Lady Panthers Set Their Sights on Championship Run in 2026-27 Season
Terica Peay
Orangeburg, S.C. — Two consecutive seasons have brought the Claflin University women's basketball program within reach of a championship. Now, as the Lady Panthers prepare for the 2026-27 campaign, the message from head coach
Terrence Jenkins is clear: reaching the doorstep is no longer enough.
"Two years brought us close. This year brings us together," Jenkins said. "One team, one vision, one mission — finish what we started."
Claflin enters the new season looking to build on a 2025-26 campaign that ended in the semifinals of the CIAA Tournament. The Lady Panthers were picked to finish fifth in the conference's preseason poll, placing them among the teams expected to contend as the race for the CIAA title gets underway.
Jenkins, entering his sixth season at the helm, returns with a familiar and experienced coaching staff that includes assistant coaches Mike Bland and Ervin Monier, along with Special Assistant to the Head Coach Nimbrick Green. Together, the staff will guide a retooled roster that blends returning experience with new talent and a different look across the lineup.
The 2026-27 roster features eight returning players and eight newcomers. The group brings together student-athletes from across the South and Midwest, with added depth at the guard and forward positions. The roster includes two seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores, and one freshman, giving Claflin a mix of experience and players continuing to develop within the program.
For Jenkins, the combination offers an opportunity to build on the foundation established over the past two seasons while creating a stronger sense of connection among a group with new faces and shared expectations. "We know what it feels like to be close. We've spent the last two seasons knocking on the door of a championship, and those experiences have only strengthened our hunger, sharpened our focus, and elevated our expectations," Jenkins said.
"As we enter this new season, we welcome back a strong, experienced core and add talented newcomers who bring fresh energy, new dimensions, and championship potential," Jenkins added. "This is an opportunity to build on our accomplishments, learn from experience, and take the next step toward our goal. We've been close, tested, and prepared. Now it's time to turn opportunity into achievement. Our standard is excellence. Our mindset is championship. Our mission remains unfinished."
A schedule built for an early test
The Lady Panthers will have opportunities to establish their identity early, with a schedule that features a combination of non-conference competition and familiar CIAA opponents. The slate includes Coker University, USC Aiken, Bowie State, Lincoln University, Middle Georgia State, Bluefield State, Emmanuel, Shaw, Elizabeth City State, Livingstone, Fayetteville State, Virginia State, Virginia Union, Winston-Salem State and Johnson C. Smith before the conference tournament.
Claflin opens the season at home against Coker University on Monday, Nov. 9, at 5:30 p.m. inside Tullis Arena. The matchup marks the first meeting between the programs since December 2022, when the Lady Panthers edged the Lady Cobras, 62-61.
Coker enters the season under new head coach Megan Hall after capturing the South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship last year. The Lady Cobras were selected sixth in the 2026-27 SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and return 10 players from that championship squad. Among the returning players are preseason SAC Players to Watch Kamari Thompson and Dasia Ferguson.
The season opener will give Claflin an early opportunity to measure its progress against a team coming off a strong postseason run. It also begins a stretch of competition that will challenge the Lady Panthers to find consistency, develop chemistry, and make the most of their depth before the conference schedule takes center stage.
The next step
The expectations surrounding Claflin are rooted in more than a preseason ranking. The Lady Panthers have experienced the demands of a postseason push and understand how narrow the margin can be between a promising season and a championship opportunity. That experience now becomes part of the foundation for a new group.
With returning players providing continuity, transfers bringing additional options, and a coaching staff familiar with the program's direction, Claflin will look to turn that experience into results throughout the season.
The road begins Monday night at Tullis Arena. For Jenkins and the Lady Panthers, the objective is not simply to repeat the progress of the past two years. It is to take the next step.
Close is not the destination. Championship is the standard.
Stay Connected
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About Claflin University Athletics
Claflin University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution that sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. The university's athletic program includes volleyball; women's flag football; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's basketball; softball; men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field; and baseball. Claflin's teams compete primarily in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), while the baseball program competes in the Peach Belt Conference.
