Indianapolis, Ind. - Lewis University men's basketball was tabbed seventh in the 2025-26 Great Lakes Valley Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
In a vote of the leagues 15 coaches, Missouri S&T topped the poll with 196 points and 14 first place votes. Lincoln landed in second with 174 points and one first place vote while Missouri-St. Louis closed out the top three with 161 points. Rockhurst placed fourth with 141 points and Drury rounded out the top five with 121 total points. UIndy (115), Lewis (114), McKendree (109), Illinois Springfield (97), William Jewell (96), Upper Iowa (78), Truman State (69), Quincy (51), Maryville (33) and Southwest Baptist (20) represented the remainder of the coaches poll.
Under first year head coach
Nick Rocco, the Flyers return five players from last year and welcome 10 new faces to the red and white. Back for Lewis is NABC Honors Court recipient
Billy Durkin (Hinsdale, Ill./Wheaton) along with
Cale Cosme (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice) and
Anthony Sydnor (Muskegon, Mich./Ferris State) who appeared in 19 combined games last season. Of the 10 new faces, four are incoming freshmen with
Tavian Crawford (Sun Prairie, Wisc./Sun Prairie West),
Arden Eaves (Tinley Park, Ill./Homewood Flossmoor High School),
Drew Fisher (Los Angeles, Calif./Crespi Carmelite High School) and
Timofei Komissarov (St. Petersburg, Russia/GUTID). Rocco's transfer class features six players with three coming from Division I institutions and three from Division II schools.
Prior to becoming head coach, Rocco served on the staff of retired head coach Scott Trost for eight years, most recently as associate head coach during the 2024-25 season. In his eight prior seasons with the Flyers, Rocco has helped lead the Men's Basketball program to the following; a number one overall seed in the 2019 GLVC Tourney, a national ranking of 15th in the NABC Division II poll ('19), a nationally ranking of 7th in the D2SIDA Media polls ('19), the 2019 GLVC Regular Season Conference Championship (first time since 2004), a Midwest Region number one seed, the 2021 GLVC Conference championship, a GLVC East Division Championship in '22, and another GLVC championship game appearance in '24, and three NCAA tournament births. Rocco has also produced numerous All-GLVC selections with the Flyers earning three during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Flyers tip-off the year with the GLVC and G-MAC Crossover as they face Malone and Tiffin at Tiffin University from Nov. 14-15. Last year the Flyers went 2-0 in the tournament beating both squads by a combined 16 points. Lewis will take on the Pioneers on the 14th and the Dragons on the 15th. Tickets are also now on sale for all Lewis men's basketball home games and
can be purchased here.
For the latest news and updates on Lewis men's basketball, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @lewisflyersmbb on Instagram and @Lewismball on X.
