FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the results of their 2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Trine University men's basketball team is ranked second in the poll, tallying 16 points. Calvin is the unanimous favorite in the league, earning all seven first-place votes. Calvin's first-place vote went to Hope, who rank third in the poll.
 
The University of Olivet ranks fourth in the poll with 23 points; Albion was fifth with 31 points. Adrian and Kalamazoo tied for sixth with 40 points and Alma was eighth with 49.
 
Trine begins a new era on November 7^th when they host Ohio Northern. Head Coach Jon VanderWal begins his first season at the helm of the Thunder Men's Basketball program, taking over for Brooks Miller who is now the Associate Head Coach at Division I Central Michigan University. VanderWal was the head man at Marietta College of the Ohio Athletic Conference for the past 18 seasons, guiding the Pioneers to eight OAC Championships and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Final Four in 2022.
 
Returning for the Thunder is Second Team All-MIAA selection Nate Tucker. The senior averaged 14.7 points per game in 27 minutes a night. Tucker does his damage in the mid-range, last season he shot 51.4% from the floor and 56.6% from inside the arc, that number jumped to 58.8% in conference play. Also returning for Trine are big men Logan Gard and Logan Mackenzie who will help anchor the front court. Sophomore sharpshooter Cade Brenner will provide three-point shooting in VanderWal's fast paced offense, that in his most successful seasons, averages north of 85 points per game.
 
VanderWal does not come to Angola alone. With him he brings Marietta transfers Danny Flood and Jayden Bradshaw. Bradshaw is a physical guard that averaged 12.1 points per game for the Pioneers a season ago and shot 35% from beyond the arc. Flood will lead the Thunder offense from his point guard position. Flood averaged an efficient 11 points per game in just 19 minutes a night and is an excellent three-point shooter, converting nearly 38% of his attempts last year.
 
Trine will look to a few other transfers for important minutes. Elisha Jones comes to Angola from Mount St. Joseph after averaging 10 points and 2.2 assists per game. Drew Panning transfers in from Heidelberg University, an OAC rival of VanderWal's former Pioneers. The 6-9 junior collected 31 rebounds in just 120 minutes of action last season and helped the Student Princes to the OAC Semifinals. Elias Lewis transfers from Division II Walsh University and is set for important minutes with the Thunder this season. Lewis was named second-team All-Ohio in high school. Trevon Rochester-Thomas transfers from Division II Franklin Pierce. Rochester-Thomas played 18.2 minutes per game for the Ravens and shot 80% from the free throw stripe. Jess Roller comes to Trine from Bethany (W. Va.) after scoring 12.8 points per contest for the Bison last year.
 
Trine brings four freshmen into the fold this season. Local standout Paxton Crane of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne will join Isaiah Hamlett of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the frontcourt. Ty Maul of Hilliard, Ohio and Braeden Totton from Fishers, Indiana will vie for minutes in the backcourt. Nolan Bales and Eddie Millington got the call up from last season's JV squad.
 
Trine opens their season November 7^th inside the MTI Center against Ohio Northern at 7:00 p.m. All told, Trine will take on three of Coach VanderWal's old OAC foes. VanderWal is 28-13 against the Polar Bears, 32-8 against Baldwin Wallace, and 24-12 against Heidelberg. November 22^nd sees Trine square off with Marietta at the Great Lakes Invitational.