Samford Women's Basketball Team Wins SoCon Championship

Bulldogs prepare for NCAA Tournament after defeating top-seeded Chattanooga Mocs

Mar. 10, 2026 at 4:04am

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The Samford Bulldog women's basketball team was celebrated on campus after winning the Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament championship on Sunday. The team, led by first-year head coach Matt Wise, overcame a slow start to the conference schedule and defeated the top-seeded Chattanooga Mocs to earn their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012.

Why it matters

Samford's championship run is a remarkable achievement, especially for a team that was not expected to compete for the title this season. The Bulldogs' success highlights the program's growth and the impact of first-year coach Matt Wise, who has instilled a winning mentality in the team.

The details

Samford freshman Francie Morris scored 22 points in the SoCon championship game, while fellow freshman Kaylee Yarbrough added 25 points. The Bulldogs stumbled early in conference play, starting 1-6, but rallied to win 8 of their final 10 games, including victories over three co-champions, to claim the title.

  • The Samford Bulldogs won the SoCon Tournament championship on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
  • Samford celebrated their championship victory on their campus on Monday, March 10, 2026.

The players

Matt Wise

Samford's first-year head coach who guided the team to the SoCon championship in his debut season.

Francie Morris

Samford freshman who scored 22 points in the SoCon championship game.

Kaylee Yarbrough

Samford freshman who scored 25 points in the SoCon championship game.

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What they’re saying

“I am just so excited to see where we'll be seeded and it's going to be a fun experience to be with my teammates and this is just an unreal dream to me.”

— Francie Morris, Samford Freshman

“For us, it's not even a matter of who we get matched up with or where we get sent. This is the way we have approached everything - when's the next practice? What are we going to work on, get better at, then when we find out our opponent on Sunday then we'll absolutely get to work to go to battle with that team.”

— Matt Wise, Samford Head Coach

“Our coach is really good at keeping us prepared. We talked a lot before conference that preparation equals confidence. So we kinda engraved that in our brains and believed it.”

— Kaylee Yarbrough, Samford Freshman

What’s next

The Samford Bulldogs will find out their NCAA Tournament seeding and opponent on Selection Sunday.

The takeaway

Samford's championship run demonstrates the impact of a new coach and the resilience of a team that overcame early struggles to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs' success has energized the campus and community, setting the stage for an exciting March Madness appearance.