CHENEY, Wash. — Expectations are high for Eastern Washington men's basketball entering the 2026-27 season, as the Eagles were selected to finish third in both the Big Sky Conference Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls.
Andrew Cook and
Alton Hamilton IV were also named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Eastern received three first-place votes and 79 points in the coaches' poll, trailing only preseason favorite Montana State and Northern Colorado. The Eagles also collected five first-place votes and 279 points in the media poll, again ranking behind Montana State and Northern Colorado.
Cook and Hamilton IV give Eastern two representatives on the seven-player Preseason All-Conference Team. Northern Colorado's Langston Reynolds was selected as the Preseason Most Valuable Player.
Cook returns to the Eagles for the 2026-27 season and adds another honor to his Eastern career with the preseason selection. Hamilton IV is also back after earning Second Team All-Big Sky honors following the 2025-26 season. The senior forward was a key contributor to an Eastern team that finished 11-7 in conference play and advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament.
The Eagles enter their third season under head coach
Dan Monson after finishing the 2025-26 campaign 14-19 overall. Eastern's run to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals capped a strong conference season and provides momentum heading into a challenging 2026-27 schedule.
Eastern opens the regular season on Nov. 2 at Stanford.
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Montana State (7) – 97
- Northern Colorado – 81
- Eastern Washington (3) – 79
T4. Montana – 73
T4. Portland State – 73
- Idaho (1) – 56
- Utah Tech – 50
- Weber State – 29
- Idaho State – 26
- Southern Utah – 25
- Northern Arizona – 16
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
- Montana State (19) – 326
- Northern Colorado (7) – 295
- Eastern Washington (5) – 279
- Montana (1) – 254
- Portland State – 236
- Idaho – 183
- Utah Tech – 161
- Weber State – 143
- Idaho State – 93
- Southern Utah – 85
- Northern Arizona – 57
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado (MVP)
Jed Miller, Montana State
Ethan Potter, Utah Tech
Andrew Cook, Eastern Washington
Alton Hamilton IV, Eastern Washington
Jaiden Feroah, Southern Utah
Koren Johnson, Portland State
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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