ALLENDALE – The Grand Valley State men's basketball team was voted to finish fourth in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll announced today by the league office. Head coach Cornell Mann enters his fourth season at GVSU. The Lakers went 16-13 overall last season with a 12-8 GLIAC mark. 
 
GVSU returns a lot of talent to Allendale this season, led by second team All-Conference and GLIAC All-Defensive team performer Jalen Charity. Entering his senior season, Charity averaged 11.5 points and four rebounds per game last season shooting a team best 49% from the field. Charity ranked third on the team with 16 blocks and fourth with 24 steals. GLIAC All-Defensive performer Shamus Thompson also returns for the Lakers. Thompson put career bests 5.4 rebounds per game and led GVSU with 28 blocks which ranked fifth in the GLIAC.
 
The Lakers return two senior point guards in Mason Docks and Trevor Smith Jr. Docks averaged over eight points last season and led GVSU with 84 assists. He ranked third in the conference with a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio. Smith Jr. was named to the All-GLIAC defensive team for the third consecutive season. He averaged over six points last season and was second on the team with 82 assists and second in the GLIAC with a 2.9 assist/turnover ratio. 
 
Graduate senior Ethan Alderink also returns for GVSU. Alderink earned All-GLIAC second team honors in the 2023-24 season and appeared in five games in 2024-25 before suffering a season ending injury. Key reserves junior Charles Turner and sophomores Cam Regnerus and Marcus Gray II also return for GVSU this season. 
 
The Lakers also welcome three transfers and three freshmen to Allendale this season. Junior guard David Wilkerson transferred to GVSU after spending two seasons at Youngstown State. Wilkerson appeared in 28 games while shooting 41% from the field last season for the Penguins. GVSU also welcomed junior transfers Antaune Allen and Payton Weemer to Allendale. Allen played two seasons at Indiana East earning first team All-Conference honors last season after averaging over 18 points and five rebounds on 47% shooting from the field. Weemer joins GVSU after spending two seasons at Lakeland Community College. During his time at Lakeland Community College, Weemer was a two-time All-Region performer and earned All-Conference honors last season. He averaged over 11 points and six rebounds over his two years. 
 
GVSU will open their 2024-25 season against Ashland in a neutral site game in Toledo, Ohio on Friday, November 14^th at 6:00 PM. The Lakers will open their home schedule on Wednesday, November 26^th against Lewis at 3:00 PM.
 
2025-26 GLIAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

1.   Michigan Tech			100 (10)
2.   Northern Michigan			85 (1)
3.   Parkside			80
4.   Grand Valley State			74
5.   Lake Superior State			59
6.   Ferris State			57
7.   Wayne State			51
8.   Saginaw Valley State			34
9.   Purdue Northwest			26
10. Davenport			20
11. Roosevelt			19