North Attleboro, Mass. — After a historic 2024-25 campaign that saw the Adelphi men's basketball team capture the Northeast 10 regular season title and make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2012, head coach Dave Duke and the Panthers have received three first place votes and were chosen to finish third in the NE10 Coaches' Preseason Poll as it was announced by the conference office on Tuesday. 

The Cats earned 67 points, placing narrowly behind Bentley (73 points, three first-place votes) and Assumption (70 points, four first-place votes). 

Duke's squad returns multiple key players in NCAA block leader and NE10 defensive player of the year Jarnel Rancy, NABC all-district first team and D2CCA second team all-region selection Dayshaun Walton, team captain and spark plug Matthew Price as well as defensive stalwarts and important offensive pieces in Al-Fatir Connor, Patrick Burke, Mason Jackson and Myles Cumberland. 

There will be five new faces in an Adelphi uniform that include Goldey-Beacom transfer Zakari McQueen, who averaged nearly 15 points per game, former AIC starter Reece Brown who brings a wealth of collegiate experience along with three freshman in London Carson, Carter Wilson and Luke Egan. 

Duke and the Panthers tip off their season on Friday, Nov. 14 when they take on Queens in Pleasantville, N.Y. at Pace for the NE10-ECC Conference Challenge. 

2025-26 NE10 MEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES' POLL
1. Bentley – 73 (3)
2. Assumption – 70 (4)
3. Adelphi – 67 (3)
4. SNHU - 57
5. Pace - 49
6. SCSU – 46
7. Saint Anselm – 33
8. Saint Michael's – 28
9. AIC – 17
10. Franklin Pierce – 10