As summer turns fully to fall and winter approaches, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team prepares to take the court for the 2026-27 season looking to take a step forward in the upcoming campaign.

The rest of the league is expecting improvement from the Chargers, as indicated by the 2026-27 G-MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. Opposing coaches pegged Hillsdale at sixth place in the standings after an eighth-place finish a year ago.

Defending champion Walsh topped the poll by a slim margin, just two points ahead of second place Lake Erie, with both teams each receiving five first place votes. Ashland was picked to finish third. You can find the full poll below.

The Chargers have reason for optimism entering 2026-27 after a rebuilding year in 2025-26 that saw the team finish with a losing record for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. Last year's team was a young squad overall and Hillsdale will reap the dividends from that challenge this season, as seven of the Chargers' top nine in minutes played and six players who started at least three games in 2025-26 return as building blocks for this year's squad.

Hillsdale should be especially formidable in the post with all four players in their forward rotation returning, led by senior Caleb Glaser, who finished second on the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game and tied for the lead in rebounds with 5.6 in 2025-26. He's joined by veteran center and fifth-year player CJ Yarian, who averaged 5.6 rebounds per game and led the team in blocks; skilled power forward Garrett Bolte, who averaged 7.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and started 26 contests, and Connor Stonebraker, who brought instant offense off the bench for the Chargers with 9.1 points per game as well.

The Chargers have to replace their starting backcourt with the graduation of All-G-MAC honoree Ashton Janowski and Cole McWhinnie from last year's squad, but Hillsdale still has plenty of experience to turn to on the perimeter. Second-year players Braylon Morris and Tommy Morgan were major contributors on the wing last season, with Morris dropping two 20-plus point games and averaging 8.7 points, and Morgan providing critical defense and chipping in 7.4 points per game as well. Both players will be leaned on heavily this season.

At the point, sophomore Paxton Giertz, who played in every game last season, will battle veteran Michael App and freshman Cade Dirkse, a fluid guard from Wisconsin, to become the next starting ballhandler for the Chargers. Dirkse is part of a talented freshman class that includes wings Leland Berg and Griffin Ridner Richard and post Cole Albers that will have a shot to contribute right away with the elimination of the redshirt year and the new five-year eligibility rule.

Two potential x-factors for the season are sophomore Matt Buckman and senior Mikey McCollum. Buckman was heavily limited his freshman year in 2025-26 due to recurring injuries, but is in better health for 2026-27 and was a prolific high school scorer. If he can stay healthy, he could crack the rotation for the Chargers. McCollum meanwhile, was sorely missed last season with a foot injury and if he can get healthy in 2026-27, could provide much-needed outside shooting to lift the team's offensive ceiling.

Second-year Chargers John Morris and Israel Gentry will try to carve out more playing time as well for Hillsdale with a year of experience under their belts in the Chargers system.

Hillsdale kicks off the 2026-27 campaign on Nov. 9 with a home contest against University of Michigan-Dearborn at 7 p.m., and will spend a lot of time in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena in November, with seven of Hillsdale's first eight games at home. The Chargers open conference play against in-state rival Northwood on Dec. 3, the first of 20 games in league play. You can find the full 2026-27 schedule for Hillsdale College men's basketball here. 

2026-27 Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Walsh- 108 points (5 first place votes)
2. Lake Erie-106 points (5 first place votes)
3. Ashland- 97 points (1 first place vote)
4. Findlay- 93 points
5. Kentucky Wesleyan- 82 points (1 first place vote) 
6. Hillsdale- 76 points
7. Northwood- 63 points
8. Thomas More- 53 points
9. Cedarville- 50 points
10. Malone- 27 points
11. Tiffin- 21 points
12. Ohio Dominican- 16 points