ANNVILLE, Pa (Oct. 21, 2026) -- The DeSales University men's basketball team has been picked third overall in the MAC Freedom Preseason coaches' poll as voted on by the eight MAC Freedom coaches and as released by the conference office on Wednesday morning.
DeSales totaled 49 points, just two points behind Misericordia University in the second spot. Stevens was selected first receiving eight first place votes and 64 points. Rounding out the top five were Arcadia University, just one point behind DeSales in fourth place, and Lebanon Valley College in fifth with 35 points. This season five teams will advance to the postseason tournament as Marywood University joins the conference. The #4 and #5 seeds will play a first-round game with the winner meeting the top seed in the quarterfinals.
DeSales is coming off a 15-11 season last year earning the #3 seed in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament with a 10-4 conference mark. The Bulldogs fell to Stevens in the MAC Freedom semifinals.
Junior Luke Keppel is DSU's top returnee earning Honorable-Mention All-MAC Freedom honors one year ago finishing the season averaging 12.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He shot 37.0 percent from outside the arc, hitting a team-high 57 3's.
Sophomore Riley Buzby also returns after averaging 5.3 points per game and also hitting 37.0 percent from outside the arc. In addition sophomore Robbie Ruisch (started 14 games), senior Chris Edwards (started 21 games), and sophomore Theo Gladue (started 15 games) also return all having started 10+ games last season.
DSU welcomes in three freshman as well as two transfers from Division II Chestnut Hill College and Millersville University in Travis Kerr Jr. and Ron Brown III.
Head coach Scott Coval returns for his 34th season sporting a career record of 598-285 (.677). He enters the 2026-27 season ranked third in victories among all active NCAA Division III coaches and is 34th all-time in NCAA Division III in total wins. Coval enters the year needing just two wins to become the 34th coach to win 600 games in NCAA Division III history and the 22nd to win 600+ games in Division III alone.
The Bulldogs have an exciting schedule opening with two home games on Nov. 7th and 13th before traveling to the Cathedral of Basketball to take on NCAA Division I, the University of Penn, at The Palestra on Monday, November 16th. Tickets for that game can be purchased online HERE. The game at the Palestra is part of the arena's 100th-anniversary celebration. DSU will begin its MAC Freedom schedule on December 2nd at Marywood University and will once again host the Al Senavitis Memorial Tournament on December 28th and 29th.
MAC Freedom Preseason Poll (First place votes)
1 - Stevens - 64 (8)
2 - Misericordia - 51
3 - DeSales - 49
4 - Arcadia - 48
5 - Lebanon Valley - 35
6t - King's - 26
6t - FDU-Florham - 26
8 - Delaware Valley - 13
9 - Marywood - 12
