CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Akron Zips have been chosen as to repeat as Mid-American Conference regular season champions and win their third straight tournament championship in the 2025-26 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. The Zips received 11 first place votes to win the regular season championship and eight votes to emerge victorious at Rocket Arena in March.

The Miami RedHawks were picked to finish second with 133 points and received two votes to win the regular season championship.

Kent State (122 points), Ohio (108 points) and newcomer UMass (98 points) rounded out the top five in this year’s preseason poll. The Golden Flashes, Bobcats, and Minutemen also received one vote apiece to win the tournament title.

Eleven of the league's top men’s basketball players were also selected to the Preseason All-MAC First and Second teams as announced by the league office.

A complete list of the 2025-26 MAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Coaches’ Poll and All-Conference Teams can be found below.

2025-26 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143 
2. Miami (2) – 133 
3. Kent State – 122 
4. Ohio – 108 
5. UMass – 98 
6. Toledo – 95 
7. Bowling Green – 73 
8. Ball State – 62 
9. Eastern Michigan – 52 
10. Western Michigan – 46 
11. Buffalo – 37 
12. Central Michigan – 31 
13. Northern Illinois – 14
 
Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), UMass (1)
 
2025-26 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio

Second Team
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Wing, Akron
Shammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Daniel Hankins-Sanford, Senior, Forward, UMass
Eian Elmer, Junior, Wing, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo