Javontae Campbell Earns Preseason All-MAC Nod
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference released the preseason coaches polls for the 2025-26 men's basketball season Tuesday morning (Oct. 21). For individual awards, senior guard Javontae Campbell was selected to the Preseason First Team All-MAC. As for the team, the Falcons were picked to finish seventh in the MAC in the 13-team field following the addition of UMass this season.
Campbell is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that earned him MAC All-Defensive and All-MAC Third Team honors. Campbell swiped a program-record 90 steals last season, finishing fourth in the nation for the season and fifth all-time in the MAC. Campbell was one of four Falcons to appear in all 32 games with 31 starts, averaging 30.6 minutes per game. He also posted the first triple-double by a Falcon since 2006-07, finishing with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Aquinas on Dec. 23. He was one of just 22 players in the nation with a triple-double. Campbell is the first Preseason All-MAC First Team selection for BGSU since Daeqwon Plowden in 2021-22.
As a team, BGSU is coming off a 14-18 season last year with an 8-10 MAC record while making the MAC Tournament. The Falcons welcome 10 newcomers to the program while returning seven players for a roster size of 17. BGSU will begin with two road exhibitions, facing Michigan State on Oct. 23 and Dayton on Oct. 27. As for the regular season, BGSU will open with three home games, beginning with Texas State on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143
2. Miami (2) – 133
3. Kent State – 122
4. Ohio – 108
5. UMass – 98
6. Toledo – 95
7. Bowling Green – 73
8. Ball State – 62
9. Eastern Michigan – 52
10. Western Michigan – 46
11. Buffalo – 37
12. Central Michigan – 31
13. Northern Illinois – 14
Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), UMass (1)
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Second Team
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Wing, Akron
Shamah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Daniel Hankins-Sanford, Senior, Forward, UMass
Eian Elmer, Junior, Wing, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo
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Latest Men's Basketball News
- Falcons Wrap Up Pre-Season Against Dayton In Final ExhibitionDAYTON, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team concluded their preseason slate on Monday (Oct. 27) against the Dayton Flyers. The game marked the second exhibition for the Falcons after facing No. 22 Michigan State last Thursday (Oct. 23). Bowling Green took a lead into the halftime break, ahead 30-27, but the Flyers erupted in the second half to capture a 90-59 final. For the Falcons, Javon Ruffin led the way with 20 points, going a near perfect 8-of-9 from the field. Javontae Campbell added 10 points as well. Bowling Green will now shift to the regular season, opening with the first of three straight home games on Monday (Nov. 3) against Texas State at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.
- Campbell, Towns Lead Way As Falcons Challenge No. 22 Michigan State In ExhibitionEAST LANSING, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team took on the Michigan State Spartans in an exhibition Thursday night (Oct. 23) at the Breslin Center on MSU's campus. The game marked the first action of the season for either team and proved to be a tight contest. Throughout the game, the lead changed hands five times while the score was tied six times. Despite the Falcons winning the rebounding battle, Michigan State pulled ahead for the 75-66 final. Combined with last year's regular season game, Bowling Green has now led for over 29 minutes of action inside the Breslin Center over the two games played.
- BGSU Home Game Against Akron Selected For National Television, Moved To Jan. 9BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball home game against Akron has been selected for national television. The Mid-American Conference announced Thursday (Oct. 23) the ESPN and CBS Sports Network television windows for the first few weeks of the men's basketball conference season. Among those selected included the BGSU-Akron game, originally scheduled Jan. 10. The game will now be moved to Jan. 9 and will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network with an 8 p.m. tip.
- Exhibitions Against Michigan State, Dayton Mark Beginning Of 2025-26 Men’s Basketball CampaignBOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team will begin the 2025-26 season with a pair of exhibitions on the road. BGSU will first head north to East Lansing, Mich. to face Michigan State on Thursday (Oct. 23) with a 7 p.m. start. From there, the Falcons will migrate south to go against the Dayton Flyers on Monday (Oct. 27) with another 7 p.m. tip. The game between BGSU and MSU will be broadcast on BIG+, but the game against Dayton will not have a video stream.
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- BGSU Basketball Teams To Host Hoops Night Tuesday At BGSU LettersBOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's and women's basketball programs will kick off the 2025-26 campaign with Hoops Night on Tuesday (Oct. 14). The event will be held on campus at the BGSU Letters, located at the center of campus outside of the Bowen Thompson Student Union. The event is set to begin at 6 p.m. and will be free to attend.
