By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – A repeat men’s basketball title winner could be on the horizon in the eyes of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference coaches, who tabbed reigning regular-season champion Central Washington the favorite in the 2025-26 preseason coaches poll released on Thursday.
 
The Wildcats, who went 22-10 overall and won their second GNAC title at 14-4 in league play in 2024-25, received 6 of 10 first-place votes and accumulated 90 points to sit atop the preseason rankings. Northwest Nazarene was five points behind at 85 and received two first-place votes after going 20-8 last year and finishing second in the conference at 13-5 in league play. Third-ranked Montana State Billings (75 points) and fourth-ranked Western Washington (67 points) each received one of the remaining two first-place votes.
 

2025-26 GNAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank	Team (1st Votes)	Points	2024-25	2024-25 GNAC	Roster	Schedule
1	Central Washington (6)	90	22-10	14-4 (1st)	CWU Roster	CWU Schedule
2	Northwest Nazarene (2)	85	20-8	13-5 (2nd)	NNU Roster	NNU Schedule
3	Montana State Billings (1)	75	21-12	11-7 (T3rd)	MSUB Roster	MSUB Schedule
T4	Western Washington (1)	67	19-10	11-7 (T3rd)	WWU Roster	WWU Schedule
T4	Saint Martin's	67	19-12	8-10 (7th)	SMU Roster	SMU Schedule
6	Alaska Anchorage	50	12-19	5-13 (T8th)	UAA Roster	UAA Schedule
7	Seattle Pacific	43	18-15	11-7 (T3rd)	SPU Roster	SPU Schedule
8	Alaska	39	14-14	10-8 (6th)	UAF Roster	UAF Schedule
9	Simon Fraser	20	9-19	5-13 (9th)	SFU Roster	SFU Schedule
10	Western Oregon	14	5-23	2-16 (10th)	WOU Roster	WOU Schedule
Points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

The conference portion of the 2025-26 schedule gets off to an early start with an opening round of games Dec. 4-6. The rest of the 18-game league schedule will kick off on New Year’s Day with a full slate of games. The top-six teams in the GNAC regular-season standings will earn spots in the 2026 GNAC Men’s Basketball Championships, which run March 5-7 at Western Washington’s Carver Gym in Bellingham, Wash. The winner of the conference tournament will earn the GNAC’s automatic berth into the NCAA West Region Championships, which are scheduled for March 12-16 at campus sites. All regular-season games hosted by GNAC schools this season will feature a live video stream available for purchase on the new GNAC Network.
 

It had been 13 years since the Wildcats hoisted the GNAC regular-season trophy, before head coach Brandon Rinta delivered the crown last winter with the top record during the conference season. CWU reached the semifinals of the GNAC Championships with a thrilling, 101-100 double-overtime win over Montana State Billings, before falling to eventual champion Seattle Pacific 72-61. The Wildcats repeated that feat at the NCAA West Region Championships, knocking off Chico State 82-79 in overtime before a 77-65 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills ended their season in the second round. Rinta, who earned GNAC Coach of the Year honors for the first time, has an overall record of 105-76 (.580) and is 58-52 (.527) in conference play through his seven seasons leading CWU.
 
The top returners to CWU’s lineup this fall include juniors Jordan Clark (G, 6-2, Seattle Christian) and Bradley Swillie (G, 6-5, Bella Vista College Prep). Clark ranked third on the team with 11.7 points per game and was second with 2.94 assists per game last year. In 22.2 minutes per game, Swillie contributed 9.1 points and shot 47.9% from the floor. Transfers from NCAA Division I Siena in sophomore Bralyn Smith (G, 6-5) and junior Michael Ojo (F, 6-7) and from West Georgia in Demetrus Johnson II (G, 6-0) are among the Wildcats’ new faces this season. CWU also landed Mt. Hood CC transfer Jalen Childs (G, 6-3) who averaged 16.9 points per game in the NWAC last year and Chae Haynes (F, 6-9) who led his Tacoma CC unit with 16.8 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game.
 
CWU will need to replace 2024-25 GNAC Player of the Year Cavin Holden, who led the squad with 15.1 points per game, and fellow GNAC first-teamer Garrett Anderson, who was second with 14.3 points per game. The ‘Cats begin their title defense at the DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic in Langley, B.C., on Oct. 31-Nov. 2. CWU’s other non-conference trips include two games in Seaside, Calif. (Nov. 14-15) and two in Seattle (Nov. 28-29). The last GNAC men’s basketball team to repeat as regular-season champion was Saint Martin’s (2021-22 & 2022-23), and four total programs have achieved the feat (Western Oregon, 2014-15/2015-16; Western Washington, 2011-12/2012-13; Humboldt State, 2001-02/2002-03/2003-04).
 
The NNU Nighthawks have been knocking on the door of their first GNAC title recently, finishing second in the standings in each of the last two seasons. NNU fell in the opening round of the GNAC Championships 73-68 at the hands of SPU and in the first round of the NCAA regional 66-59 against CSU Dominguez Hills to end what was overall a successful 2024-25 campaign. Jon Hawkins is set to begin his third season in charge after compiling a two-year record of 37-18 (.673) including 26-10 (.722) in conference play.
 
Kye Dickson, the 2024-25 GNAC Newcomer of the Year and NNU’s leading scorer at 18.5 points per game, will leave the most noticeable void in the team’s lineup this year. Ryzin Bergersen (10.6 ppg) and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Yaru Harvey (10.4 ppg) will also need to be replaced after each scoring in double figures last year. Junior Briggs Ranstrom (F, 6-6, Idaho State), who was fourth on the team with 9.2 points per game and second with 5.7 rebounds per game, projects as the unit’s top returner.
 
A flurry of newcomers on the roster includes Eastern Oregon transfer Garrett Hawkes (G, 6-3), who averaged 18.0 points and shot 46.2% across 57 games played in two seasons. Other experienced incoming players are West Virginia State transfer Jaden Byers (G, 6-2), who averaged 9.5 points in 26 games played for the Division I Yellow Jackets in 2024-25, Evansville transfer Michael Day (F, 6-11) and Murray State College transfer RJ Chatman (G, 5-9). From the Division II level, Cal State San Marcos transfers Kyelin King (G, 6-5), who averaged 7.0 points in 14.8 minutes as a freshman in the CCAA last year, and Teagen Hoard (G, 6-3) could be contributors as well.
   
NNU’s first regular-season game is Nov. 15 at home against UC Merced, and another highlight of the non-conference schedule is the NNU Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 28-29 at Johnson Sports Center.
 
Montana State Billings is two seasons removed from its GNAC title in the spring of 2024, and was projected to be a top-half contender once again this year. MSUB went 21-12 overall including 11-7 in league games to tie for third place in last season’s conference standings. The ‘Jackets knocked off Western Washington 79-78 in the opening round of the conference tournament on a memorable, half-court buzzer beater by Jajuan Tot, before falling by a single point to the Wildcats in double overtime in what was their final game of the year.
 
The lineup is almost entirely new faces for the Yellowjackets, who don’t return a single player who started a game for them last season. A pair of intra-conference transfers in senior Mason Landdeck (G, 6-3, Seattle Pacific) and junior Jonas La Tour (G/F, 6-6, Seattle Pacific) will make their way to the Magic City this winter. Landdeck was the 2025 GNAC Championships MVP after leading the Falcons to their record fifth conference tournament title. Overall Landdeck was second on SPU last year with 12.1 points per game, while La Tour contributed 10.1 points per game. MSUB also landed a standout in Sonoma State transfer Jakob Milling (G/F, 6-8), who averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game last year in the CCAA.
 
The biggest departures were 2023-24 GNAC Player of the Year Jalen Tot, who averaged 16.1 points per game last season, and 2024-25 first-teamer Kael Robinson who led the squad with 17.4 points per game. Luke Fennelly kicks off his third season leading the Yellowjackets, who he took to the NCAA tournament for just the second time in his debut in 2023-24. Fennelly holds a record of 41-22 (.651) overall and is 25-11 (.694) in conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets host the D2CCA Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead Nov. 7-9 at Alterowitz Gym to symbolize the start of the season. MSUB also has trips to Hilo, Hawaii (Nov. 14-15), Grand Junction, Colo. (Nov. 28-29) and Las Vegas (Dec. 20-21) on the calendar during non-conference action.
 
After having their hearts broken by the ‘Jackets at the buzzer in last year’s tournament, Western Washington will look for another successful season in 2024-25. The Vikings went 19-10 overall and tied for third in the conference standings at 11-7 in league play in 2024-25. WWU’s 67 points in the preseason poll tied them with Saint Martin’s for the fourth spot.
 
The Vikings’ top returners include Trevor White (F, 6-7, Tabor Acad.), Louis Grante-Halliday (F, 6-7, Seattle), Garrett Levesque (G, 6-6, UTEP) and Aidan Rice (G, 6-3, Beaverton). White is the top returning scorer after averaging 10.8 points per game and adding 4.2 rebounds per game last season. Levesque’s figure of 6.4 rebounds per game led the team last year, while Grante-Halliday averaged 8.4 points and Rice chipped in 6.6 points as a true freshman. Modesto JC transfer Malachi Miller (G, 6-3) put up a promising 15.9 points per game last year in the California Community College Athletic Association, while South Puget Sound CC transfer Nehemiah Pollard (G, 6-4) averaged 14.8 points per game in the NWAC.
 
First-team all-conference guard Tijan Saine (17.3 ppg), Will Wilson (15.7 ppg) and Grant Kepley (14.7 ppg) were WWU’s top three scorers last season, with their departure opening up new opportunities within the team’s offense this winter. Head coach Tony Dominguez is beginning his 13th season leading the team, holding an overall record of 233-125 (.651) and a mark of 140-85 (.622) in conference play. His 140 league wins are third-most in GNAC history, he led WWU to regular-season titles in 2012-13 and 2016-17 and conference tournament crowns in 2017 and 2020.
 
WWU will cross the border to compete in the SFU-hosted event Oct. 31-Nov. 2, and has trips planned to San Rafael, Calif. (Nov. 14-15), Honolulu (Nov. 19-21) and Las Vegas (Dec. 19-20) during the early portion of the season.
 
Matching the Vikings in the preseason poll with 67 points was Saint Martin’s, which went 19-12 overall and finished seventh in the GNAC standings at 8-10 in league play last winter. The Saints said goodbye to one of the best point guards in GNAC history in 2025 graduate Jaden Nielsen-Skinner, who finished his career second in GNAC history with 605 assists and eighth with 5.45 assists

per game.
 
The Saints welcome back their top two scorers from last season in Dae’Kwon Watson (G, 6-1, Auburn) and Diego Trejo-Delgado (F, 6-7, Balboa Prep). Watson was averaging 14.5 points per game before an injury cut his season short after just eight contests. Trejo-Delgado saw action in 31 games and put up 12.6 points per game. Aaron Landon begins his seventh year leading the Saints, holding an overall record of 90-69 (.566) and a mark of 49-42 (.538) in conference play since taking over in the fall of 2019. He delivered back-to-back regular-season titles for the Saints in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
 
SMU’s 2025-26 season starts with a three-game trip to Hawaii (Nov. 14-18), and other than a trip to California Nov. 25-29 they will be at home during the non-conference portion of play.
 
Checking in sixth in the preseason poll with 50 points was Alaska Anchorage, which went 12-19 overall and finished tied for eighth in the conference standings at 5-13 in league play. The Seawolves’ roster features the recognizable names of seniors Bishop Tosi (F, 6-6, Bellevue Coll.) and Hasaan Herrington (G, 6-3, UT Tyler), who are the top returning scorers from last year’s unit having averaged 12.0 points per game and 9.5 points per game, respectively. Among the team’s transfers is senior Akok Machor (G, 6-7), who averaged 7.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 28 games played at fellow Division II UT Tyler last season. Junior big man Sylas Williams (F, 6-7, Skagit Valley Coll.) averaged 20.6 points and 11.7 rebounds last year in the NWAC, while junior Cole Johnson (G, 6-2) put up numbers of 13.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 58 career games during two seasons at Colorado Northwestern CC.
 
Key departures from the UAA program include Tyler Burraston, who led the team with 13.8 points per game, and Sean Evans, who was averaging 12.6 points per game before his 2024-25 season was cut short with an injury. Rusty Osborne begins his 22nd season in charge, having posted a record of 360-233 (.607) overall and 210-151 (.582) throughout his tenure. His overall win total and conference win total are each the most of any coach in conference history. UAA won the GNAC regular-season title in 2008 behind Osborne’s leadership.
 
The Seawolves’ season begins with its longest road trip, as they kick things off with a pair of games in Lakeland, Fla., Nov. 1-2. All but one of UAA’s other nine non-conference games are at the Alaska Airlines Center, as the team will stay mostly close to home through December.
 
Seattle Pacific, the seventh-ranked team in the preseason poll, found the magic at the right time last March and took home the GNAC Championships title. The Falcons garnered 43 points in the coach voting this fall, after going 18-15 overall and tying for third in the conference standings at 11-7 in GNAC contests. After sweeping its way to its first conference tournament title since 2019, the Falcons’ campaign ended with a 68-54 loss to Point Loma in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
 
Keffrey Fazio is back for his third season leading the team, after going 35-30 (.538) overall and 21-15 (.583) in conference games since taking over in 2023. Four of the Falcons’ top five scorers from last season will need to be replaced, including Owen Moriarty (14.5 ppg), Landdeck (12.1 ppg), Jaxon Nap (11.6 ppg/10.0 rpg) and La Tour (10.1 ppg).
 
Graduate student Trace Evans (F, 6-9, UM Kansas City) is the returner with the most experience, starting 24 of 29 games last year and ranking fourth on the team with 10.9 points per game. Julian Mora (G, 5-11, Summit) is also back after playing a key role with 6.5 points off the bench, and Henry Sandberg (G, 6-4, Gonzaga Prep) will look for an accelerated role after starting 15 of 32 games and chipping in 4.6 points. Clark College transfer Theo McMillan (G, 6-2) could make an immediate impact after putting up 17.8 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game within the NWAC last year.
 
The Falcons kick off their season in Pomona, Calif. (Nov. 14-15) before hosting a Thanksgiving tournament (Nov. 28-29) at Brougham Pavilion to highlight non-conference play.
 
Frank Ostanik led the Alaska Nanooks to the GNAC Championships in the first season of his second stint in charge last March, with his team checking in at No. 8 in the preseason rankings with 39 points. Not counting the 2022 championship (which all 10 GNAC teams went to and the Nanooks won), it was the first conference tournament berth for the program since the 2020 campaign. Alaska went 14-14 overall and finished sixth in last year’s conference standings at 10-8 in league play.
 
Senior Jalai O’Keith (G, 6-6, Foothills Christian) is the team’s top returning scorer, averaging 11.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last year. Other senior leadership will come from Cortarius Mingo (G, 6-5, West Valley), Jackson Krug (F, 6-7, Kodiak) and Jeremiah Hersrud (G, 5-9, Colony), who are all home state products. Key transfers are Tariq Weiser (G, 6-3, San Jose City Coll.), who averaged 12.0 points per game last year, Davis Crilly (F, 6-6, San Jose City Coll.) who averaged 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds last year, Joel Amaro (G/F, 6-7, Shoreline Coll.), who averaged 15.7 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in the NWAC, and Luke Fotheringham (F, 6-6, Southwestern Oregon CC) who averaged 8.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in the NWAC.
 
The Nanooks said goodbye to their top three scorers from last year in Isaiah Saams-Hoy (16.3 ppg), Chris Lee (14.8 ppg) and Paul Johnson (14.1 ppg). Alaska’s season begins at home against Pacific Union Coll. on Nov. 5-6, before two straight weeks of games in Anchorage and a trip to Honolulu (Dec. 19-20) to highlight non-conference action.
   
Earning 20 points and finishing ninth in the preseason poll was Simon Fraser. The Red Leafs went 9-19 overall and finished 5-13 in conference play to take ninth place in last year’s standings. SFU is under new leadership this winter, with Barnaby Craddock set to begin his tenure at the helm. SFU will kick off its season hosting the DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Langley, B.C. The team’s other non-conference road trips are in Monmouth, Ore. (Nov. 21-22) and Las Vegas (Dec. 19-20).
 
Senior Luke Howard (F, 6-9, Northwest) headlines the list of SFU returners, after leading the team with 6.1 rebounds per game and ranking second on the squad with 16.7 points per game last winter. Senior Zach Stone (F, 7-0, Louis Riel) is back after putting up 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in a season that was limited to just 11 games. SFU’s biggest losses statistically were 2024-25 leading scorer Irish Coquia (16.9 ppg/4.8 apg) and Lenz Dupont (11.1 ppg/5.0 rpg).
 
Newcomers who could provide an immediate boost are Ajani Jamison (F, 6-5, Blue Mountain CC), who averaged 19.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in the NWAC last year, Mikyle Malabuyoc (G, 5-11, Western Univ.), who averaged 12.4 points in 23 games and Daniel Smith (G, 6-3, Carleton), who averaged 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds the latter two in the Canadian U Sports league.
   

Wrapping up the preseason rankings in the 10th spot was Western Oregon, which claimed 14 points. The Wolves went 5-23 last year and finished 10th in the conference standings at 2-16 in league play. WOU made a coaching change during the offseason, welcoming in former Alaska Anchorage assistant Ryan Orton to take charge beginning in 2025-26. The Wolves’ first regular-season games are Nov. 14-15 in Seaside, Calif., before it plays host to a four-team affair Nov. 21-22 for its home opener. WOU also has non-conference trips to Nampa, Idaho (Nov. 28-29) and Salt Lake City (Dec. 18-19).
 
It’s a mostly brand-new roster for WOU in 2024-25, with Carson Frincke (G, 6-5, Carlsbad), O’shen Cazimero (G, 5-10, Southwestern Oregon CC) and Brady Grier (C, 6-7, Walla Walla CC) being the only three returners to have started games last season. Jadin Penigar (F/G, 6-5, UT Tyler) is among the top transfers to arrive on campus, after playing in 27 games at fellow Division II UT Tyler last year. A total of 10 transfers figure to all be in the mix for minutes as the season gets going.