MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Preseason Poll, announced by the conference on Wednesday.
2025-26 GLIAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Michigan Tech - 100 (10)
2. Northern Michigan - 85 (1)
3. Parkside - 80
4. Grand Valley State - 74
5. Lake Superior State - 59
6. Ferris State - 57
7. Wayne State - 51
8. Saginaw Valley State - 34
9. Purdue Northwest - 26
10. Davenport - 20
11. Roosevelt - 19
The reigning GLIAC Tournament champion Wildcats were picked second in the 2025-26 GLIAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, earning 85 points and one first-place vote. Northern trailed only Michigan Tech, which totaled 100 points and 10 first-place votes, while edging Parkside (80 points) for third.
Northern wrapped up the 2024-25 campaign in fourth place with a 13-7 conference record before catching fire in the postseason. The Wildcats stormed past No. 5 Grand Valley State, No. 1 Michigan Tech, and No. 2 Lake Superior State to capture the GLIAC Tournament title. Over the past three seasons, NMU has now claimed two tournament crowns and a regular-season championship.
The Wildcats bring back three frontcourt starters, graduate students
Dylan Kuehl,
Jackson Dudek, and
Sam Privet, who formed one of the most productive trios in the league a season ago. Kuehl, a three-time All-GLIAC First Team and All-Defensive Team honoree, anchors the lineup, while Dudek returns after earning GLIAC Tournament MVP honors. Together, the three combined for 34.8 points and 16.5 rebounds per game while shooting 52.5% from the field.
Nine newcomers join the roster this season, highlighted by Division I transfers
Charlie Miller (Northern Iowa) and
Bennett Basich (UW-Green Bay), who add depth and scoring to the Wildcat backcourt.
Now in his seventh season at the helm, head coach
Matt Majkrzak holds a 108-66 (.621) overall record and a 69-43 (.616) mark in conference play. Majkrzak has guided Northern to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a program first, and the Wildcats look poised to chase more hardware and make noise on the national stage in 2025-26.
