MAC Announces 2026-27 Preseason Poll and Preseason All-MAC Teams
10/20/2026 10:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Redshirt senior forward Javan Simmons and fifth year guard Jackson Paveletzke were named to the 2026-27 Mid-American Conference Preseason Teams, while the Bobcats were selected fifth in this year's MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches, the league announced today (Oct. 20).
Miami was selected first in this year's poll, earning 130 points with nine first-place votes. Toledo was selected second with 117 points and two first-place votes, followed by Akron (110) and Kent State with 108 points and one first-place votes.
Ohio came in fifth with 82 points, followed by UMass (79), Bowling Green (63), Western Michigan (58), Eastern Michigan (56), Buffalo (47), Ball State (40) and Central Michigan (25).
Miami was picked to win this year's tournament title with five votes, followed by Toledo (4), UMass (2) and Kent State (1).
Simmons earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC First Team after stellar first year in the Green and White. Simmons played and started 31 games for Ohio this season, averaging 27.0 minutes per game. Simmons Averaged 15.1 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, while shooting 53.6 percent from the field, 20 percent from three and 68.5 percent from the line. He also recorded 50 assists, 19 steals and 24 blocks for the Bobcats over the course of the season. Simmons had 26 double digit scoring games, three double digit rebounding games and three double doubles. Simmons scored a career-high 30 points on March 6 against No. 19 Miami, going 11-of-14 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and 6-of-6 from the line. He also grabbed nine rebounds against the RedHawks in Athens. Simmons scored his 1,000th career point on March 6 against UMass in Athens and earned Mid-American Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Paveletzke earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team. Last season Paveletzke put together the best season of his career. He played and started in 31 games, while averaging 17.3 points a game. He shot 47 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 80 percent from the line, while averaging 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He had 26 double digit scoring games, 12 20-point games and dished out 11 assists twice this season. On March 6 in a game against No. 19 Miami, Paveletzke had the game of his career, scoring a career-high 37 points, going 12-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from three and 10-of-12 from the line, while dishing out six assists in the overtime thriller. Paveletzke was named MAC Player of the Week on Jan. 12 and was named Second Team All-MAC, CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC.
The Bobcats open the season on Monday, Nov. 2 when they head to Mobile, Ala. to take on South Alabama in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Season and single game tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now and can be purchased here.
2026-27 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
First Place Votes (x)
1. Miami – 130 (9)
2. Toledo – 117 (2)
3. Akron -- 110
4. Kent State – 108 (1)
5. Ohio – 82
6. UMass – 79
7. Bowling Green – 63
8. Western Michigan – 58
9. Eastern Michigan – 56
10. Buffalo – 47
11. Ball State – 40
12. Central Michigan – 25
Tournament Champions: Miami (5), Toledo (4), UMass (2), Kent State (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Mohammad Habhab, Eastern Michigan, Forward, R-So.
Evan Isparo, Miami, Guard, Sr.
Javan Simmons, Ohio, Forward, R-Sr.
Luke Skaljac, Miami, Guard, Jr.,
Chansey Willis Jr., Kent State, Guard, Sr.
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Sean Jones, Toledo, Guard, R-Sr.
Evan Mahaffey, Akron, Wing, 5th-Sr.
Austin Parks, Toledo, Center, Sr.
Jackson Paveletzke, Ohio, Guard, 5th-Sr.
Tahj Staveskie, Akron, Guard, R-Sr.
#OUohyeah
Miami was selected first in this year's poll, earning 130 points with nine first-place votes. Toledo was selected second with 117 points and two first-place votes, followed by Akron (110) and Kent State with 108 points and one first-place votes.
Ohio came in fifth with 82 points, followed by UMass (79), Bowling Green (63), Western Michigan (58), Eastern Michigan (56), Buffalo (47), Ball State (40) and Central Michigan (25).
Miami was picked to win this year's tournament title with five votes, followed by Toledo (4), UMass (2) and Kent State (1).
Simmons earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC First Team after stellar first year in the Green and White. Simmons played and started 31 games for Ohio this season, averaging 27.0 minutes per game. Simmons Averaged 15.1 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, while shooting 53.6 percent from the field, 20 percent from three and 68.5 percent from the line. He also recorded 50 assists, 19 steals and 24 blocks for the Bobcats over the course of the season. Simmons had 26 double digit scoring games, three double digit rebounding games and three double doubles. Simmons scored a career-high 30 points on March 6 against No. 19 Miami, going 11-of-14 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and 6-of-6 from the line. He also grabbed nine rebounds against the RedHawks in Athens. Simmons scored his 1,000th career point on March 6 against UMass in Athens and earned Mid-American Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Paveletzke earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team. Last season Paveletzke put together the best season of his career. He played and started in 31 games, while averaging 17.3 points a game. He shot 47 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 80 percent from the line, while averaging 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He had 26 double digit scoring games, 12 20-point games and dished out 11 assists twice this season. On March 6 in a game against No. 19 Miami, Paveletzke had the game of his career, scoring a career-high 37 points, going 12-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from three and 10-of-12 from the line, while dishing out six assists in the overtime thriller. Paveletzke was named MAC Player of the Week on Jan. 12 and was named Second Team All-MAC, CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC.
The Bobcats open the season on Monday, Nov. 2 when they head to Mobile, Ala. to take on South Alabama in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Season and single game tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now and can be purchased here.
2026-27 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
First Place Votes (x)
1. Miami – 130 (9)
2. Toledo – 117 (2)
3. Akron -- 110
4. Kent State – 108 (1)
5. Ohio – 82
6. UMass – 79
7. Bowling Green – 63
8. Western Michigan – 58
9. Eastern Michigan – 56
10. Buffalo – 47
11. Ball State – 40
12. Central Michigan – 25
Tournament Champions: Miami (5), Toledo (4), UMass (2), Kent State (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Mohammad Habhab, Eastern Michigan, Forward, R-So.
Evan Isparo, Miami, Guard, Sr.
Javan Simmons, Ohio, Forward, R-Sr.
Luke Skaljac, Miami, Guard, Jr.,
Chansey Willis Jr., Kent State, Guard, Sr.
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Sean Jones, Toledo, Guard, R-Sr.
Evan Mahaffey, Akron, Wing, 5th-Sr.
Austin Parks, Toledo, Center, Sr.
Jackson Paveletzke, Ohio, Guard, 5th-Sr.
Tahj Staveskie, Akron, Guard, R-Sr.
#OUohyeah
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