UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. — The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team was chosen to finish eighth in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

 

Michigan Tech received 10 of 11 first-place votes and finished first with 100 points. Northern Michigan, with one first-place vote, took second with 85 points. Parkside trailed the Wildcats by five points for third. Grand Valley State (74) surpassed Lake Superior State (59) by 15 points to claim fourth. Ferris State finished sixth with 57 points, just ahead of Wayne State's 51. The Cardinals earned 34 points for eighth, eight more than ninth-place Purdue Northwest (26). Davenport (20) and Roosevelt (19) completed the poll.

 

SVSU enters the Chris Fowler era in 2025-26. The Cardinals return six players from last year's squad, who combined for over 150 appearances and 76 starts.

 

Richmond Mawutor and Bryson Huckeby lead the returning group. Both played in 28 games last season. Mawutor started 27, while Huckeby started 20. Mawutor led SVSU with 6.0 rebounds per game, scored 3.8 points per contest, and shot 71.7% from the field. Huckeby was fourth in team scoring at 8.5 points per game. He ranked third in three-point shooting (33.6%) and led the team in free-throw percentage (90.5%, 38-of-42).

 

Saginaw Valley State men's hoops features four NCAA Division I transfers: Jack Stefanski (Western Michigan), Marquese Josephs (Western Michigan), Joshua Thomas (Western Michigan)—each following first-year head coach Chris Fowler—and Xavier Thomas (Toledo). The Cardinals also welcome four freshmen: Javonte Ross (Flint, Mich. / Flint Powers HS), Aidan Duran (Spring, Texas / Victory Rock Prep), Jake Champagne (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS), and Cade Wallaker (Bay City, Mich. / Essexville Garber HS).

 

The 2025-26 season features 28 games, including 14 at home. SVSU opens with a home-and-home series against Hillsdale. The first game is at O'Neill Arena on Friday, November 14, at 7:00 p.m. (ET). The second game is at Hillsdale on Sunday, November 16, at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

 

Following the opening series, three non-conference matchups take place at Lewis on November 19, at home against Alma on November 22, and on the road against Ashland on November 30th.

 

GLIAC play opens Thursday, December 4, at Davenport and continues Saturday, December 6, at Grand Valley State. Over winter break, the Cardinals play three final non-conference games: at Gannon (Dec. 13), vs. Kuyper (Dec. 16), and vs. Northwood (Dec. 20).

 

Following the holiday break, the full GLIAC schedule swings into action on Friday, January 2, with Wayne State visiting O'Neill Arena.

 

The Cardinals' first taste of competition is this Friday, October 24, with an exhibition game at NCAA Division I Central Michigan at 7:00 p.m. (ET).