INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Malone University men's basketball team finished tenth in the 2026-27 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Preseason Poll.
 
Malone received 27 points in total. Walsh University is atop the preseason poll with 108 points, but it was a close vote with Lake Erie College just behind at 106 points. The two sides split first-place votes with five apiece. Ashland University was third with 97 points and one first-place vote followed by the University of Findlay at 93 points and Kentucky Wesleyan College with 82 points and one first-place vote.
 
The Pioneers are coming off a 14-14 campaign in 2025-26 and were 7-13 in conference play. Malone will see a new face on the sideline with Head Coach Tae Gibbs entering his first season with the program.
 
Senior Nic Williams returns for the Pioneers after he was selected as NCCAA Second Team All-American and NCCAA First Team All-Midwest Region last year. He led the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game and shot 36.2% from three-point range. Jake Bruns joins Williams as a redshirt senior and the program brings in three senior transfers in Khalif Bettis, Jannoy Thomas and Gabe Sisk.
 
The junior class consists of Aaron Chapman, Joey DeGeorge and Malachi McNair as well as redshirt sophomore Logan Forbes in his third season with the team. DeGeorge and Forbes were a part of the 2024-25 G-MAC Tournament Championship squad while Chapman and McNair enter as transfers. The remainder of the roster consists of three sophomores, one redshirt freshman and five true freshmen.
 
Malone begins the 2026-27 season at home against Bryant & Stratton College on Tuesday, November 10. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M.