CANTON, Ga. - The Southern Athletic Association has released the 2025-26 Men’s Basketball All-Conference teams ahead of the tournament.
Sewanee junior Fletcher Bigham was voted the Athlete of the Year while Trinity Senior Zach Fenn was named the Defensive Athlete of the Year. Sewanee first year Nikolas Avaliani is the Rookie of the Year and Rhodes, led by head coach Zo Goodson, was tabbed as the Coaching Staff of the Year.
All-Conference voting and selection of the All-Sportsmanship team was conducted among the conference’s head coaches.
Athlete of the Year - Fletcher Bigham (Sewanee | JR | Charlotte, NC)
Bigham has been a dominant force for the Tigers this season, averaging 19 points per game — second-best in the league — while leading the conference on the glass with 11 rebounds per contest. The junior has earned Southern Athletic Association Athlete of the Week honors five times and paces his team with 14 double-doubles.
Defensive Athlete of the Year - Zach Fenn (Trinity | SR | Covington, LA)
Fenn enters the tournament just seven steals shy of the 100-steal mark for the season. He currently leads NCAA Division III in steals per game at an impressive 3.72, showcasing his disruptive presence and defensive impact on a national level.
Rookie of the Year - Nikolas Avaliani (Sewanee | FR | Marietta, GA)
Averaging 18.2 points per contest, Avaliani has earned Southern Athletic Association Rookie of the Year honors after an outstanding debut season. He has recorded three 30-plus point performances while playing a key role in helping his team secure an SAA tournament berth. Avaliani also ranks fourth in the league in minutes played this season.
Coaching Staff of the Year -Rhodes (Head Coach Zo Goodson)
Under head coach Zo Goodson, the Lynx have captured a share of the Southern Athletic Association regular-season title for the first time since the 2016–17 campaign. Rhodes has been dominant on both ends of the floor, leading the conference in scoring margin while setting the tone defensively, allowing just 68.2 points per game. With an outstanding 21–4 overall record, the Lynx enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed, carrying momentum into postseason play.
First Team All-Conference:
Jackson Huxtable (Rhodes)
Fletcher Bigham (Sewanee)
Will Bronson (Trinity)
Drake Ingram (Centre)
Phil Dotson (Rhodes)
Second Team All-Conference:
Jackson Lawson (Trinity)
Shobby Enakpene (Southwestern)
Shawn Jones Jr. (Rhodes)
Nikolas Avaliani (Sewanee)
Nolan Wahl (Centre)
Honorable Mention:
Berry - Cameron Pope
Centre - Kalib Thomas
Millsaps - Jaxon Toney, Davion James, Caleb Kent
Oglethorpe - Malachi Dooley, Jackson Kemp
Sewanee - Reid Carrier
Southwestern - Aedan Lewis
Trinity - Zach Fenn, Dean Balo
All-Sportsmanship Team:
Berry - Ethan Morgan
Centre - Clay Sizemore
Millsaps - Colt Donley
Oglethorpe - Andrew LaVigne
Rhodes - Cass Ramberg
Sewanee - Jack Bakken
Southwestern - Sebastian Loder
Trinity - Zach Austin
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 ofyour Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.