WASHINGTON – The Atlantic 10 has announced its preseason honors for the 2026-27 men’s basketball season. Both the preseason poll and the preseason all-conference and all-defensive teams were announced ahead of Media Day, which took place on Monday, Oct. 19 at the Westin DC Downtown in Washington, D.C.
2026-27 Men’s Basketball Preseason Honors (PDF)
For the second straight year, VCU and Saint Louis were separated by just one voting point among the league’s head coaches and select media members. The Rams received 308 voting points and 11 first-place votes while the Billikens had 307 points and ten first-place votes. The teams met expectations a year ago, tying for the regular-season crown as both finished 15-3 in conference play.
Both then went on to play in the NCAA Tournament and win a game at March Madness, as Saint Louis beat Georgia before falling to eventual champion Michigan while VCU beat North Carolina in overtime before losing to an Illinois team that made the Final Four.
This season, VCU is expected to be lead by senior forward Lazar Djokovic and sophomore guard Nyk Lewis, both of whom were selected preseason all-conference first team by the voting panel. A third Ram, junior guard Brandon Jennings, was picked for all-conference second team honors and was also named to the preseason all-defensive team.
Saint Louis had four players earn preseason honors. Junior guard Trey Green and fifth-year guard Kellen Thames were both selected for preseason all-conference first team, with Thames also earning a spot on the all-defensive team. Junior guard Amari McCottry joined Thames on the all-defensive team and also received preseason all-conference second team recognition, while junior guard Ishan Sharma was picked for preseason all-conference third team honors.
Dayton was picked third in the preseason poll, collecting 279 voting points and the final two first-place votes. The Flyers finished fourth in the regular season last year, at 12-6 in conference play, then advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NIT. UD junior guard Amael L’Etang was voted as a preseason all-conference first team selection.
George Mason was picked fourth this season, with 240 voting points. The Patriots went 11-7 in conference play a year ago, then hosted a first-round NIT game. Two Mason players received preseason all-conference recognition, with senior guard Baraka Okojie garnering second team honors and graduate guard Brayden O’Connor earning a third team nod.
George Washington was selected fifth in the preseason poll, with 207 points. The Revolutionaries—who won an NIT game at Utah Valley last year and went 19-16 overall—will be led by senior guard Jean Aranguren, who received preseason all-conference third team recognition from the panel of voters.
Saint Joseph’s was selected sixth by the voters, collecting 181 points. Under head coach Steve Donahue—who was last year’s Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in his first season on Hawk Hill—the Hawks took third in the A10 regular-season standings last year, at 13-5, then won a pair of road games en route to the NIT quarterfinal round. Junior guard Jaiden Glover-Toscano was recognized with preseason all-conference first team recognition, while graduate forward Sean Logan was voted to the preseason all-defensive team.
Fordham far exceeded expectations last season, finishing eighth after being picked to finish 14th. The work done by head coach Mike Magpayo had the voters select the Rams seventh this preseason, with 169 voting points. Fordham will rely heavily on senior forward Rikus Schulte, who was voted for preseason all-conference second team and all-defensive honors.
Davidson was one of six teams to reach double figures in conference wins last year, with ten, and the Wildcats were one of five A10 teams to play in the NIT. They have been selected eighth this year by the preseason voting panel. Davidson senior forward Josh Scovens Josh Scovens was picked for all-conference second team recognition.
Richmond has been picked ninth by the voting panel, the Spiders receiving 138 voting points. Sophomore guard Aiden Argabright was a preseason all-conference third team selection. Duquesne was close behind UR in the preseason poll, taking tenth with 130 points, while Loyola Chicago was picked 11th with 116 points.
URI was picked 12th in the preseason poll, with 104 points, as fifth-year guard Jonah Hinton and senior swingman Jahmere Tripp both were recognized with preseason all-conference third team honors.
La Salle (59 voting points) and St. Bonaventure (33) were picked 13th and 14th in the preseason poll, respectively, with the Explorers’ junior guard Rob Dockery being selected for the preseason all-conference second team
The 2026-27 Atlantic 10 men’s basketball season starts on Monday, Nov. 2, while conference play starts with all 14 teams in action on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The season will culminate with the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Tournament, which returns to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the sixth time overall and the first time since 2024. The A10’s premier event will begin Wednesday, March 10, and the league will crown its champion on March 14 (Selection Sunday) on CBS.