Men's Basketball | 10/29/2026 11:00:00 AM

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's basketball team was picked sixth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday morning.

West Chester was tabbed atop the Eastern Division, receiving four first-place votes. East Stroudsburg follows behind by collect three first-place votes with Shepherd ranking third with one first-place vote. 

Bloomsburg enters this season under fifth-year head coach Chris Bess, who took the Huskies to a 7-21 (4-17 PSAC) in the 2025-26 season. The maroon and gold are led by returners Chase Smucker (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg), Thaddeus Lee (Lancaster, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) and Xion Nichols (Woodland, Calif./State College Area), who all played meaningful minutes last year. 

Smucker earned a starting spot last year late in the season where he averaged 5.8 points per game in his 12 games as a starter. Smucker scored 178 points and 51 rebounds total while shooting 38% from three in his freshman campaign. 

Nichols enters his junior season after averaging 5.1 points per game while Thaddeus Lee (Lancaster, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) enters his sophomore season averaging 4.8 points per game last season. 

Bloomsburg have recruited several new faces for this upcoming season with six transfers. 

Darius Brant (Brooklyn, N.Y./William Allen) comes to Bloomsburg after averaging 10 points per game for Mayville State last season. He was also third in total points and rebounds for the team with 299 and 101 respectively. 

Christopher Meakin (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown Area) joins the Huskies from Frostburg State. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 3.3 points and rebounds per game while starting in 10 games for the Bobcats. 

Bloomsburg will open there season in the Nelson Field House on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. against Molloy.

2026-27 PSAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (# of first-place votes in parentheses)

1. West Chester (4)
2. East Stroudsburg (3)
3. Shepherd (1)
4. Millersville
5. Shippensburg
6. Bloomsburg
7. Kutztown
8. Mansfield
  
WEST

1. Gannon (8)
2. IUP
3. California (1)
4. Slippery Rock
5. Seton Hill
6. Pitt-Johnstown
7. Edinboro
8. Clarion
9. Lock Haven