HBCU Athletic Conference unveils 2025 Men's Basketball Preseason All-HBCUAC Teams, Rankings

The HBCU Athletic Conference expands to 15 schools.

October 15, 2025

NEW ORLEANS - October 15, 2025 - The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) releases the 2025 Men's Basketball Preseason All-HBCUAC First and Second Teams and rankings as voted on by the conference's head men's basketball coaches on Wednesday.

Nominations were done by the coaches and points were derived from the order the coaches ranked the players. After dominating the conference for the second straight season, Southern University at New Orleans forward Jamal Gibson garnered Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He is the two-time reigning Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, Gibson won 14 Offensive Player of the Week and 15 Defensive Player of the Week awards. He also earned NAIA Defensive Player of the Week. He averaged 25.6 points and 18.1 rebounds per game during HBCUAC play and 23.2 points and 16.4 rebounds per game overall. Below is the rest of the First Team and Second Team Preseason All-HBCUAC.

First Team
Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Antonio Patterson, Tougaloo
Jordan Bell, Oakwood
Shaun Walker, Talladega

Second Team
Tayvion Fisher, Paul Quinn
Willie Anderson, Tougaloo
Joshua Price, Stillman
Isiah McCallum, Paul Quinn
Jordan Fordyuce, Stillman

The head coaches also voted on the Preseason Rankings. The order was derived from how the coach ranked each team. Stillman College emerged as the favorite to claim the 2025-26 title after finishing as co-regular season champions last season. It garnered 206 points and five first-place votes. Tougaloo College, who was also a co-regular season champion followed with 197 points and four first-place votes. Philander Smith, who reached the championship of the HBCUAC 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship gained 185 points and two first-place votes. The champion Dillard University finished fourth with 175 points and one first-place vote. Talladega College and Southern University at New Orleans also garnered first-place votes. The full rankings are below.

Stillman 206 (5)
Tougaloo 197 (4)
Philander Smith 185 (2)
Dillard 175 (1)
Talladega 149 (2)
SUNO 143 (1)
Huston-Tillotson 124
Wilberforce 113
Wiley 109
Fisk 92
Paul Quinn 84
Voorhees 64
Rust 61
Virgin Islands 55
Oakwood 43

Fans can catch the action of the 2025-26 season on the Urban Edge Network which can be viewed online at urbanedgenetwork.net or via the free app. For the third straight season, the 2026 Hope Credit Union HBCUAC Basketball Championship will be played at Stillman College's Birthright Alumni Hall.

About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.