Milwaukee Earns Top Spot in 2025-26 Under Armour #HLMBB Preseason Poll
Rachel White
INDIANAPOLIS (October 8, 2025) – Milwaukee collected the top spot in the 2025-26 Under Armour #HLMBB Preseason Poll in voting conducted by the League’s head coaches, SIDs and media members. Oakland’s Tuburu Naivalurua collected Preseason Player of the Year honors.
Dig Deeper:
- Milwaukee posted a 21-11 overall record and was 14-6 in #HLMBB play last season.
- Preseason All-League Second Team Faizon Fields averaged 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21 games for the Panthers last season.
- Transfers Amar Augillard and Seth Hubbard also received Preseason All-League recognition ahead of their HL debuts.
- Oakland advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 Barbasol #HLMBB Championship, collecting 11 League wins during the regular season.
- Head coach Greg Kampe enters his 42nd season leading the Golden Grizzlies and is the longest-tenured men’s basketball coach in the country.
- Preseason Player of the Year Tuburu Naivalurua posted 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 2024-25.
- Youngstown State advanced to the championship game last season, totaling 21 total wins and 13 League victories.
- Cris Carroll earned Preseason All-League First Team honors after posting 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 34 games for the Penguins in 2024-25.
- RMU earned both the regular season and tournament titles last season with a 26-9 overall and 15-5 #HLMBB record.
- The Colonials are represented on the Preseason All-League Second Team by IU Indy transfer DeSean Goode.
- Detroit Mercy’s Orlando Lovejoy posted 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30 games for the Titans last season.
- Marcus Hall started 31 games for Green Bay last season, averaging 13.9 points per game.
- There are two new head coaches in #HLMBB this season.
- Ben Howlett takes over at IU Indianapolis while Rob Summers takes the helm at Cleveland State.
- The regular season starts on Monday, Nov. 3 with Horizon League play scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
- The 2026 Barbasol Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships are scheduled to culminate at the Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis March 8-10 with the mantra #MarchStartsHere.
2025-26 Under Armour #HLMBB Preseason Poll
Pl. Team (First-place votes) – Pts.
1. Milwaukee (24) – 428
2. Oakland (7) – 384
3. Youngstown State (2) – 364
4. RMU (8) – 345
5. Purdue Fort Wayne (1) – 287
6. Northern Kentucky – 274
7. Wright State – 221
8. Cleveland State (2) – 217
9. Detroit Mercy – 176
10. IU Indianapolis – 115
11. Green Bay – 93
#HLMBB Preseason Player of the Year
Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland
Preseason All-League First Team
Orlando Lovejoy, Detroit Mercy
Marcus Hall, Green Bay
Amar Augillard, Milwaukee
Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland
Cris Carroll, Youngstown State
Preseason All-League Second Team
Faizon Fields, Milwaukee
Seth Hubbard, Milwaukee
Dan Gherezgher, Northern Kentucky
Corey Hadnot II, Purdue Fort Wayne
DeSean Goode, RMU
Returning 2024-25 #HLMBB All-League Selections
Nate Johnson, Detroit Mercy (All-Freshman Team)
DeSean Goode, RMU (All-Freshman Team)
Solomon Callaghan, Wright State (All-Freshman Team)
Returning 2024-25 #HLMBB All-Academic Team Selections
Preston Ruedinger, Green Bay (Honorable Mention)
Solomon Callaghan, Wright State (Honorable Mention)