NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College men's basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference South Division in the conference's 2026-27 Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Bison received 27 points to move up one spot to fifth after being selected sixth in the South Division last season. The defending conference champion Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College was picked first in the division with seven first-place votes and 67 points as the Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) also received six first-place votes for 63 points. Chatham (Pa.) University was predicted third with 47 points and Saint Vincent (Pa.) College edged out the Bison in fourth with 44 points.
Named to the 2026-27 PAC Players to Watch list were junior All-PAC forward
Jayden Jackson (Columbia, S.C./A.C. Flora) and sophomore guard
Semaj Marshall (Washington, D.C./Parkside).
Brandon Thorsen enters his second season as head coach of the Bison and returns 17 players including 11 letterwinners, one All-PAC selection, and one Academic All-PAC honoree from last year's squad that finished with an overall record of 10-15 and a 6-10 record in the PAC.
2026-27 PAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)
North Division
1. Westminster - 72 (12)
2. Grove City - 56
3. Allegheny - 53 (1)
4. Geneva - 39
5. Thiel - 24
6. Hiram - 23
South Division
1. Washington & Jefferson - 67 (7)
2. Franciscan - 63 (6)
3. Chatham - 47
4. Saint Vincent - 44
5. Bethany - 27
6. Waynesburg - 19
Saint Francis - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school transitions from Division I
The Bison open the 2026-27 season on Saturday, November 8 as they travel to Marietta, Ohio to take on Marietta (Ohio) College in a non-conference game at 8 p.m. in Ban Johnson Arena.
