JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced its 2025-26 Men's Basketball preseason awards on Friday. The honors included individual superlative recognitions selected by the league's head coaches as well as preseason team ranking from both the coaches and members of the media.
The head coaches across the ASUN voted Queens atop the preseason team rankings after the Royals went 20-15 overall, reached the ASUN Championship Semifinals and picked up a win in the 2025 Purple College Basketball Invitational. The North Alabama Lions, who finished as runner-up in the conference tournament and earned their first NIT appearance, topped the preseason media poll with 18 first-place votes. The Lions finished second in the coaches poll while EKU placed second and third in the media and coaches rankings, respectively.
After making 35 starts last season and earning a Third Team All-ASUN selection, the Royals' Chris Ashby was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year. He averaged 12.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game last season for Queens and broke the single-season program record with 115 made three-pointers. The Houston, Texas, native led the ASUN and ranked ninth in the country in threes made.
Montavious Myrick was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game for the Colonels. Those averages increased to 9.4 boards, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in games against ASUN opponents. A senior from Atlanta, Myrick grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 13 games and registered four double-doubles including one in the conference tournament.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Queens (6) 136
2. North Alabama 117
3. EKU (2) 111
4. FGCU (2) 98
5. Austin Peay (1) 94
6. Jacksonville 88
7. Lipscomb 77
8. Central Arkansas 57
9. Stetson 56
10. Bellarmine 36
11. North Florida (1) 34
12. West Georgia 32
First-place votes in parentheses
2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1. North Alabama (18) 519
2. EKU (3) 495
3. Queens (9) 468
4. FGCU (12) 465
5. Lipscomb (9) 408
6. Jacksonville 381
7. Austin Peay 357
8. Stetson 243
9. North Florida 192
10. Bellarmine 189
11. Central Arkansas 174
12. West Georgia 126
First-place votes in parentheses
2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason All-ASUN Team
Chris Ashby, Queens^
Corneilous Williams, North Alabama^
Tate McCubbin, Austin Peay
Camren Hunter, Central Arkansas
Montavious Myrick, EKU
Chris Arias, Jacksonville
Charlie Williams, Lipscomb
Donte Bacchus, North Alabama
Jamie Phillips Jr., Stetson
Shelton Williams-Dryden, West Georgia
^ - denotes a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-ASUN Team