WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Mount Union, under the direction of first-year Head Coach Josh Twiddy, has been picked by the league coaches to win the Ohio Athletic Conference men’s basketball title in the 2026-2027 season.

Mount Union received six of nine first place votes to collect 62 points. Followed closely by Otterbein in second with 54 points and two first place votes and Ohio Northern in third with 45 points and one first place vote. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.

The Purple Raiders finished the 2025-2026 season with a 23-4 overall record and placed first in the OAC with a 14-2 mark. They fell to Heidelberg in the OAC Tournament semifinals.

The Purple Raiders will open the season at home with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff on Friday, November 7th vs Franklin and Marshall College.

2026-207 OAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll:
 
1.    Mount Union      62 pts  (6 first-place votes)
 2.   Otterbein           54 pts  (2 first-place votes)
 3.   Ohio Northern   45 pts  (1 first-place vote)
T4.  Capital               32 pts
T4.  Muskingum        32 pts
 6.   Wilmington         31 pts
 7.   Heidelberg          30 pts
 8.   Marietta               21 pts
 9.   Baldwin Wallace  17 pts