IRVING, Texas — Wichita State is the preseason favorite to win the American Conference men's basketball championship for the 2026-27 season, according to the league's preseason coaches poll released Friday.
The Shockers received nine of the 13 first-place votes and totaled 140 points to claim the top spot in the poll. Memphis was picked second with the remaining four first-place votes and 131 points.
Defending conference champion South Florida was selected third with 118 points, followed by Tulsa (99) and Charlotte (95) to round out the top five.
Wichita State also placed three players on the preseason all-conference teams, including redshirt senior center Will Berg, who earned first-team honors.
Berg averaged 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season and was one of five players selected to the preseason first team.
Junior forward Dillon Battie and senior guard Jordan Frison were named to the preseason second team.
Battie averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, while Frison joins the Shockers after averaging 16.4 points and 4.0 assists per game at Chattanooga.
The preseason recognition comes after Wichita State earned a berth in the NIT last season. The Shockers were one of three American Conference teams to participate in postseason play, joining South Florida, which reached the NCAA Tournament, and Tulsa, which advanced to the NIT championship game.
UAB was picked sixth in the conference poll with 89 points, followed by North Texas (84), Florida Atlantic (75), Temple (61), Tulane (52), East Carolina (34), Rice (22) and UTSA (14).
North Texas junior guard Je'Shawn Stevenson was selected as the conference's preseason player of the year. Stevenson averaged 17.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season while earning second-team all-conference honors.
Florida Atlantic guard Felipe Quinones was named preseason freshman of the year.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams or players.
American Conference preseason men's basketball poll
First-place votes in parentheses
- Wichita State (9) — 140 points
- Wichita State (9) — 140 points
- Memphis (4) — 131
- Memphis (4) — 131
- South Florida — 118
- South Florida — 118
- Tulsa — 99
- Tulsa — 99
- Charlotte — 95
- Charlotte — 95
- UAB — 89
- UAB — 89
- North Texas — 84
- North Texas — 84
- Florida Atlantic — 75
- Florida Atlantic — 75
- Temple — 61
- Temple — 61
- Tulane — 52
- Tulane — 52
- East Carolina — 34
- East Carolina — 34
- Rice — 22
- Rice — 22
- UTSA — 14
- UTSA — 14
Preseason All-Conference First Team
- Will Berg, Wichita State
- Kanaan Carlyle, Florida Atlantic
- Jayden Reid, Memphis
- Je'Shawn Stevenson, North Texas
- Sonny Wilson, South Florida
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
- Dillon Battie, Wichita State
- Jordan Frison, Wichita State
- Justyn Fernandez, UAB
- Deuce Jones, UAB
- Tylik Weeks, Memphis
- Derrian Ford, Temple
- Gavin Griffiths, Temple
Preseason Player of the Year: Je'Shawn Stevenson, North Texas
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Felipe Quinones, Florida Atlantic