2026–27 Atlantic 10 Conference Preview
MMH's early look at the Atlantic 10 — team strength, contenders, players to watch and the numbers that could shape the conference.
The Conference at a Glance
A data-driven look ahead to the 2026–27 Atlantic 10 season, combining returning production, roster movement and the MMH model. The 2025–26 final MMH Power Index provides our starting baseline.
2025–26 Final MMH Power Index
The Race Starts With VCU and Saint Louis
The Atlantic 10 enters 2026–27 with two programs providing a natural starting point for the conference race. VCU and Saint Louis shared the regular-season title at 15–3 last season, and both finished at the top of the final 2025–26 MMH Power Index.
VCU enters the new season with substantial continuity from a 28-win NCAA Tournament team. Seven players return, including four of the Rams' top six scorers, giving VCU an experienced foundation rather than forcing the program to rebuild around an entirely new rotation.
Saint Louis presents a different challenge. The Billikens finished 29–6 and No. 1 among Atlantic 10 teams in the final MMH Power Index, but must replace Robbie Avila, whose scoring, passing and versatility were central to their offense. The returning core remains strong, making how Saint Louis redistributes that production one of the conference's biggest questions.
Dayton, George Mason and the rest of the league give the conference additional depth, but the larger MMH question is whether last season's hierarchy survives the roster changes of the offseason. The final 2025–26 Power Index gives us the baseline. The 2026–27 season will tell us which teams actually carry that strength forward.
Players to Watch
Player season statistics, returning production and conference leaders will be added here as we connect player-level data to MMH.
What the Model Sees
This area will highlight the teams and metrics where MMH sees something conventional rankings may be missing.