ATHENS, Tenn. – The University of Pikeville is the pick to repeat as champions of the AAC in men's basketball this season.
 
That is the result of the poll of the 13 coaches in the conference, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Bears received eight first-place votes and 159 ratings points, narrowly finishing ahead of Johnson (Tenn.), which got 154 points and three first-place votes.
 
UPike is coming of a 27-5 season during which it finished 18-1 to win the conference by five games. They advanced to the NAIA national tournament in Columbia, Mo.
 
Four all-conference starters graduated from that team, with sophomore Zion Blevins the only returning starter.
 
Blevins, a 6-7 sophomore from Chapmanville, W.Va., was the conference freshman and defensive player of the year after averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He was also named to the second-team all-conference squad.
 
Reserve guard Jaylen Rigdon also returns. A 6-1 junior from Maysville, Rigdon averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 88.0 percent from the free throw line.
 
UPike and Johnson were followed in the Top 5 of the poll by Columbia International (S.C.), Union Commonwealth and Tennessee Wesleyan. CIU picked up a first-place vote and 136 points, while Union had the remaining top-line nod and 122 points.
 
Montreat (N.C.), Truett McConnell (Ga.), Bryan (Tenn.), Milligan (Tenn.) and Reinhardt (Ga.) complete the Top 10. They are followed by Columbia (S.C.), Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) and Bluefield (Va.).
 
The 2026-27 regular season will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 3, when the Bears travel to Williamsburg to play the University of the Cumberlands at 7 p.m.
 
The home opener is on Friday, Nov. 6 when the Bears host WVU-Tech at 8 p.m. at the UPike Gym in the UPike Classic.
 
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