JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2025-2026 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-League Team on Wednesday, as voted on by the league's head coaches.

Marian was picked to finish fifth in the upcoming Crossroads League season, a four-place improvement following the Knights' ninth place finish in the 2024-25 season. The 2025-26 season will be the second under head coach Pat Knight, who returns nine players from last season while adding an influx of talent in six new Marian men's basketball players. 

Indiana Wesleyan was voted as the preseason favorite, after going 22-10 overall last season with a 10-8 mark in league play. The Wildcats were followed by Grace, Bethel, Spring Arbor and Marian in the preseason poll's top-five.

Aidan Franks and Dylan Moles were named to the All-Crossroads League Preseason Team, taking up two of the 10 spots on the preseason team. Franks is coming off a season in which he was named the Crossroads League Freshman of the Year, averaging 14.3 points per game as the second-leading scorer for Marian a season ago. Moles was Marian's leading scorer last year at 14.8 points per game, and is coming off a sophomore campaign where he was named to the CL Honorable Mention Team.

Marian tips their season on Friday night with an exhibition contest at Indiana University, before beginning the regular season next Saturday at Wilberforce. 

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