The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released the 2025-26 Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll today with the return of divisional selections alongside the overall. The Wolves were picked 13th overall with 58 points and fifth in the North Division with 24 points. In addition, senior James Glenn was selected as the team’s Player to Watch in 2025-26.
NSIC coaches rank each team in the NSIC in the overall poll and team from their division in the divisional poll. In the overall poll coaches rank from 1 to 15 with a first place vote receiving 15 points, second place 14, third place 13, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.
The regular season champion will be based on the 22-game NSIC schedule. Each team will play teams in their division twice (14 divisional games) and teams in the other division once (8 out-of-division games). An NSIC North and South Division Champion will also be awarded. Divisional standings will also be based on all 22 NSIC contests played. In the event of a tie, co-champions will be awarded.
The 2025-26 men’s basketball season gets underway in early November with non-conference action, while NSIC play begins Tuesday, November 25. The 12-team NSIC Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place February 28-March 3 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The tournament will be seeded using the NSIC 22-game schedule, with the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye. First round games will be played on campus on Wednesday, February 25.
LOOKING BACK AT 2024-25
Northern went 2-26 overall and 1-21 in the league last season, finishing 15th overall in the NSIC standings. The Wolves return eight from the 2024-25 roster heading into this season.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025-26
The Wolves enter their first season under the direction of head coach Matt Wilber and assistant coaches Jack Nelson and Wes Smith. Wilber is the seventh coach in Northern State men’s basketball history and joined NSU after coaching stops at Augustana, Sioux Falls, South Dakota State, Dakota Wesleyan, and the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
NSU welcomes nine new faces heading into the season, including seven transfer student-athletes. The Wolves kick start their season with a pair of exhibition contest at Murray State and Wyoming, led by a pair of Northern State alums in Ryan Miller and Sundance Wicks.
WILBER’S THOUGHTS
- On the Team: “As a group, there is good energy with everyone excited about the opportunity to be at Northern. We all understand the challenges ahead of us with the competitiveness of the NSIC, but we are hopeful to be a competitive group that plays together with great effort and energy.”
- On Glenn: “We are hopeful for James. He has been great through the coaching transition in helping bridge the locker room to the new coaching staff. He is a talented scorer that we are going to rely on throughout the year.”
2025 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
| Overall | Points | |
| 1 | Southwest Minn. State (11) | 219 |
| 2 | St. Cloud State (2) | 194 |
| 3 | Minnesota State (1) | 189 |
| 4 | Concordia-St. Paul (1) | 176 |
| 5 | Augustana (1) | 174 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 174 | |
| 7 | MSU Moorhead | 138 |
| 8 | Sioux Falls | 120 |
| 9 | Winona State | 115 |
| 10 | Wayne State | 101 |
| 11 | Minot State | 79 |
| 12 | Bemidji State | 71 |
| 13 | Northern State | 58 |
| 14 | Jamestown | 54 |
| 15 | Minnesota Crookston | 30 |
| 16 | University of Mary | 28 |
| North Division | Points | |
| 1 | Minnesota Duluth (5) | 47 |
| 2 | MSU Moorhead (2) | 43 |
| 3 | Minot State | 35 |
| 4 | Bemidji State (1) | 30 |
| 5 | Northern State | 24 |
| 6 | Jamestown | 22 |
| 7 | Minnesota Crookston | 12 |
| 8 | University of Mary | 11 |
| South Division | Points | |
| 1 | Southwest Minn. State (6) | 48 |
| 2 | St. Cloud State (2) | 44 |
| 3 | Augustana | 31 |
| Minnesota State | 31 | |
| 5 | Concordia-St. Paul | 30 |
| 6 | Sioux Falls | 15 |
| 7 | Winona State | 14 |
| 8 | Wayne State | 11 |
