ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Sep. 30, 2025) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll and Preseason All-MAAC honors have been announced, as voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches. For the second straight season, Quinnipiac University has been voted as the favorites to win the MAAC championship title, while the Bobcats’ senior forward, Amarri Monroe was named as the Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Quinnipiac earned 158 points and were the recipients of eight first place votes to lead all other teams in the poll. This marks the second time in program history that the Bobcats have been selected as the preseason favorites, after also being picked first in the preseason poll last year. The two-time defending MAAC Regular Season Champions, Quinnipiac posted a 15-5 MAAC regular season in back-to-back campaigns, earning the program's first and second-ever regular season MAAC titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The 15 league wins were the most ever for the school additionally. Overall, the Bobcats went 20-13 in 2024-25. The Bobcats have never won a MAAC title nor has the team ever made a championship title game appearance since joining the league in 2013-14, but the team has advanced to the semifinal round in consecutive postseasons and five times total.
Siena University finished second in the preseason poll, collecting 152 points and three first place votes. The Saints finished 14-18 overall and 9-11 in the MAAC last season under first year head coach Gerry McNamara. Siena is the second most successful program in MAAC history, having claimed six MAAC Championships, with the last one coming in 2020. Sacred Heart University was slated third in the preseason poll, earning 140 points and the remaining two first place votes. During their inaugural MAAC campaign in 2024-25, the Pioneers went 10-10 in league play and 15-18 overall. Sacred Heart qualified for the MAAC Championship in 2025 and earned a first round victory over Fairfield. Manhattan University was picked fourth in the poll and received 133 points. Last season, the Jaspers were 12-8 in conference play and 17-14 overall. Manhattan ranks third all-time in MAAC Championship, just behind Siena with five total titles, last winning back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015. Rounding out the top five was Marist University with 115 points. The Red Foxes are coming off of a 13-7 MAAC season last year, with a 20-10 overall mark. The Red Foxes have made the MAAC quarterfinal round in three straight seasons which also included the program’s only championship final appearance in 2023.
Amarri Monroe was voted as the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year for the second time in two seasons and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team. A senior from Newburgh, NY, Monroe was crowned as 2024-25 MAAC Player of the Year and was a unanimous choice to the All-MAAC First Team last year. He led the Bobcats in points (18.1 PPG), rebounds (9.1 RPG), steals (2.3 SPG), and double doubles (14) in 32 contests last season. Monroe was the MAAC leader in rebounds per game (9.1), offensive rebounds per game (6.9), and double doubles, while ranking second in the conference in steals, steals per game, and free throws made, and third on the league leaderboard in scoring average. He was also named to the NABC Mid Atlantic District Second Team.
Joining Monroe on the Preseason All-MAAC First Team unanimously were Manhattan’s Will Sydnor and Siena’s Justice Shoats, while Devin Dinkins (Manhattan) and Anquan Hill (Sacred Heart) were also named to the team.
The full Preseason Coaches’ Poll and remainder of the Preseason All-MAAC Teams can be found below.
| 2025 MAAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Quinnipiac |
158 (8) |
| 2 |
Siena |
152 (3) |
| 3 |
Sacred Heart |
140 (2) |
| 4 |
Manhattan |
133 |
| 5 |
Marist |
115 |
| 6 |
Iona |
104 |
| 7 |
Merrimack |
85 |
| 8 |
Fairfield |
74 |
| 9 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
69 |
| 10 |
Rider |
59 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
48 |
| 12 |
Niagara |
26 |
| 13 |
Canisius |
20 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Amarri Monroe – Quinnipiac |
| Preseason All-MAAC First Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Devin Dinkins |
Guard |
Jr. |
Manhattan |
| Will Sydnor* |
Forward |
So. |
Manhattan |
| Amarri Monroe* |
Forward |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Anquan Hill |
Forward |
Sr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Justice Shoats* |
Guard |
Sr. |
Siena |
| Preseason All-MAAC Second Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Elijah Lewis |
Guard |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Jaden Zimmerman |
Guard |
So. |
Quinnipiac |
| Mekhi Conner |
Guard |
So. |
Sacred Heart |
| Bryce Eaton |
Guard |
R-So. |
Saint Peter's |
| Gavin Doty |
Guard |
So. |
Siena |
| Preseason All-MAAC Third Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Deuce Turner |
Guard |
Gr. |
Fairfield |
| Jadin Collins-Roberts |
Guard |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Xavier Lipscomb |
Guard |
Gr. |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Zion Cruz |
Guard |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Nyle Ralph-Beyer |
Guard |
So. |
Sacred Heart |
*Denotes unanimous selection
The 2025-26 campaign culminates with the 2026 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 5-10 at Atlantic City's Historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall for the seventh consecutive year dating back to 2020. For all information regarding the 2026 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit
MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on Twitter.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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