Men's Basketball

2026-27 UMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll and Season Preview

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2026-27 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday with Bethany Lutheran being predicted to win the conference championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.

Complete poll:  
 
Place School Points
1 Bethany Lutheran (4) 33
2 Minnesota Morris (2) 31
3 Crown 25
4 North Central (1) 21
5 Martin Luther 20
6 Northwestern 9
7 UW-Superior 8
#1 Bethany Lutheran: 33 points
The Vikings earned 33 points and four first-place votes from their conference competitors. 

Head Coach: Head Coach Pat Garvin | Seventh season at BLC

Top Returners
  • Max Briggs, Sr., Guard | 2025-26 Second-team All-UMAC | Top returning scorer (17.7 ppg) and three-point shooter (43.9%), also led team in steals (46)
  • Jack Brockmann, Jr., Forward | 2025-26  Second-team All-UMAC, All-Defensive Team | Top returning rebounder (7.6 rpg). Led team in assists (91) and blocks (37)
  • Will Walter, Jr., Guard | 2025-26 UMAC Honorable Mention | Second on team last year with 13.0 ppg and 40.4 three-point percentage

#2 Minnesota Morris: 31 points
The Cougars tallied 31 points and two first-place votes to rank second in the poll.

Head Coach: Paul Grove | 25th season at institution |

Top Returners
  • Carvin Fish, Jr, Forward | First-team All-Conference | Third-team All-Region | 20.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG |
  • Kaden Pieper, SR, Wing | First-team All-Conference | 17.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, |
  • Jase Nelson, SR, Guard | 5 PPG , 2APG |

#3 Crown: 25 points
The Polars received 25 points to rank third.

Head Coach: Luke Herbert | 17th Season |

Top Returners
  • Tyler Smith, Sr., F | First-team All-Conference | UMAC Defensive POY | Led nation in blocks,  2nd in nation in Reb & Ast |
  • Anthony Knight, Jr., G |  Second-team All-Conference | 17.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 47.6% FG |
  • Colby Deluce, Sr., G/W | 8.4 PPG, 35.1% 3PT|

#4 North Central: 21 points
The Rams earned 21 points and the final first-place vote to rank fourth.

Head coach: Jeremy Becker |5th season |

Top Returner
  • Jax Effertz, Jr., F | 8.8 ppg, 35.7 3pt FG%, 2.9 reb/g |

#5 Martin Luther: 20 points
The Knights compiled 20 points to rank fifth.

Head Coach: Hans Steinbrenner | 1st Season

Top Returners
  • Adam Loberger, Jr, Forward | 2025-26 UMAC  Second-team All-Conference, 2024-25 Rookie of the Year | 23 ppg, 7.9 reb/g, 2.24 ast/g
  • Benjamin Pearson, Jr, Guard | 2025-26 UMAC Honorable Mention, 2024-25 Defensive Team | 17 ppg, 8.5 reb/g, 2.05 ast/g
  • Benjamin Vasold, Jr, Guard | 7.6 ppg, 2.36 ast/g, 1.6 stl/g

#6 Northwestern: 9 points
The Eagles earned nine points to rank sixth.

Head Coach: Lance Westberg | 1st Season |

Top Returners
  • AJ Greene, Sr., Guard | UMAC All-Sportsmanship, UMAC Academic All-Conference | 10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 80% FT% |
  • Jonah Burnett, Jr., Wing | UMAC Academic All-Conference | 5.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 79% FT% |
  • Ben Tschida, Sr., Wing | UMAC Academic All-Conference| 3.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg |

#7 UW-Superior: 8 points
The Yellowjackets round out the poll with eight points.

Head Coach: Greg Polkowski | 10th Season |
  
Top Returners
  • Gage Braiedy, So., G | 116 pts, 38 reb, 24 ast |
  • Nick Nordaune, So., W | 134 pts, 54 reb, 13 blk |
  • Rocco Paulson, Sr., C | 203 pts, 97 reb, 38 ast |

The 2026-27 men’s basketball regular season opens on Friday, Nov. 6. The top four teams in the standings at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament, with the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 24 and the championship game slated for Saturday, Feb. 27. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2026-27 NCAA DIII Men’s Basketball Championship to compete in the national tournament.