WHITE LAKE, Mich. -- In a preseason poll of eight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) men's basketball coaches, Trine University is predicted to win the 2025 league title after garnering a total of 49 points with all-possible first-place votes.

Calvin University was tabbed-for-second in receiving the remaining first-place vote and a total of 43 points, followed by Hope College in third with 37 points. Albion College (27 points) edged Adrian College (25 points) by two point for fourth place. The University of Olivet claimed fifth place with 22 points, while Kalamazoo College (13 points) and Alma College (8 points) finished in seventh and eighth, respectively.

The Thunder shared the 2024 MIAA Championship title with a 12-2 league record, won the 2024 MIAA Tournament, and proceeded to go on to win the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The returning national champions will include two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year Emmanuel Megnanglo, two-time All-MIAA selection Fred Garland, and 2024 Second Team All-MIAA guard Aidan Smylie. In conference play last season, Megnanglo had a .506 field-goal percentage (43-of-85), a .618 free-throw percentage (21-of-34), 110 points, 95 rebounds, 44 blocks, 32 steals, and 16 assists. Garland went 68-of-140 (.486) in field goals, 12-of-27 in triples (.444), and 32-of-44 in free throws (.727), while also totaling 180 points, 53 rebounds, 45 assists, and 20 steals. Smylie contributed 165 points, 70 rebounds, 31 assists, and 44 steals, while making .467 of his field-goal attempts (63-of-135) and .727 at the charity stripe (16-of-22). Head coach Brooks Miller will return at the helm of the Trine squad after being named the 2024 Coach of the Year by both D3hoops.com and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Calvin shared the MIAA Championship title with the Thunder last season after finishing 12-2 in conference play (25-5 overall). The Knights also competed in the NCAA Tournament, advancing all the way to the quarterfinals after upsetting two top-four teams along the way. Calvin's roster will be headlined by two-time All-MIAA forward Uchenna Egekeze and 2024 Second Team All-MIAA forward Owen Varnado. During the regular-season, Egekeze totaled 151 points, 64 rebounds, 29 assists, 23 steals, and 18 blocks, while going 60-of-120 (.500) in field goals. Varnado contributed 22-of-28 free throws (.786), 122 points, 53 rebounds, and 26 assists.

The Flying Dutchmen earned an 11-3 mark in league play last year and an overall record of 23-7 after concluding the season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Hope's squad will be led by two-time All-MIAA center Gabe Quillan. In playing all fourteen league games, the senior totaled 65-of-133 field goals (.489), 30-of-43 free throws (.698), 169 points, 140 rebounds, 18 blocks, and 14 assists.

Albion wrapped up the 2024 campaign with a 4-10 conference record and an overall record of 10-16. Six seniors, including two fifth-year seniors will be returning to the Briton roster: guards BJ Hunter, Mikey Clark, Jaylen Flaniken, and Drew Daiek, along with forwards Marco Lucchesi and AJ Barden. 

The Bulldogs concluded last season with a 5-9 mark against league opponents and an overall record of 8-19. The Adrian roster will feature senior forward Nick Seifert who earned a spot on the All-MIAA Second Team in 2024.  Seifert totaled 192 points, 65 rebounds, 40 assists, and 21 steals, while going 53-of-76 in free throws (.697).

The Comets went 3-11 during the regular-season and 5-20 overall. Olivet's roster will be headlined by sophomore center Conner Schipper who received Second Team All-MIAA honores last year. Schipper contributed 181 points, 161 rebounds, 21 assists, and 52 blocks, while tallying 25-of-33 free throws (.758).

Kalamazoo finished 4-10 in conference competition last year and 10-15 overall. The Hornets' roster will feature five seniors, including guards DJ Ferguson, Nicholas Olmeda, and DJ Courtney, along with forwards Lukas Broadsword and Jack Wheeler.

The Scots finished the 2024 campaign with a 5-9 mark in league play and an overall record of 11-15. In losing their one All-MIAA honoree from last season, Alma will look to fifth-year senior center Xavier Glenn Jr., and seniors Seth Bradford, Paul Gadde, and Aidan Judsen to lead the team.

The 2024-25 men's basketball season gets underway on Friday, November 8. League play begins on Wednesday, January 8, with Hope hosting Olivet at 3:00 p.m., Trine hosting Kalamazoo at 7:00 p.m., Adrian hosting Alma at 7:00 p.m., and Calvin hosting Albion at 8:00 p.m.

The 2025 MIAA Men's Basketball Tournament will be held February 26 (first round), February 28 (semifinals), and March 1 (championship).

Rank	Team	Points	First-Place Votes
1.	Trine	49 points	7
2.	Calvin	43 points	1
3.	Hope	37 points
4.	Albion	27 points
5.	Adrian	25 points
6.	Olivet	22 points
7.	Kalamazoo	13 points
8.	Alma	8 points

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.