COLONIA, N.J. – The East Coast Conference has announced the 2026-27 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Tuesday morning. The D'Youville Men's Basketball team is picked to finish in fifth place out of nine teams in the upcoming season.
The Saints finished the 2025-26 season with an 8-18 overall record and 7-9 in East Coast Conference play. D'Youville pulled off its best season in Division II program history making their first ECC playoff appearance as the #5 seed. The team earned it's first playoff victory against #4 Molloy University before falling to #1 Daemen University in the semifinal round.
The team welcomes back six familiar faces including seniors,
Dawson Matsell (Hamilton, Ontario / Orangeville Prep) and
Nathan Andrice (Brooklyn, N.Y. / The Potter's House Christian Academy). The Saints also return Sophomore,
Sean Reynolds (Dekalb, Ill. / Dekalb) who was named ECC Co-Rookie of the Year following the 2025-26 season. D'Youville also welcomes in nine new faces including six transfers.
2026-27 ECC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Daemen - 80 points (8 first-place votes)
2. St. Thomas Aquinas - 61 points
3. Staten Island - 56 points
4. Roberts Wesleyan - 51 points (1 first-place vote)
5. D'Youville - 46 points
6. Molloy - 45 points
7. Queens - 28 points
8. Mercy - 21 points
9. District of Columbia - 17 points
Player of the Year
Phil Nwugwo - Daemen
