PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Little East Conference recently released their preseason Coaches' Polls for the 2026-2027 season for both men's and women's basketball, along with men's and women's ice hockey, which saw Keene State College men's basketball finish in a close second by one point in the standings to lead the way for the Owls' programs.
 
Men's basketball was voted second with 60 points and four first place votes in the preseason poll, just one point behind defending LEC champion Western Connecticut State University, who received five first place votes and 61 total points. The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and the University of Southern Maine rounded out the top four with 47 and 43 points, respectively. Steve Enright returns for his third season leading the Owls as he returns two All-Conference honorees from a season ago with First Team member Jordan Cooper, who ranked 14th with 644 points scored across NCAA Division III men's basketball a year ago and reigning LEC Defensive Player of the Year Denis Wainaina, who ranked second in NCAA Division III men's basketball with 109 blocks last season. Senior Wesley Odiase, the 2024 LEC Rookie of the Year, also returns to the Owls, alongside Allyn Wright to highlight the Owls' returners. KSC also brings in four newcomers, led by junior transfer Kyren Smith from Bridgewater College (Va.) and sophomore transfer Kyle Benjamin from Millersville University. The Owls will look to make it back to the NCAA tournament for another postseason run this season after missing the tournament a season ago following four consecutive trips prior. KSC will be tested with a tough non-conference schedule highlighted by Tufts in November before traveling to Las Vegas for the 2026 NABC Division III Tournament where the Owls will take on the University of Chicago and either Randolph Macon College or Wabash College, with all four opponents being consistently among the top teams in Division III.
 
Men's basketball opens their season in Spaulding Gymnasium against Lehman College on Saturday, November 7, at 1:00 PM.
 
Women's basketball was picked to finish in a close fifth place in the preseason polls with 40 points, just three points behind the University of Massachusetts-Boston (43) in third place and two points behind Eastern Connecticut State University (42) in fourth place. Rhode Island College was picked to finish in first with 61 points and five place votes, just one point ahead of USM, with 60 points and four first place votes. Brynn Rautiola returns to the Owls for her senior season after earning a First Team All-LEC selection her first three years with the program and needing just 131 points to become the program's leading scorer. Ruby Dasaro also returns to the Owls after a standout sophomore season, earning a LEC All-Defensive Team selection from her 84 steals (tied for third most in a single season in program history) and her 3.0 steals per game (third-best mark in a season in program history). The Owls bring in six newcomers for the 2026-2027 season, including Kelsey LaMay (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Amaya Spadola (Danielson, Conn.). KSC takes part in a pair of back-to-back games in the BSU Cave Classic against Colby College and either Bridgewater State University or Emerson College before Thanksgiving before the Ed Hockenbury Invitational where the Owls will play Westfield State University and either Norwich University or Wellesley College in the first weekend of December.
 
Women's basketball begins their season with an exhibition at the University of Vermont on Monday, November 2, at 6:00 PM before returning home to open their regular season action against Colby-Sawyer College on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 PM.
 
 
In the second season of the LEC for hockey, the KSC women's ice hockey team was selected sixth of the eight LEC teams in the preseason poll with 23 points. Norwich led the way with 49 points and seven first place votes, while UMB was in second with a pair of first place votes for 42 points. USM (34), the University of Vermont State Castleton (29) and Plymouth State University (27) rounded out spots three through five in the polls. KSC returns First Team All-LEC goaltender Ai Chung in net after recording 817 saves a season ago, which ranked the third most saves across all of NCAA women's ice hockey in her sophomore season. The Owls return captain Ava Iantosca (15 points from seven goals and eight assists), along with alternate captains Brianna Finke (team-high 12 goals and five assists for 17 points), Ellie Patrick (17 points from seven goals and a team-high 10 assists), and Emma McNeil (two game-winning goals). KSC also brings in eight newcomers from five freshman and three transfers, including sophomore Claire Dixon (Beloit College) and freshman Estelle Blanchet (Boucherville, Quebec, Canada). KSC's non-conference matchups consist of three NESCAC opponents as the Owls travel to take on Amherst College, Williams College, and Connecticut College after opening the season against Albertus Magnus College.
 
Women's ice hockey kicks off their third season as a program at home against Albertus Magnus on Friday, October 29, at 3:00 PM before getting right into their second season of LEC action for their following contest against Norwich, who reached the National Championship just a season ago, on the road on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 PM.
 
 
Men's ice hockey was selected to finish ninth in the preseason polls with 24 points, just one point behind UMD (25) in eighth and five points behind New England College (29) in seventh. Ben Skelton returns as the Owls' starting goaltender for his junior season, while senior captain Marcus Chrisafideis (20 points from eight goals and 12 assists), junior Thor Hansen (team-high 23 points from team-highs of 10 goals and 13 assists), and junior Chase Carney (nine goals and nine assists for 18 points) return to lead the Owls' attack. KSC added four newcomers for the season, including senior transfer Josh Steele (PSU), and sophomore transfer Payton Kender (Rivier University). KSC's non-conference matchups are highlighted by contests against Bowdoin College and Colby College on November 28 and November 29 in Maine.
 
The Owls kick off their season at home against Saint Anselm College on Saturday, October 31, at 5:00 PM, before heading to take on Babson College on Friday, November 6, at 7:00 PM in the following contest as the Owls kick off their LEC action in the conference's second season.