Marlborough, Mass. October 14, 2026 - Babson College received five of nine first place votes and has been projected to win its fourth conference title this winter as the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) released the 2026-27 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Wednesday morning.
Babson is coming off a 2025-26 campaign that saw the Beavers win their third NEWMAC title in four seasons and advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. Under the direction of 32-year head coach Stephen Brennan, Babson will return reigning NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, Thomas Ferdinando as well as NEWMAC All-Conference First Team honoree Timmy Mulvey to the court this year. In last year’s postseason run, Babson defeated Salve Regina and Wheaton in the conference tournament and Saint Joseph’s Maine in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 ranked Trinity (CT).
WPI received one first place votes and 54 points overall in the poll to finish second among the nine men’s basketball programs in the NEWMAC. The Engineers will return reigning NEWMAC Athlete of the Year and All-Region selection Justin Molen to the court this winter. Nate Bledsoe will also be back in Worcester for his senior season after earning NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team honors a season ago. WPI won its fifth straight regular season conference title and despite falling in the NEWMAC semifinal round in 2025-26, the Engineers won 21 games and earned a bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. Under head coach Chris Bartley, WPI has won 20 or more games, 19 times in his 25-year tenure at WPI.
Salve Regina finished third in this year’s preseason coaches poll and will return NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team honoree Pat Spenard to the court this winter. Under head coach Sean Foster, the Seahawks won 19 games a season ago and reached the NEWMAC Tournament Semifinal for the first time since joining the conference in 2023-24. Foster and his staff were honored with Coaching Staff of the Year accolades from the NEWMAC at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season for their efforts.
MIT received three first place votes and finished fourth in this year’s preseason poll. Despite winning only six games a season ago, the bar has been set for second-year head coach BJ Dunne to bring his program back to the conference and national tournaments. The Engineers 2026-27 roster features four graduate students including transfers Eric Wentz from Macalester and Noah Hicks from Caltech as well as a trio of seniors.
Wheaton made a magical run as the fourth seed to the NEWMAC title game in 2025-26 and received 36 points for fifth in this year’s preseason coaches poll. The Lyons will be lead by NEWMAC All-Conference First Teamer Dimetri Iafrate, who has been one of the most potent offensive players in the league over the past three seasons. In 2025-26, Iafrate averaged 19.5 points per game, scored nearly 60 more points than anyone else in the NEWMAC and shot at a 55.2-percent clip from the floor, the second best mark in the conference. Wheaton will look to Iafrate if the Lyons want to make it back to the title game this winter.
Emerson has been selected sixth in this year’s preseason coaches poll with 29 points and was closely followed in seventh by Clark with 26. The Lions lost six upperclassmen at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, but returns a veteran squad to the court this winter that will feature eight seniors and four juniors under head coach Bill Curley. Emerson will turn to rising senior Guillermo Gasset Ruiz to lead the squad looking to make it back to the conference tournament. Clark has four seniors returning to Worcester this fall including Second Team All-Conference honoree Quentin Pridgen. The Cougars were the sixth-seed in last year’s NEWMAC Tournament and will look to build on its seven wins in league play from a season ago.
Springfield and Coast Guard round out this year’s NEWMAC preseason coaches poll as the Pride received 19 points and the Bears received 14 points. The Pride earned the fifth seed in last year’s conference tournament, but will enter this season without six seniors, who Springfield lost to graduation. Springfield’s offense will run through rising senior Xoren Livingston and rising junior Cedric Rodriguez in 2026-27 as the Pride will look to build on a strong 2025-26 campaign, which saw the program win its most NEWMAC games since head coach Michael McClendon joined the program.
Coast Guard won just eight contests a year ago, but veteran head coach Kevin Jaskiewicz will turn to his young roster to try and bring the Bears back to the NEWMAC Tournament and hoist the trophy in February for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign. Coast Guard will be led by rising senior Jordan Frazer and rising sophomore Ashton Kendall in 2026-27.
2026-27 NEWMAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team, Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Babson - 61 (5)
2. WPI - 54 (1)
3. Salve Regina - 47
4. MIT - 38 Points (3)
5. Wheaton - 36
6. Emerson - 29
7. Clark - 26
8. Springfield - 19
9. Coast Guard - 14
A look at the NEWMAC Men's Basketball Head Coaches
Babson - Stephen Brennan - 32nd Season - 519-315
WPI - Chris Bartley - 25th Season - 484-172
Salve Regina - Sean Foster - 24th Season - 280-323
MIT - BJ Dunne - 13th Season (2nd at MIT) - 148-163
Wheaton - Alex DuBrow - 2nd Season - 17-11
Emerson - Bill Curley - 12th Season - 136-152
Clark - Michael Mailhot - 1st Season - 0-0
Springfield - Michael McClendon - 5th Season - 34-68
Coast Guard - Kevin Jaskiewicz - 18th Season - 142-251
The 2026-27 season kicks off on Friday, November 6 with a trio of teams in action beginning with Emerson College at Baruch College at 5:00 pm. Wheaton and Springfield also open their season that evening at 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm, respectively.
A conference champion will be crowned on Saturday, February 27 with that team receiving the league's automatic berth to the 2026-27 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 13 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Saint Anselm College (beginning reclassification process with NCAA in 2027-28), Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with seven Associate Members: New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 21 sports.