All 10 League teams in action on opening night

PatriotMBB Notebook (.PDF)
 
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – All 10 Patriot League men’s basketball teams will be in action when the 2025-26 season tips off on Monday, with League teams playing 22 games through Sunday, Nov. 9. Fifteen games will be available live on the ESPN family of networks during the first week of the 2025-26 season, including defending League champion American opening its season at Wake Forest on Monday.
 
Two games will appear on CBS Sports Network, including Navy hosting Yale as part of the Veterans Classic at Alumni Hall on Friday, and Boston University travels to Northwestern for another Friday evening game on Peacock.
 
For more information on Patriot League men’s basketball dates, times and coverage, visit the men’s basketball composite schedule on the League’s official website - www.PatriotLeague.org.
 
NAVY EARNS TOP SPOT IN THE 2025-26 PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL POLL
The Midshipmen, under first-year head coach Jon Perry, collected 79 points and seven first-place votes after advancing to the Patriot League Championship Game last season. Boston University received 73 points and two first-place votes, while Colgate picked up 64 points and one first-place vote. Reigning champion American placed fourth with 47 points, and co-regular-season champion Bucknell rounded out the top five with 44 points.
 
BENIGNI AND JONES HIGHLIGHT PRESEASON ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAM
Navy Sr. G Austin Benigni (18.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) and American Jr. G Greg Jones (10.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), the Preseason Patriot League Player and Defensive Player of the Year, highlight the five-member preseason All-League team. Benigni earned First Team All-Patriot League honors, while Boston University Jr. G Kyrone Alexander (12.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) earned a spot on the second team and Colgate Jr. G Jalen Cox (11.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.9 apg) was a third-teamer. Jones and Cox made the League’s five-member All-Defensive Team at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Loyola Maryland Jr. G Jacob Theodosiou averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for the Greyhounds during his first season in Baltimore.
 
MIDSHIPMEN RANK NO. 25 IN MID MAJOR TOP 25
Patriot League preseason favorite Navy checked in at No. 25 in the Men’s Mid Major To 25, released by CollegeInsider.com during the preseason. The Mids went 15-19 last season with a 10-8 record in League play before advancing to the Patriot League Championship Game. First-year head coach Jon Perry, who is in his 13th season at Navy, where he previously served as associate head coach, returns all five starters from last season.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE RETURNING SCORING LEADERS
Navy’s Benigni led the Patriot League in scoring last season, averaging 18.8 points per game. He is also the lone returning Patriot League player to eclipse 1,000 career points, ranking 85th in League history with 1,311 points through three seasons with the Mids. Loyola Maryland’s Theodosiou (13.0 ppg) and Boston University’s Alexander (12.9 ppg) are second and third, respectively, among the returning leading scorers. Holy Cross Jr. G/F Joe Nugent (12.7 ppg), Army West Point Jr. G Ryan Curry (12.5), Loyola Maryland Jr. G Jordan Stiemke (12.1 ppg) and Colgate Jr. G Jalen Cox (11.9 ppg) all return after ranking among the League’s top 20 scorers in 2024-25.
 
FIVE OF THE LEAGUE’S TOP SIX 3-POINT SHOOTERS RETURN
Four of the Patriot League’s top five leaders in 3-point field goal percentage return from a year ago. American’s Jones ranked second in the League at the conclusion of last season, connecting at a .438 (42-of-96) clip, with Lafayette Jr. G/F Andrew Phillips (.431) ranking third. Holy Cross’ Nugent (.429), Bucknell Jr. G Brandon McCreesh (.415) and Boston University Jr. G Michael McNair (.408) were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
 
KEHOE AND DRAPER HIGHLIGHT THE RETURNING REBOUNDING LEADERS
Sr. C Aidan Kehoe and Sr. F Donovan Draper finished first and second, respectively, in the Patriot League in rebounding last season to help the Mids pull down a League-best 35.8 rebounds per game. Kehoe finished 39th in NCAA DI, averaging 8.9 rebounds per game. Draper pulled down 8.2 rpg, giving him 561 rebounds through two seasons. He ranks 71st in League history entering the 2025-26 season.
 
RETURNING CAREER LEADERS
Benigni has emerged as one of the nation’s leaders in getting to the free-throw line, showing efficiency from the charity stripe through his career in Annapolis. The senior guard ranks third in Patriot League history in free-throw percentage, connecting on 85.5 percent (442-of-517) of his attempts.
 
Holy Cross’ Nugent is eighth in Patriot League history in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 41.8 percent (141-337) from beyond the arc. He ranked 14th in NCAA DI in 3-point field-goal percentage, at 42.9 percent, last season.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE TO THE NBA
Former Lehigh star C.J. McCollum is in his 13th season in the League and first with the Washington Wizards. McCollum turned into a star with the Portland Trail Blazers after becoming the second “Lottery Pick” in League history, going 10th to the Blazers in the 2013 NBA Draft. Loyola Maryland’s Santi Aldama is in his fifth season in Memphis. Aldama and former Greyhounds’ teammate Cam Spencer have been reunited with the Grizzlies, with Spencer entering his second season in Memphis after being acquired during the 2024 NBA Draft. Another former Loyola grad, Pat Spencer, who starred on the Greyhounds men’s lacrosse team, is with the Golden State Warriors. Bucknell legend Charles Lee is in his second season as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets.
 
2025-26 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Team Capsules
(Teams are listed by order of finish from the 2025-26 Patriot League Preseason Poll)
 
1. Navy Midshipmen
Head Coach: Jon Perry
Years at Navy/Overall: 1st/1st
Navy Season Preview | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
2. Boston University Terriers
Head Coach: Joe Jones
Years at Boston University/Overall: 15th/22nd
Boston University Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
3. Colgate Raiders
Head Coach: Matt Langel
Years at Colgate/Overall: 15th/15th
Colgate Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
4. American Eagles
Head Coach: Duane Simpkins
Years at Navy/Overall: 3rd/3rd
American Season Preview | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
5. Bucknell Bison
Head Coach: John Griffin III
Years at Bucknell/Overall: 3rd/3rd
Bucknell Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
6. Loyola Maryland Greyhounds
Head Coach: Josh Loeffler
Years at Loyola Maryland/Overall: 2nd/2nd
Loyola Maryland Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
7. Lafayette Leopards
Head Coach: Mike McGarvey
Years at Lafayette/Overall: 3rd/7th
Lafayette Season Preview | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
8. Lehigh Mountain Hawks
Head Coach: Dr. Brett Reed
Years at Lehigh/Overall: 19th/19th
Lehigh Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
9. Holy Cross Crusaders
Head Coach: Dave Paulsen
Years at Holy Cross/Overall: 3rd/30th
Holy Cross Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats
 
10. Army West Point Black Knights
Head Coach: Kevin Kuwik
Years at Army West Point/Overall: 3rd/3rd
Army West Point Game Notes | 2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster | 2024-25 Stats

 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.