PURCHASE, N.Y. – Manhattanville University men's basketball was voted seventh in this year's Skyline Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released earlier today. In the Gold Division, the Valiants placed fourth.

The Valiants are coming off an even-set season, finishing 13-13 and 8-8 in conference action. After leading the program this past season, Romello Ford is prepping to lead his first full season as head coach for the Valiants. This marks Ford's third year with the program after serving as the assistant coach in the 2024-25 season and stepping up to lead the 2025-26 season.

John Ranaghan (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) and Isiah Middleton (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian) prepare for their senior seasons with the Valiants after both juniors played in all 26 games during the season. In his first season with the team, Middleton became a key aspect across the court. He averaged 29.9 minutes with 13.4 ppg, 7.1 rebounds per game, and a team-leading 21 blocks. Ranaghan has been a staple to the program since playing in all games sophomore year. In his junior season, he averaged just over 30 minutes per game with 1.6 assists per game in addition to 10.4 points and 24 steals.

Returning at the top of the arc for the Valiants, Carlos Urena (Corona, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) is entering his junior year. During his sophomore season, he averaged 23 minutes on the court for the Vals with 42 assists, 21 steals, and 2.4 rebounds per game on average.  

Along with the new official front of the program, the team welcomes eight new faces to the roster: Emerson Mitchell (Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody), JJ Yates (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell), Mark Reeves Jr. (Glen Cove, N.Y./Glen Cove), DeShawn Wilson (Bronx, N.Y./Earl Monroe), Noah Cherubin (White Plains, N.Y./Woodlands Middle), Shamoi Tonge (Codrington Village, Barbuda/St. Raymond High School for Boys), Ian Abreu (Pleasantville, N.Y./Loomis Chaffee), and Jaiden Gaston (Queens Village, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy). Gaston joins the squad after one year at St. Joseph's Long Island, where he averaged 11.3 ppg while taking the Skyline Rookie of the Week title four times.

The newcomers for the Valiants look to balance out the loss of graduating playmakers Andrew Saint-Louis (Norwalk, Conn./Notre Dame Fairfield) and Chris Robinson (Bedford-Stuyvesant, N.Y./Westminster School), who totaled over 700 points with 14.0 ppg, 250 rebounds, and Robinson finishing second on the team with 20 blocks in his sole year with the team.

The Valiants open up the 2025-26 campaign on the road, Saturday, Nov 7, against Mitchell College at 12 PM.

The results of both the full conference-wide Coaches Poll and the division-specific polls can be found below:

2026-27 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (Overall)

Rank, School, Pts. (First-Place Votes)

1. Farmingdale State, 118 (8)
2. Yeshiva, 112 (3)
3. Sarah Lawrence, 91   
4. Maritime, 89   
5. Purchase, 76   
6. St. Joseph's-Long Island, 71   
7. Manhattanville, 60   
8. Merchant Marine, 47   
9. Mount Saint Vincent, 42   
10. Old Westbury, 36   
11. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 35   
12. Mount Saint Mary, 15

2026-27 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (Black Division)

Rank, School, Pts. (First-Place Votes)

1. Farmingdale State, 25 (5)   

T2. St. Joseph's-Long Island, 18 (1)   

T2. Maritime, 18   

4. Merchant Marine, 15   

T5. Old Westbury, 7   

T5. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 7

2026-27 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (Gold Division)

Rank, School, Pts. (First-Place Votes)

1. Yeshiva, 25 (5)   
2. Sarah Lawrence, 20   
3. Purchase, 15 (1)
4. Manhattanville, 13   
5. Mount Saint Vincent, 12
6. Mount Saint Mary, 5