ROME, Ga. — The top two seeds are set to clash for the 2026 Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Championship on Sunday.
No. 1 Centre punched its ticket to the championship match with a hard-fought victory over No. 4 Rhodes, capitalizing on a late own goal to secure the win. SAA Offensive Athlete of the Year Zara McCarthy provided the Colonels' offensive spark, scoring in the 14th minute to give Centre the advantage over the Lynx.
No. 2 Trinity secured its return to the championship final with a thrilling double-overtime victory over Sewanee. After the teams finished regulation tied at 1-1, neither side found the back of the net in the first overtime period. However, Talia Camin delivered the golden goal in the second overtime to send the Tigers through. Camin also scored Trinity's lone goal in regulation.
Trinity has been a consistent presence in the national Top 25 throughout the 2026 season, while Centre enters the championship matchup after capturing the SAA regular-season title. The Colonels will look to claim their first SAA Tournament championship since 2022, while the defending champion Tigers aim to repeat and remain atop the conference.
The championship matchup is set for noon ET on Sunday at Berry College.
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.