It is finally here! The greatest sport in the world is back! The 2025-2026 NCAA basketball season commences, and it is going to be a great season. That means the rankings, betting lines, and, most importantly, real live games with fans are almost here. Every team in the country used the transfer portal to bolster its roster.
With the new NIL deals and markets, some schools have created what they would call a super team. This is also something to monitor, as it is a significant factor in many of this year's transfers. Everyone wants their bag. That is going to make this year even more interesting because there are a lot of teams that could have some of their best seasons ever, and others that have assembled their best rosters ever.
Many teams can make the final four. Usually, heading into a season, there are eight to 10 teams with a reasonable chance of making the final four. This year, the overall talent pool expanded because of the extra NIL money and the sheer volume of transfers, meaning there are around 15 to 20 different teams that can reasonably make the Final Four, and five or six of those teams can win a National Title. It is going to be an exciting year for those reasons. There is also one new Division 1 team this season. One team has joined Division 1, making the total 365. The New Haven Chargers join the NEC this year, their first in Division 1.
Getting all of that out of the way, below you will find the comprehensive preseason rankings for all 365 teams in NCAA Division 1 Basketball. In each ranking, I also provide a player to watch for each team. Preseason rankings do not mean much, but they are usually a good indicator of where the team stands heading into the season and a vehicle for broadcasters and fans alike to discuss. Enough of the introduction, let us get on with the rankings. Enjoy!
365. Coppin State Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 362
Conference: MEAC
Player to know: Jamari Piercy
The Eagles had a considerable talent deficiency in head coach Larry Stewart's first season. Coppin State went out and scoured the transfer market and filled the roster with stat sheet stuffers from outside Division 1. All of them can score, pass, and rebound. The Eagles should be improved, but rebuilding is an uphill climb.
364. Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils- Last Season Ranking: 364
Conference: SWAC
Player to know: Chance Sutton
The Delta Devils averaged 54 points per game last season and gave up 80 on the defensive end. Those numbers led to Mississippi Valley State getting only one win over a Division 1 team last year. This year is going to be more of the same, and they will likely be one of the worst teams in the country again.
363. Chicago State Cougars- Last Season Ranking: 338
Conference: Northeast
Player to know: Marcus Tankersley
The 2024-2025 season didn't start well for the Cougars. Chicago State didn't win its first game until January 3rd and won only three more games the rest of the year. Head coach Scott Spinelli knew that Chicago State would be a challenging job, especially with zero NIL dollars. The Cougars will struggle again in their second year in the NEC.
362. Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions- Last Season Ranking: 356
Conference: SWAC
Player to know: Quion Williams
Offense hasn't been the problem for Pine Bluff most of the time. The issue last season was the defense. The Golden Lions allowed 84 points per game, the second-worst in the country. Nothing will matter for Arkansas Pine Bluff if they don't figure out how to stop teams from scoring.
361. Wagner Seahawks- Last Season Ranking: 269
Conference: Northeast
Player to know: Jaden Baker
Wagner plays at one of the slowest paces in the country, yet it consistently wins and is usually among the top teams in the Northeast Conference. The Seahawks are never going to score a ton of points because the style they play doesn't make for a potent offense, but they will always be one of the best defensive teams in the country, no matter the personnel.
360. Mercyhurst Lakers- Last Season Ranking: 361
Conference Northeast
Player to know: Bernie Blunt III
Overall, it was a successful first season for the Lakers. They outplayed their ranking by a lot and ended up third in the NEC after the season. The two leading scorers from last season are gone, but Blunt III is one of the best players in the NEC. Mercyhurst should be a factor in the NEC race again this year.
359. Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks- Last Season Ranking: 363
Conference: MEAC
Player to know: Christopher Flippin
The Hawks are in the midst of a rebuild, and the first year under head coach Cleo Hill didn't go well. Eastern Shore only beat two Division 1 teams, and the first win didn't come until the end of February. The roster assembly this season is transfers who all have a scoring pedigree. It's an uphill climb, but the Hawks should be better.
358. New Haven Chargers - Last Season Ranking: N/A
Conference: Northeast
Player to know: Najimi George
It is the Chargers' first year in Division 1. New Haven went 12-17 last season and hopes to have a much better year in the Northeast Conference. That is going to be a tall order because the Chargers will get educated quickly as they open at UConn on opening night.
357. NJIT Highlanders- Last Season Ranking: 335
Conference: America East
Player to know: Sebastian Robinson
NJIT struggled last year and finished last in the America East. The losses were usually the result of the Highlanders having one of the worst offenses in the country last year. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, there isn't much scoring on the roster outside of their star. NJIT will have to improve quickly on the offensive end to climb out of the basement of the America East.
356. New Hampshire Wildcats- Last Season Ranking: 328
Conference: America East
Player to know: Davide Poser
Nathan Davis was tasked with rebuilding the New Hampshire program, and so far, the rebuild is not going very well. The Wildcats won 6 games last year, lacked depth, and were terrible on offense, which did little to inspire hope of a turnaround this year. The 2025-2026 roster is one of the youngest in the country, and New Hampshire will struggle.
355. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks- Last Season Ranking: 301
Conference: Sun Belt
Player to know: Krystian Lewis
The Warhawks won 7 games last year. That gave the athletic department all the fuel they needed to let former coach Keith Richard go and hire new coach Phil Cunningham. A new coach always brings about a rebuild, and that is what Louisiana-Monroe is experiencing now. The roster is inexperienced and talent-deficient for a Sun Belt team.
354. IU Indianapolis Jaguars- Last Season Ranking: 358
Conference: Horizon League
Player to know: Kyler D’Augustino
The Jaguars are on their second coach in two seasons, with Ben Howlett taking over this year. The coaching change gutted the roster, and only one player who earned minutes last season remains on it. Coach Howlett turned West Liberty into a Division II powerhouse, and IU Indy hopes he can find the same magic for their program.
353. North Carolina A & T Aggies- Last Season Ranking: 291
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Player to know: Lureon Walker
It has been a struggle for the Aggies in the CAA. They have struggled to win games because North Carolina A&T can't score and can't defend. That has to change quickly if they expect to compete in the CAA, one of the better mid-major conferences. The Aggies have flipped the roster and have to improve their 300th-ranked offense and 300th-ranked defense to have a chance.
352. Morgan State Bears- Last Season Ranking: 315
Conference: MEAC
Player to know: Walter Peggs Jr.
Morgan State is going to score points, likely around 80 per game. The Bears won't defend very well and will play at one of the fastest paces in the country. Those are what have defined the Bears under head coach Kevin Broadus. Morgan State has also finished 7-7 in the MEAC four years in a row.
351. Holy Cross Crusaders- Last Season Ranking: 342
Conference: Patriot League
Player to know: Joe Nugent
The Crusaders are an interesting team. Holy Cross doesn't have a great offense because it plays slowly and is not overly efficient. They are, however, one of the better three-point shooting teams in the country. The 2025-2026 version of Holy Cross hopes to have more depth beyond its top three scorers. They are still a bottom-tier team in the Patriot League.
350. Delaware State Hornets- Last Season Ranking: 325
Conference: MEAC
Player to know: Corey Perkins
The Hornets have been trending up under head coach Stan Waterman. Delaware State has been one of the better teams in the MEAC for a few seasons now, but the NCAA Tournament has still been elusive. The Hornets play fast but don't shoot threes; that unique style is hard to prepare for, making playing Delaware State a chore. The Hornets will be competitive in the MEAC again.
349. Canisius Golden Griffins- Last Season Ranking: 303
Conference: MAAC
Player to know: Marcus Niblack
The Golden Griffins won 3 games last year and enter the second season of the Jim Christian era with one of the youngest, most inexperienced teams in the country. That usually doesn't result in many wins. Canisius is in a rebuild, but it will be a long year for the Golden Griffins.
348. Denver Pioneers- Last Season Ranking: 321
Conference: Summit League
Player to know: Carson Johnson
Denver has never made the NCAA Tournament and has never been close to doing so. The Pioneers fired their coach mid-way through last season and brought in Tim Bergstraser from Minnesota State Mankato. Coach Bergstraser brought most of his roster from last season and hopes to turn the Denver program around quickly.
347. Stetson Hatters- Last Season Ranking: 302
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Player to know: Jamie Phillips Jr.
It has now been two seasons since Stetson made its first NCAA Tournament appearance, and the program is in rebuild mode. Head coach Donnie Jones has a future star and future conference Player of the Year in Jamie Phillips Jr., but there isn't much else on the roster to help the Hatters' star player.
346. Central Arkansas Bears- Last Season Ranking: 324
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Player to know: Camren Hunter
Central Arkansas shot a ton of threes last year, and as the saying goes, live by the three, die by the three. The Bears were the epitome of that saying because, for every three they took, they made only 29%. Head coach John Shulman needs his new additions to shoot the ball well. Hunter is one of the best Bears of all time, and he is going to help the offense in every way.
345. North Florida Osprey- Last Season Ranking: 250
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Player to know: Devin Hines
The Ospreys made the most threes in the country and gave up the most points in the country. New head coach Bobby Kennen is going to have his team shoot a ton of threes again, which means they will never be out of a game. The problem is that the defense is still bad, and the talent is worse this year.
344. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights- Last Season Ranking: 348
Conference: Northeast
Player to know: Taeshaud Jackson
The Knights were destroyed in the transfer portal and are among the many teams breaking in a brand-new roster this season. Head coach Jack Castleberry has one of the youngest rosters in the country, but hopefully, they can figure it out come conference time. Otherwise, it will be a long year for Fairleigh Dickinson.
343. Army Black Knights- Last Season Ranking: 286
Conference: Patriot League
Player to know: Ryan Curry
The Black Knights had a winning record last season and played some postseason basketball in a non-sanctioned tournament in Florida. That was likely the high mark for the Army under head coach Kevin Kuwik. The 2025-2026 roster is talent-deficient after losing the top two scorers from last year. The Black Knights will struggle to score this season.
342. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 339
Conference: Ohio Valley
Player to know: Ja’Quavian Florence
Tennessee Tech had an okay season last year, finished middle of the pack in the Ohio Valley, and had some expectations at the end of the season. The roster was gutted in the transfer portal, and the 2025-2026 roster is a whole new crop of players. Starting over every year is hard to sustain success, but it is the new order of college basketball.
341. St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash- Last Season Ranking: 350
Conference: Northeast
Player to know: Skylar Wicks
The Red Flash made a surprise run to the NCAA Tournament last season, and immediately after the game, the school announced that the 2025-2026 season would be Saint Francis's final season in Division 1. This roster isn't a tournament roster, but at least they will always have the 2024-2025 season.
340. Florida A&M Rattlers- Last Season Ranking: 351
Conference: SWAC
Player to know: Anquan Boldin Jr.
The Rattlers had one of their better seasons in a long time with 14 wins last season. Even with the better season, Florida A&M still decided to move in a different direction with its coach. The Rattlers brought in former New York Knicks and Florida State star Charlie Ward, and with that came a lot of quality transfers to help turn the Rattlers around.
339. Green Bay Phoenix- Last Season Ranking: 304
Conference: Horizon League
Player to know: Preston Reudinger
The Phoenix were awful last year, winning only four games. Green Bay heads into the 2025-2026 season having lost its three top scorers and having a roster made up of freshmen and non-Division 1 transfers. It could be another long year for Green Bay.
338. Cal State Fullerton Titans- Last Season Ranking: 260
Conference: Big West
Player to know: Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro
Dedrique Taylor has bought himself some time with the Titans by turning them into one of the better Big West programs. Last year, Fullerton won only 6 games, including 1 in league play. This year, the roster is among the youngest in Division 1 basketball. It will likely be a struggle for Coach Taylor and the Titans. Can coach Taylor get another year to turn it around this offseason?
337. East Texas A&M Lions- Last Season Ranking: 357
Conference: Southland
Player to know: Kollin Tolbert
East Texas A&M was overmatched much of the year last season. As a result, they tallied only 5 victories. The Lions, like so many other overmatched teams, struggled to score points. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, the East Texas A&M team looks very different, with many transfers from JUCO and Division II.
336. The Citadel Bulldogs- Last Season Ranking: 346
Conference: Southern Conference
Player to know: Christian Moore
There isn't much to say about The Citadel. They have lost 22 straight games heading into the 2025-2026 season. Last season, they couldn't score, couldn't defend, didn't shoot the ball well, and were the worst free-throw shooting team in the country. There is only one way to go from here for head coach Ed Conroy.
335. Western Illinois Leathernecks- Last Season Ranking: 289
Conference: Ohio Valley
Player to know: Lucas Lorenzen
The Leathernecks have had one of their best stretches of basketball in their history over the last 10 seasons. That might all come to an end this year as the team is in a rebuild and has a roster made up of players from the lower divisions and NAIA. A lot of things need to go right for Western Illinois.