Two-time defending GAC Tournament Champion Harding came up close behind the duo with 101 total points to establish a clear top-three forecasted finish, followed by Southern Nazarene (86) and Henderson State (78).
Ouachita Baptist finished the 2025-26 season second in the GAC before reaching the semifinals in the conference tournament after boasting the league’s Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the latter of which returns for the 2026-27 campaign. Head coach Dennis Nutt begins his 16th season in Arkadelphia, Ark., as the Tigers’ head coach.
Second-place Oklahoma Baptist comes into the new campaign off an historic postseason run to finish 2025-26, reaching the NCAA Division II FInal Four after claiming the GAC regular season crown. The Bison will look to replace the conference’s 2025 Offensive Player of the Year Terry Coner, Jr. while reigning Coach of the Year Jason Eaker begins his ninth year in Shawnee.
After back-to-back conference tournament championships, Harding enters 2026 third in the league’s preseason poll. The Bisons will need to replace the leadership, experience and production of a pair of all-conference graduating seniors in Keyln McBride and Wesley Booker while returning GAC Freshman of the Year Reggie Webster. In addition to Webster, head coach Weston Jameson brings back a strong core of 11 returners.
Southern Nazarene and head coach Bradley Foster, after reaching the GAC Tournament Championship game a year ago, are selected fourth in the preseason poll. Coach Foster returns redshirt-senior guard Joe Mpoyo, who was tied for third on the team with 9.7 points per game, and senior guard Brady Cook.
Henderson State reached the GAC Tournament Quarterfinals a year ago before being picked fifth in the 2026-27 preseason poll. Head coach Jimmy Elgas returns nine of his guys from a year ago, including 2025 GAC Freshman of the Year Rondae Hill.
East Central head coach Daniel Wheeler has four key returners coming back for his Tiger squad as East Central comes in slotted sixth. Highlighting the returners is redshirt sophomore Javaun Henderson and senior forward Rustin Coffey. Wheeler’s squad reached the GAC Tournament Quarterfinals last season as the No. 5 seed.
Southeastern Oklahoma State enters 2026 seventh in the poll after occupying the sixth spot in last year’s GAC Tournament. Head coach Kelly Green is in his 16th season in Durant, Okla., and will lean on returners redshirt-senior guard Santiago Camacho and junior forward Ethan Wilkerson.
Arkansas Tech comes in at eighth as head coach Mark Downey brings in 12 new guys to fill out his 2026-27 roster. The Wonder Boys do return one 2025 starter in senior forward Aiden Underdown, who averaged 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game a year ago.
Southwestern Oklahoma State gets slotted in a tie for ninth as head coach Brett Weiberg looks to run a young team in 2026-27. Only one of his returners from Southwestern’s sixth-place 2025 GAC Tournament team started more than eight games a year ago as the Bulldogs will have nine new players, six of whom are true freshman.
Southern Arkansas joins SWOSU in the ninth position while the Muleriders look to improve on an 11-17 2025-26 campaign. Head coach Logan Quinn has 11 new players in the new year while returning five players, including senior guards Nevi Tell and JaKourion Key.
Northwestern Oklahoma State enters the new season picked 11th in the preseason poll off an 11-17 overall record, including an 8-14 conference mark. The Rangers will be led by first-year head coach Ty Danielson in 2026-27.
Arkansas-Monticello takes up the 12th spot after finishing the 2026-27 campaign just two games out of eighth place and a spot in the GAC Tournament. The Boll Weevils are led by head coach Chad Tapp, who brings in nine freshman and five transfers to accompany his two returners, fifth-year forward Josh Smith and senior forward Felix Smedjeback.
2026-27 GAC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
| Rank | Team | Total Points | 1st-Place Votes |
| 1 | Ouachita Baptist | 115 | 7 |
| 2 | Oklahoma Baptist | 110 | 5 |
| 3 | Harding | 101 | |
| 4 | Southern Nazarene | 86 | |
| 5 | Henderson State | 78 | |
| 6 | East Central | 73 | |
| 7 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 59 | |
| 8 | Arkansas Tech | 46 | |
| T9 | Southwestern Oklahoma State | 45 | |
| T9 | Southern Arkansas | 45 | |
| 11 | Northwestern Oklahoma State | 19 | |
| 12 | Arkansas-Monticello | 13 |
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