INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – With basketball season just around the corner, the Horizon League announced its men's basketball preseason poll for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday.
In the poll, Northern Kentucky was voted to finish sixth among the Horizon League's 11 teams, receiving 274 total votes, 13 behind fifth-place Purdue Fort Wayne. Last season, NKU finished 11-9 in league play, finishing seventh in the conference.
Additionally, Norse senior guard
Dan Gherezgher was named to the Preseason All-League Second Team following a solid junior campaign. In 2024-25, Gherezgher averaged 7.5 points and 1.9 assists per game, fourth on the team in both categories. Gheregher had a strong finish to the season, breaking out with a 22-point performance on February 1 against Oakland, and averaged 16 points per game over the final 11 games. In that stretch, he reached double figures in scoring on eight occasions and scored 20-plus three times, including a 26-point game in a win over Cleveland State on February 5.
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 (alphabetical order by school)
Orlando Lovejoy, Detroit Mercy
Marcus Hall, Green Bay
Amar Augillard, Milwaukee
Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland
Cris Carroll, Youngstown State
Preseason All-League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
Faizon Fields, Milwaukee
Seth Hubbard, Milwaukee
Dan Gherezgher, Northern Kentucky
Corey Hadnot II, Purdue
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