ST. PAUL, Minn. - Thursday morning, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference released its 2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, voted on by the conference's coaches. After a runner-up finish in last season's UMAC Tournament, the University of Northwestern is predicted to finish second via the poll, receiving 30 votes and one first-place vote. North Central was picked to win the league with 33 votes and five first-place votes.
The entire UMAC preview and preseason poll can be found
here.
It is no surprise to see Northwestern picked in the top half of the poll, as Head Coach
Tim Grosz has never missed the conference tournament through 25 years at the helm. In year 26, Grosz will return a trio of guards from last season's rotation and will see some returners in the program have increased roles, while also mixing in some transfers.
Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) will once again be the go-to scorer for the Eagles, coming off a First Team All-Conference junior season in which he averaged 18.5 points per game and scored 30+ points four times. The Anoka native was also named NCCAA First Team All-Region for his efforts in 2024-25.
Nyamari will once again be joined in the backcourt by
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy), who was an All-Conference Honorable Mention and NCCAA Second Team All-Region selection as a sophomore. Greene averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game last year, proving his value on both ends of the floor. Also returning to UNW's rotation will be
Noah Frazell (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock), who is slated to join the starting lineup after coming off the bench as a freshman to average 7.0 points per game and shoot 88.1% from the free throw line. Frazell will be looked to as a three-point threat in 2025-26 after scoring in double figures nine times as a rookie.
Northwestern will begin its season at home against Hamline on Saturday, November 8th.
2025-26 UMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
North Central (5) |
33 |
| 2 |
Northwestern (1) |
30 |
| 3 |
Bethany Lutheran (1) |
27 |
| 4 |
UW-Superior |
18 |
| 5 |
Martin Luther |
17 |
| 6 |
Minnesota Morris |
16 |
| 7 |
Crown |
7 |
