2025-26 CENTENARY ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

Enjoy the preview below of our Ladies and Gents' Winter Sports programs!

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

The Ladies and Gents are just a few games each into their seasons and will be at home for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday at home against Arlington Baptist University. The women's game is set for 6 PM with the Gents to follow at approximately 8 PM inside the Gold Dome.

The Ladies (1-3) opened their season on Nov. 7 at home with a 76-50 to the East Texas Baptist University Tigers, lost 59-52 three days later at home to Jarvis Christian University, and then went 1-1 on the road last week.

Centenary defeated the Mississippi University for Women (MUW) Owls 70-67 last Thursday in Columbus, Miss. and then lost 78-53 to Millsaps College on Friday in Jackson, Miss. The Ladies gave first-year head coach Rennie Bailey his first victory as head coach of the Maroon and White with Thursday's win over the Owls.

The Ladies have 21 regular-season games remaining – 10 at home and 11 on the road. Centenary will play 16 Southern Collegiate Athletic Association contests - nine on the road and seven at home. The Maroon and White will open league play at LeTourneau University on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 PM in Longview, Texas. Centenary's first league game at home is set for Friday, Jan. 2 against LeTourneau at 7:30 PM.

Centenary's final home game will be on Saturday, Feb. 14 against the University of the Ozarks at 6 PM and the Ladies will finish the regular season on the road at Colorado College (Feb. 20 – 7:30 PM) and the University of St. Thomas (Feb. 22 – 2 PM).

The Ladies' remaining non-conference games following tomorrow's meeting with ABU are: Wiley University (Nov. 25), a road rematch with ETBU in Marshall, Texas on Dec. 9 and a pair of games with Howard Payne University – on Dec. 12 in Brownwood, Texas and Jan. 20 at home.

Centenary was picked to finish 12^th in the conference this season in the SCAC preseason poll. The top six teams in the conference will qualify for the SCAC Women's Basketball Tournament, which will be held February 27 through March 1 and hosted by Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. The winner of that event will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Gents (0-3) aim for their first win of the season when they take their home court on Tuesday. They have played a tough schedule to date with losses to Berry College (77-55) and Pfeiffer University (78-77) as part of the Viking Tip-Off Classic in Rome, Ga. along with a 73-67 loss to ETBU at home on Friday night in their home opener.

The Gents have 22 regular-season games remaining – 10 home games, 12 road games, and 16 conference contests with nine on the road and seven at home.

First-year head coach J.A. Anglin is leading the Gents this season and is assisted by Associate Head Coach Dominic Percia and assistant coach Jeff Wiese. Former Gent Jalen Ned, who finished his career last season, has joined the staff as a Student Assistant Coach.

The Gents' first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest is Tuesday, Dec. 2 at LeTourneau University (7:30 PM). Centenary's first league game at home is set for Friday, Jan. 2 against LeTourneau at 5:30 PM. The Gents are 48-22 at the Gold Dome over the last six seasons with a pair of double-digit win seasons.  

Centenary's final home game will be on Saturday, Feb. 14 against the University of the Ozarks at 4 PM and the Gents will finish the regular season on the road at Colorado College (Feb. 20 – 6:30 PM) and the University of St. Thomas (Feb. 22 – NOON).

The Gents' remaining non-conference games following tomorrow's meeting with ABU are: at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Nov. 25), at ETBU (Dec. 9), at Howard Payne University (Dec. 12), versus UMHB (Dec. 19), and Howard Payne at home on Jan. 20.

The Gents were picked to finish ninth in the SCAC Preseason Poll this season. The top six teams in the conference will qualify for the SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament, which will be held February 27 through March 1 and hosted by Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. The winner of that event will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING

Patrick Garrett, who assisted the Ladies and Gents last season in a volunteer role, is in his first season as head coach. Butch Jordan is in his 25th year with the Centenary men's and women's swimming program and fifth season as assistant coach, and Curtis Melancon assists in his third year with the Centenary Swim Program.

The Ladies and Gents opened their seasons last month with a conference dual meet against McMurry University in Abilene, Texas.

The Maroon and White edged the War Hawks, 165-162, on the first day and fell 194-179 on day two. The Ladies recorded strong performances both days, winning 95-51 and 107-63 while the Gents were downed by scores of 111-70 and 131-72.

Sophomore Hunter Hedges (Murphy, Texas), had an impressive start to his season to lead the way for the men as he recorded a trio of individual wins and finished as runner-up twice. Hedges claimed wins in the 50 fly (24.35), 200 IM (2:04.39), and 100 breast (1:03.10) and finished as runner-up in both the 50 breast (29.10) and 100 IM (57.21).

Junior Reece Esser (Huntsville, Texas) had a superb start to her season as she recorded five individual wins and was a member of a pair of winning relay teams in the 200 free relay and 400 medley relay. Esser recorded wins in the 50 fly (28.24), 100 fly (1:03.82), 50 back (30.29), and twice in the 50 free - 25.86 and 24.46 on Saturday, her career personal best and the third-fastest time in program history in the event.

Centenary then held its annual Intrasquad/Alumni Meet on Oct. 25 as over 30 former Ladies and Gents joined with the current squads for a memorable reunion and competition. 

Centenary recorded a combined victory over the University of the Ozarks by a score of 219-125 in a conference dual meet on Nov. 1 at home. The Gents earned a dominating 137-27 victory while the Ladies fell 98-82. Hedges continued the strong start to his season as he tallied three individual wins on the men's side and Esser matched Hedges with three wins of her own to lead the Ladies. 

The Ladies and Gents will return to action this weekend as they compete in the "Mid-Season Invitational" hosted by Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.

Centenary will compete in a pair of meets in January – the Austin College Invitational on Jan. 10 in Sherman, Texas and will close the regular season at home in a conference tri-meet against Austin College and the University of St. Thomas on Jan. 17 at 1 PM on Senior Day.

The 2026 SCAC Championships are set for Feb. 11-14 in Garland, Texas.

GYMNASTICS

The Ladies open their season on Sunday, Jan. 11 in a quad meet against Fisk, Wilberforce, and Greenville in Nashville, Tenn.

Meg Crowley enters her fourth season as head coach of the Ladies this season. Crowley, a Spring, Texas native, is a former Centenary gymnast (2009-13) who helped lead the Ladies to a third-place finish at the 2013 USA Gymnastics Collegiate Nationals, also finishing third on floor and served as team co-captain her senior year.

Centenary will compete in the 2026 Windy City Invite on Jan. 16 in Chicago and then have two more road meets to close the month - Illinois State University on Jan. 18 and at Greenville on Jan. 24.

The Ladies' home debut is set for Friday, Feb. 6 against Greenville at 5 PM in the Gold Dome. The following weekend Centenary is back at home to face Texas Woman's University on Sunday, Feb. 15 (1 PM) and the Ladies close the month with a pair of road meets at Alaska (Feb. 20 and 22).

Centenary's final home meet of the season is set for Friday, March 6 against Fisk and Wilberforce at 6 PM. The Ladies' final regular-season meet is on Sunday, Feb. 15 against Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

The Ladies will compete in the annual Midwest Independent Conference Championship on Friday, March 20 in Normal, Ill. and hosted by Illinois State University.

The 2026 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championships are set for March 27-29 in West Chester, Pa.

Last season was a special one for the program as Centenary served as host for the 2025 WCGNI Championships and the MIC Championships at the Gold Dome. Crowley was named the 2025 WCGNIC Coach of the Year and 14 Ladies were named WCGNIC 2025 Scholar-Athletes as they held either a cumulative 3.3 GPA or Fall semester GPA of 3.3. Five Ladies had 4.0 GPAs in the fall semester.

Tickets for all home events are on sale now via the official Centenary athletics web site so be sure to get your tickets in advance and come cheer the Ladies and Gents in person throughout the 2025-26 athletics season.

Tickets can be purchased now at the following link: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/la/shreveport/organization/69826/centenary-college-of/tickets

A new policy implemented requires fans to pay to attend all 2025-26 Centenary home athletic events and tickets can only be purchased online. NO cash sales will be available. Centenary students, faculty & staff are allowed into every home event FREE with a valid Centenary ID.

Centenary Athletics also features an exclusive media rights contract with FloSports. All Centenary home athletic events will stream on the FloCollege subscription-based streaming platform.

FloSports is available on the web and for download on mobile devices (iOS and Android) as well as smart TVs and streaming devices Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. To subscribe to FloSports please visit https://www.flosports.tv/

See the complete 2025-26 home composite schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/composite

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