GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's basketball team was chosen to finish seventh in the 2025-2026 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Keene State College received six first place votes and 61 points to finish first, followed by Western Connecticut with one first place vote (53 points) in second. UMass Dartmouth received one first place vote (48 points) and was chosen to finish third, while Eastern Connecticut was chosen to place fourth with one first place vote (41 points).
Led by second head coach
Mikey Coppersmith, Southern Maine will look to a balance of returning talent and new faces for the 2024-2025 season. As an interim coach, Coppersmith led Southern Maine to a solid 12-14 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the LEC. The Huskies' finished fifth in the regular season.
Southern Maine returns three-year starting point guard
Thomas Whelan (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep), a first-team All-Little East Conference pick a season ago, as well as senior guard
Diego Colon (San Juan, Puerto Rico) (10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds. 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game). Whelan and Colon along with returning senior
Stephen Gabriel III (Brockton, Mass.) will captain the 2025-26 squad.
Whelan averaged 22.1 points per game last season, and shot 33.8 percent from three-point range. Colon scored in double-figures 15 times in 2024-25, and had a season-high 19 against UMaine Farmington. Sophomores
Evans Sterling (New Sharon, Maine/Mount Blue) and
Noah Hebert (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) both return after strong rookie seasons. Sterling averaged 6.1 points per game and saw action in 19 contests, while Hebert played in 18 contests with 12 starts.
The Huskies start their 2025-2026 at home on Tuesday, November 12 (7:30 pm) against University of New England. Southern Maine's first Little East Conference game is an away contest at UMass Boston on Wednesday, December 3 (7:30 pm).
| 2025-26 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll (FPV) |
| 1. |
Keene State |
61 points |
(6) |
| 2. |
Western Connecticut |
53 points |
(1) |
| 3. |
UMass Dartmouth |
48 points |
(1) |
| 4 |
Eastern Connecticut |
41 points |
(1) |
| 5. |
Rhode Island College |
36 points |
|
| 6. |
UMass Boston |
35 points |
|
| 7. |
Southern Maine |
26 points |
|
| 8. |
Plymouth State |
15 points |
|
| 9. |
VTSU Castleton |
9 points |
|
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