FOREST, Va. – The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has released its preseason coaches' poll for the 2026-27 season and Randolph-Macon has been picked first for the first time since 2022. The Yellow Jackets received 117 points and eight first-place votes in the process.

En route to the #1 slot, RMC reached its second consecutive ODAC Finals last year and notched its 14th NCAA appearance in program history. Shenandoah was picked in the second spot, totaling 107 points and three first-place votes. The Hornets earned a bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament, in which they lost in the first round to Trine. Defending conference champions Washington & Lee round out the top three, as the Generals earned 103 points and one first-place vote after reaching the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals last season.

Batten ranked fourth after totaling 86 points, with Bridgewater completing the top five with 81 points. Last postseason, the Yellow Jackets defeated both the Marlins and the Eagles en route to the ODAC Championship game.

Hollins (73 points), Guilford (58), Roanoke (56), Lynchburg (44) and Randolph (29) occupy slots 6-10, with Averett (23) and Eastern Mennonite (15) completing the poll.

This past season, the Lemon and Black posted a 21-8 (13-3) record, helping them earn an NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time after not winning the ODAC regular season title or conference championship. Additionally, with the 13-win total in conference play last year, Randolph-Macon reached the figure for the sixth consecutive season, excluding the COVID-19 shortened timeline.

The Yellow Jackets open the season on Tuesday, November 10, with a road contest against #7 Johns Hopkins. The contest is set for 5:00 p.m. in Baltimore, Md.