Men's Basketball

2027 WIAC Men’s Basketball Preview

MADISON, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced its preview and predictions for the 2027 men’s basketball season. The predictions were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
UW-Stevens Point has been selected to claim the regular-season title. The Pointers have collected 29 regular-season championships in program history. UW-Stevens Point enters the season ranked No. 8 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Preseason Poll after a 2025-26 campaign that featured the first NCAA appearance since 2018.
 
UW-La Crosse is pegged for second in the conference race and is ranked No. 18 by D3hoops.com. The Eagles have made back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time in program history.
 
The remaining order in the conference predictions feature: UW-Whitewater (third); UW-Oshkosh (fourth); UW-Platteville (fifth); UW-Stout Polytechnic (sixth); UW-Eau Claire (seventh); and UW-River Falls (eighth).
 
The 2026-27 campaign welcomes a new head coach to the conference as Steve Schweer takes over at UW-Oshkosh. He spent the last eight years as the head coach at Illinois College.
 
WIAC teams will begin their non-conference schedules on Nov. 6, while the 14-game conference schedule will start on Jan. 2. The top-six teams in the standings will qualify for the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s). The event will be held Feb. 23, 25, and 27, with all contests hosted by the higher-seeded team. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic NCAA bid.
 
 
2026-27 Preseason Predictions – Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
 
2025-26 Record
1. UW-Stevens Point (19-8 overall, 9-5 WIAC)
2. UW-La Crosse (24-7, 9-5)
3. UW-Whitewater (21-8, 10-4)
4. UW-Oshkosh (17-9, 8-6)
5. UW-Platteville (18-10, 9-5)
6. UW-Stout Polytechnic (9-17, 5-9)
7. UW-Eau Claire (14-11, 3-11)
8. UW-River Falls (8-17, 3-11)

 
Team Capsules
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Zach Malvik; 3rd season at UWEC; 31-21
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  9/11
Starters Returning/Lost:  1/4
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Joey Butz, Jr., G; Roan Demovsky, So., G; Tyler Haney, So., G; Luke Reder, So., F  
 
 
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  JT Gritzmacher; 7th season (4th at UWL); 120-55 (overall) / 63-25 (at UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  10/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Sam Grieger, Sr., G (2025-First, 2026-First/Player of the Year)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Carson Bauer, So., G; Jack Crowley, So., G; Devon Fielding, Sr., G; Eli Schroeder, So., G
 
 
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Steve Schweer; 9th season (1st at UWO); 114-79 (overall) / 0-0 (at UWO)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  15/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Aidan Hawkinson, So., G (2026-Newcomer of the Year); Joey LaChapell, Jr., G (2025-Honorable/Newcomer of the Year, 2026-Honorable); Michael Metcalf-Grassman, Sr., G (2024-First/Newcomer of the Year, 2026-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Brandon Beck, Jr., F
 
 
UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Jeff Gard; 18th season at UWP; 294-154
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  1/4
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Ben Forbes, So., F; Kaden MacKenzie, So., G; Lucas Rameker, Sr., G/F  
 
 
UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Jeff Berkhof; 21st season at UWRF; 252-253
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Owen Havlik, Jr., G; Reggie Postel, Jr., G; Micah Thompson, Sr., F; Brody Variano, So., G
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Kent Dernbach; 11th season (5th at UWSP); 158-81 (overall) / 59-35 (at UWSP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  16/3
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Logan Baumgartner, Sr., G/F (2026-Honorable); Josiah Butler, Sr., G (2024-Honorable, 2025-First, 2026-First); Carter Combs, Jr., G (2026-Defensive); Seth Miron, Sr., G/F (2026-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Cal Krohn, Sr., F; Grant Manz, Jr., F; Max Raimer, So., G
 
 
UW-Stout Polytechnic
Head Coach:  Tom Webb; 2nd season at UWS; 9-17
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/1
Returning All-WIAC:  AJ Uttech, Sr., G (2026-Honorable); Collin Vick, Sr., G (2025-Honorable, 2025-Defensive, 2026-Honorable, 2026-Defensive)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Wesley Mboga, So., G; Justin Nelson, Sr., C; Domanyck Schwarzenberger, Jr., G; Mason Stoik, Sr., G
 
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  Jarod Wichser; 4th season at UWW; 49-32
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  14/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Collin Madson, Sr., G (2026-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  JR Lukenbill, Jr., F; Brock Marino, Sr., F; Kelton McEwen, Jr., G; Isaiah Robinson, So., G
 
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