LANCASTER, Pa. – Defending champion Franklin & Marshall has been chosen as the favorite to repeat in the 2025-26 Centennial Conference men's basketball preseason poll. The Diplomats collected seven first-place votes and 78 points to earn the distinction as preseason favorite.
Johns Hopkins nabbed the other three first-place votes and tallied 75 points to finish second in the voting. Gettysburg was picked third with 61 points, followed by Swarthmore (58), Ursinus (53) and Dickinson (41) as projected playoff teams in fourth through sixth, respectively.
McDaniel was picked seventh with 27, with Muhlenberg (22), Washington College (22) and Haverford (13) closing out the rankings.
The 2025-26 season tips this weekend. Conference play commences in early January, with the six-team CC tournament set for Feb. 24, 27 and March 1 with the higher seeds hosting each round.
2025-26 Centennial Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Franklin & Marshall (7) |
78 |
| 2. Johns Hopkins (3) |
75 |
| 3. Gettysburg |
61 |
| 4. Swarthmore |
58 |
| 5. Ursinus |
53 |
| 6. Dickinson |
41 |
| 7. McDaniel |
27 |
| 8T. Muhlenberg |
22 |
| 8T. Washington College |
22 |
| 10. Haverford |
13 |
2025-26 Schedule | 2024-25 All-Centennial Team | D3hoops.com Preseason Poll
Franklin & Marshall snapped a seven-year streak of championship matchups between Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore last winter, defeating JHU 60-47 in the Centennial championship game. The Diplomats returned to the top of the conference for the first time since 2016 and the conference-leading ninth time. Hopkins ranks second all time with six CC crowns, followed by Swarthmore (4), Ursinus (4), Dickinson (3), Gettysburg (3), and Muhlenberg (2).
The Diplomats and Gettysburg went on to represent the CC in the NCAA Tournament. The Bullets secured their first NCAA win since 2008 with an 84-68 opening-round win over Chatham, while F&M fell to Catholic in its opener. Gettysburg then fell to Wesleyan in round two.
F&M senior guard Kevin Nowoswiat leads the list of returners to the CC this winter. The reigning CC Player of the Year, Nowoswiat was named a first team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) after averaging 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Teammate and fellow senior guard Vakaris Grauslys is also back to complete a dynamic returning backcourt for the Diplomats. Grauslys is one of just two mutli-time all-stars back in the conference this season, having earned second team All-CC honors each of the past two seasons.
Ursinus senior guard Nick Nocito is the other player with multiple all-conference laurels to their name as the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year and an honorable mention pick last winter. Other returning all-stars include Gettysburg senior guard/forward Nate Williams, JHU senior guard Charlie Jackson, McDaniel senior forward Jonas Sujeta, and Swarthmore sophomore guard Zander Jimenez.
Two new head coaches will roam the sidelines in the CC this fall - Gettysburg's Matt Hunter and Swarthmore's Shane Loeffler. Hunter takes over the helm at Gettysburg after a 13-year stint at York (Pa.), while Loeffler will serve as a head coach for the first time after eight years as an assistant for the Garnet.
Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg are both receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason National Rankings.
Returning All-American
Kevin Nowoswiat, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., G (2024-25 NABC First Team)
Returning All-Region (1)
Kevin Nowoswiat, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., G (2024-25 NABC First Team, 2024-25 D3Hoops.com First Team)
Returning All-Centennial (7)
Kevin Nowoswiat, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., G (2024-25 Player OTY, 2024-25 First Team)
Vakaris Grauslys, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., G (2024-25 Second Team, 2023-24 Second Team)
Nate Williams, Gettysburg, Sr., G/F (2024-25 Honorable Mention)
Charlie Jackson, Johns Hopkins, Sr., G (2024-25 Second Team)
Jonas Sujeta, McDaniel, Sr., F (2024-25 Honorable Mention)
Zander Jimenez, Swarthmore, So., G (2024-25 Rookie OTY, 2024-25 Second Team)
Nick Nocito, Ursinus, Sr., G (2022-23 Rookie OTY, 2024-25 Honorable Mention)
