ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – After finishing third this past regular season, defending tournament champion Siena Men's Basketball has been projected to place third once again while also receiving a pair of first-place votes according to the Metro Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll announced Wednesday morning at the Metro Basketball Tipoff at Ocean Casino Resort.
Brendan Coyle and newcomer
Pace Prosser were both named Preseason All-Metro Second Team selections.
After finishing third with a 13-7 conference mark, Siena went on to win three games in four days last March at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall to capture the program's seventh MAAC Tournament Championship while securing an eighth NCAA Tournament berth. Led by new head coach Nevada Smith, the Saints return five letterwinners from last season's championship squad – including one starter in Coyle – while welcoming 11 newcomers featuring three transfers and eight true freshmen.
Fairfield, which finished tied for sixth last season, was picked as the Metro preseason favorite while receiving six of the 13 first-place votes and 154 points in the polling. The Stags also boast Metro Preseason Player of the Year Declan Wucherpfennig.
Defending regular season champion Merrimack was predicted to finished second with 148 points including three first-place votes, followed by Siena in third with 132 points in the polling – just one point clear of fourth-place Iona (131), which also received a first-place vote. The remaining first-place vote went to Saint Peter's, who was picked seventh.
The middle of the pack featured Marist in fifth with 120 points, followed by Quinnipiac (109), and Saint Peter's (90). The bottom half of the poll revealed Mount St. Mary's eighth (89), followed by Sacred Heart (78), Manhattan (45), Canisius (34), Niagara (31), and Rider (22).
The Saints were one of six teams with multiple Preseason All-Metro selections amongst the 18 total honorees, and trailed only Iona and Merrimack (three apiece) for the most selections.
A local product from nearby Niskayuna, New York, Coyle is set to enter his fifth season with the program ranked 10
th all-time in Siena history with 179 career threes. The graduate student – who is the only returning starter from last season's championship team – was one of five Saints to start all 35 games. Coyle averaged 8.7 points and 4.6 rebounds, while ranking eighth in the conference with 71 threes. He scored in double figures 14 times highlighted by three 20-point performances, and made five or more threes on four separate occasions.
Prosser matriculates to Siena after leading Gannon to the Division II National Championship last season. The rising junior from Berlin, Pennsylvania averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and ranked 22
nd nationally at the DII level in free throw percentage (.887) and 27
th in steals (2.2) while guiding the Golden Knights to a 34-3 record. Prosser, who amassed 1,172 points spanning his two seasons at Gannon, was named the Elite Eight MVP and a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American amongst his numerous accolades last season.
2026-27 Siena Men's Basketball season tickets are on sale now and can be secured through the following avenues:
Siena Fan Relations Management Center
MBB Renewals:
sienasaints.com/accountmanager
MBB New Season Tickets:
sienasaints.com/seasontix
WBB Renewals: Reference e-mail received or contact Siena FRMC directly
WBB New Season Tickets:
sienasaints.com/wbbtickets
By Phone: (518) 487-2235
By E-Mail:
sienatickets2@siena.edu
Additional Information:
sienasaints.com/tickets
Single game tickets – which start as low as just $10 (prior to gameday) for all regular season games at MVP Arena - can be purchased through Ticketmaster online at
sienasaints.com/mbbtickets (service fees apply) or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Fans can also secure their seats fee-free by visiting the MVP Arena Box Office
during normal business hours, or by contacting the Siena Fan Relations Management Center.
| 2026 Metro Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| 1 |
Fairfield |
154 (6) |
| 2 |
Merrimack |
148 (3) |
| 3 |
Siena |
132 (2) |
| 4 |
Iona |
131 (1) |
| 5 |
Marist |
120 |
| 6 |
Quinnipiac |
109 |
| 7 |
Saint Peter's |
90 (1) |
| 8 |
Mount St. Mary's |
89 |
| 9 |
Sacred Heart |
78 |
| 10 |
Manhattan |
45 |
| 11 |
Canisius |
34 |
| 12 |
Niagara |
31 |
| 13 |
Rider |
22 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Declan Wucherpfennig – Fairfield |
| Preseason All-Metro First Team |
|
| Player |
Year |
Institution |
| Abdou Khadre Kebe (unanimous) |
Jr. |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Keith McKnight (unanimous) |
So. |
Quinnipiac |
| Bryce Eaton (unanimous) |
R-Jr. |
Saint Peter's |
| Declan Wucherpfennig (unanimous) |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Kosy Akametu |
Gr. |
Iona |
| Jadin Collins-Roberts |
Gr. |
Marist |
| Denver Anglin |
Gr. |
Merrimack |
| Preseason All-Metro Second Team |
|
| Player |
Year |
Institution |
| Brendan Coyle |
Gr. |
Siena |
| Todd Brogna |
Sr. |
Merrimack |
| Pace Prosser |
Jr. |
Siena |
| JoJo Wallace |
Jr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Tony Williams |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Preseason All-Metro Third Team |
|
| Player |
Year |
Institution |
| Kevon Vanderhorst |
Jr. |
Iona |
| Keyshawn Mitchell |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Griffin Barrouk |
Gr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Jack Graham |
Sr. |
Marist |
| AJ Lesburt |
Gr. |
Merrimack |
| Ben Tweedy |
Jr. |
Manhattan |
