WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State men's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the LEC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Tuesday (Oct. 27).
WestConn took the top spot in the poll with 61 points, earning five first-place votes. Keene State finished a point behind at 60, taking home four first-place votes. UMass Dartmouth (47), Southern Maine (43) and Rhode Island College (35) finished third through fifth in the poll.
After Eastern's 30 points, UMass Boston (20), Plymouth State (17) and VTSU Castleton (11) rounded out the voting.
Head Coach
Bill Geitner enters his 25th season at the helm of the Warriors program, leading Eastern to a 17-10 overall record and 8-8 record in LEC play. The Warriors earned a win over Southern Maine in the first round of the LEC Tournament a season ago.
Eastern returns 2025-26 Second Team All-LEC honoree
Julian Sanchez, who led last year's squad with 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Sanchez is just one of six returners from last year's squad. There will be plenty of new faces on the Eastern roster as 13 new players will be on the 2026-26 roster, including 10 first years and three transfers.
The Warriors begin their season at home with a game againt New Paltz on Saturday (Nov. 7) and will also play non-conference games against Trinity (Conn.) (Nov. 13), Connecticut College (Nov. 24) and Baruch (Dec. 2) as part of the Dean R. Scinto '87 Memorial Tournament.
Eastern opens up Litlle East play on Dec. 2 against WestConn and returns to conference play on Jan. 2 at UMass Boston. The Warriors play their home Little East games against Kenne State (Jan. 7), Plymouth State (Jan. 9), Southern Maine (Jan. 16), UMass Boston (Jan. 30), UMass Dartmouth (Feb. 3), Rhode Island College (Feb. 10) and VTSU Castleton (Feb. 13).
2026 LEC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Western Connecticut - 61 (5)
2. Keene State - 60 (4)
3. UMass Dartmouth - 47
4. Southern Maine - 43
5. Rhode Island College - 35
6. Eastern Connecticut - 30
7. UMass Boston - 20
8. Plymouth State - 17
9. Vermont State Castleton - 11
