Conf / overall10-4 / 19-12TierContenderRange1–4
3StetsonCollin Kuhl owns the paint and Alec Oglesby restores elite shooting, but Stetson must replace more than 30 points per game from two departed scorers.
Conf / overall9-5 / 18-13TierContenderCeiling / floor1–6
2 spots higher than published model · #5
3Official rankStetsonCollin Kuhl owns the paint and Alec Oglesby restores elite shooting, but Stetson must replace more than 30 points per game from two departed scorers.2 spots higher than published model · #5Conf / overall9-5 / 18-13TierContenderRange1–6
4QueensQueens lost four double-figure scorers, but Jordan Watford, Avantae Parker, Corbin Pack, and Caleb Jones give the champions a real way to replace them.
Conf / overall8-6 / 17-14TierContenderCeiling / floor1–6
1 spot lower than published model · #3
4Official rankQueensQueens lost four double-figure scorers, but Jordan Watford, Avantae Parker, Corbin Pack, and Caleb Jones give the champions a real way to replace them.1 spot lower than published model · #3Conf / overall8-6 / 17-14TierContenderRange1–6
5FGCUFGCU brings eight players back, but Elijah Brooks must replace the organization Rahmir Barno gave last season's semifinalist.
Conf / overall6-8 / 14-17TierDangerous MiddleCeiling / floor3–8
3 spots higher than published model · #8
5Official rankFGCUFGCU brings eight players back, but Elijah Brooks must replace the organization Rahmir Barno gave last season's semifinalist.3 spots higher than published model · #8Conf / overall6-8 / 14-17TierDangerous MiddleRange3–8
6BellarmineKenyon Goodin, Tyler Doyle, and Sam Donald can keep Bellarmine skilled, but 36.7 points per game left with Jack Karasinski and Brian Waddell.
Conf / overall6-8 / 13-18TierDangerous MiddleCeiling / floor3–8
Boards agree · #6
6Official rankBellarmineKenyon Goodin, Tyler Doyle, and Sam Donald can keep Bellarmine skilled, but 36.7 points per game left with Jack Karasinski and Brian Waddell.Boards agree · #6Conf / overall6-8 / 13-18TierDangerous MiddleRange3–8
7West Fla.Tim Hall gives West Florida a proven interior anchor, but almost every important perimeter possession now belongs to a newcomer.
Conf / overall5-9 / 12-19TierLong ShotCeiling / floor4–8
3 spots lower than published model · #4
7Official rankWest Fla.Tim Hall gives West Florida a proven interior anchor, but almost every important perimeter possession now belongs to a newcomer.3 spots lower than published model · #4Conf / overall5-9 / 12-19TierLong ShotRange4–8
8North FloridaKent Jackson can carry the shooting, but North Florida cannot escape the bottom until a new frontcourt repairs last season's defense and rebounding.
Conf / overall4-10 / 11-20TierLong ShotCeiling / floor5–8
1 spot lower than published model · #7
8Official rankNorth FloridaKent Jackson can carry the shooting, but North Florida cannot escape the bottom until a new frontcourt repairs last season's defense and rebounding.1 spot lower than published model · #7Conf / overall4-10 / 11-20TierLong ShotRange5–8

03

The interactive scouting room

Team-by-team preview

Move across the conference one program at a time. Open projected rotations, meet the players, and inspect the identity and postseason case behind every ranking.

2026-27 team preview · official rank 1

Jacksonville

guard-richnew-look favoritelate-clock capable

1/8

Conference

11-3

Overall

20-11

Finish window

1–4

Confidence

80%

Official order · choose a team file

Projected rotation · Published roster depth chart

10 of 10 primary spots filled

Tap any player

Starting five

Second unit

04

Five on the floor

The All-Conference court

Explore all three projected teams. Select a player for the spotlight, then choose Open Player Card for their full profile.

🥇 First Team

05

The hardware

The awards race

Browse every projected award race. See the current favorite, the strongest challengers, and the case for each pick.

1 / 7

The projected podium

Player of the Year

Why this pick leads

Caleb Williams owns the highest creation ceiling, while Collin Kuhl is the safest interior star. Mateo Esmeraldo has the cleanest combination of returning production, two-way rating and command of a contender.

Projection confidence62%

How strongly the current projection favors this pick. These are not betting odds.

06

Beyond the main ballot

The extra pages

Meet the players outside our All-Conference and award picks who could still shape the race, then explore breakout candidates and bold predictions.

The preview desk supplement3 features

Five players who can redraw the standings

Race Shapers

The ASUN race will turn on answers, not headliners

These players sit outside the projected all-league and awards spotlight, but each controls a specific pressure point for a team with something meaningful to gain.

Rex Stirling
JacksonvilleF · Sr
Jacksonville's second-chance engine
Stirling gave Wofford efficient frontcourt minutes last season, shooting 57.3 percent and grabbing a team-high 58 offensive rebounds in only 14.7 minutes per game. If Stirling scales that high-motor work into starter minutes, the Dolphins can separate from the pack.
77% confident
Truman Byrne
LipscombF · So
Lipscomb's interior hinge
Lipscomb's guards are championship-caliber. Byrne must make the center minutes sturdy enough on the glass and in ball-screen coverage to prevent the projected soft interior from deciding close games.
75% confident
Dante Kearse
QueensG · Jr
Queens' bench creator
Queens needs another player who can bend a defense when Jordan Watford sits or meets a hard trap. If Kearse provides that burst, the Royals can turn a shallow-looking rotation into another tournament threat.
72% confident
Ayuba Bryant
North FloridaC · So
North Florida's paint answer
The Ospreys have enough perimeter skill to be annoying. Bryant's ability to protect the rim, finish and survive without foul trouble determines whether that annoyance becomes a credible climb up the table.
70% confident
Tristen Guillouette
FGCUC · Jr
FGCU's defensive center
FGCU retained more continuity than most of the league. Guillouette must turn that advantage into paint defense and defensive rebounding, the two areas most likely to separate a fifth-place finish from a top-three push.
74% confident

The next tier is ready

Breakout Team

Five players positioned for a larger 2026-27 footprint

Opportunity, continuity and roster need create the openings. These are the players best placed to seize them.

Hayden Wood
JacksonvilleG · So
Featured scorer
The returning All-Freshman guard can become Jacksonville's most dependable half-court scorer.
85% confident
Jordan Watford
QueensG · So
Primary initiator
Queens' repeat bid becomes much more credible if Watford turns size and shot creation into lead-guard consistency.
82% confident
Sam Donald
BellarmineF · So
Frontcourt scorer
Donald has the offensive profile to grow into Bellarmine's interior counterweight to its guard-heavy attack.
82% confident
BJ Plummer
North FloridaF · So
Versatile wing
More efficient wing production from Plummer would ease North Florida's dependence on difficult guard creation.
72% confident
Or Ashkenazi
LipscombG · So
Two-way connector
Ashkenazi can give Lipscomb the defensive versatility and low-maintenance offense that contender lineups need.
74% confident

Three swings worth planting a flag on

Bold Predictions

The title race splits in two

Lipscomb is built for the long haul. Jacksonville has the closers for March. Stetson surges into the chase, while Queens learns how heavy a title defense can feel.

Split decision
Lipscomb wins the winter. Jacksonville owns March.
Mateo Esmeraldo gives Lipscomb the steady possession-by-possession offense built to survive a full conference schedule, with Titas Sargiunas beside him as another proven decision-maker. Jacksonville is constructed for the shorter, sharper test: Caleb Williams, Hayden Wood and Jamie Phillips Jr. can each create after the first action breaks down, while Rex Stirling gives the frontcourt a chance to win extra possessions. Lipscomb takes the regular-season crown, but Jacksonville wins the conference tournament and goes dancing.
Confidence · 66%
Biggest riser
Stetson gets close enough to make it hurt.
Collin Kuhl's finishing forces help, and Alec Oglesby and Finley Sheridan have already proved they can punish that help from three. If Daniel Macgregor turns into steady full-season point-guard play, Stetson can stay in the title race through the final week and push deep into the conference tournament. The Hatters take the league's biggest step forward, but a backcourt still learning how to close games leaves them one win short of the championship.
Confidence · 61%
Difficult title defense
Queens feels the weight of the crown.
Jordan Watford and Avantae Parker give Queens two proven championship pieces, but four departed double-figure scorers take 45.3 points per game, most of the perimeter shooting and much of the secondary creation with them. Corbin Pack's shooting and Caleb Jones' scoring upside are real, yet both are being asked to replace established roles immediately. The Royals remain dangerous, but they spend too much of the season rebuilding last year's offensive chemistry to return to championship form, and finish in the bottom half of the league.
Confidence · 58%

07

Your turn on the record

Build your conference ballot

Make every call yourself, save your unfinished ballot on this device, and see where your picks agree with Shooty Hoops or go their own way.

Stage 4 · Personal + public ballotPrivate until you publish

Build your own board

Rank the league, draw your tiers, name fifteen All-Conference players, and hand out the hardware. Your draft stays on this device until you choose to publish it. You can return to the same link to edit and resubmit later.

Checking for a local draft

08

The crowd's ballot

Community consensus

See where completed fan ballots agree, where opinions split, and how the community compares with Shooty Hoops and your own picks.

Counting the room

Building the current community board…

The ASUN rises on four fronts.

Conference superlatives