Austin Parks (above) and Sean Jones were named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
Photo by: Daniel Miller/University of Toledo
Toledo Picked Second in 2026 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
10/20/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sean Jones and Austin Parks named to Preseason All-MAC Second Team
TOLEDO, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference released its annual men's basketball preseason poll on Tuesday morning with Toledo being picked to finish second, according to voting from the league's 12 head coaches. In addition to the team predictions, Sean Jones and Austin Parks were named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
Miami was predicted to win the league by the head coaches, receiving nine first-place votes and 130 points. The Rockets received 117 points and a pair of first-place votes, followed by Akron (110 pts.), Kent State (108 pts., 1 first-place vote), Ohio (82 pts.), and UMass (79 pts.). UT also received four votes to win the MAC Tournament.
Parks is the team's top returning scorer and rebounder with 10.7 ppg and 5.6 rpg, respectively. Jones will be in his first season with the Rockets' program as UT's starting point guard after transferring from Marquette University.
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Toledo registered its ninth-straight winning season last year with a 19-15 record under Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk. The 2025-26 campaign saw Toledo make a run to the MAC Championship Game after earning a top-four seed in the tournament for a sixth-straight season. The Rockets defeated Bowling Green (77-76) in the quarterfinals and UMass (77-67) in the semifinals before falling in the championship game to Akron (79-76).
The Rockets have not experienced a losing season since Kowalczyk's first year in the 2010-11 season and have won five Mid-American Conference titles during his tenure.
Toledo's regular season begins on Monday, Nov. 2 when it visits Arkansas State in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge at 7:00 p.m. CT in Jonesboro, Ark. The Rockets open their 22-game MAC season on Wednesday, Dec. 2 with a trip to Athens, Ohio to face Ohio.
Season and individual game tickets for the men's basketball program are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at the Sullivan Athletic Complex in Savage Arena, contact the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or go online to UTRockets.com/tix.
2026-27 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (First Place Votes)
1. Miami – 130 (9)
2. TOLEDO – 117 (2)
3. Akron – 110
4. Kent State – 108 (1)
5. Ohio – 82
6. UMass – 79
7. Bowling Green – 63
8. Western Michigan – 58
9. Eastern Michigan – 56
10. Buffalo – 47
11. Ball State – 40
12. Central Michigan – 25
Tournament Champions: Miami (5), TOLEDO (4), UMass (2), Kent State (1)
Miami was predicted to win the league by the head coaches, receiving nine first-place votes and 130 points. The Rockets received 117 points and a pair of first-place votes, followed by Akron (110 pts.), Kent State (108 pts., 1 first-place vote), Ohio (82 pts.), and UMass (79 pts.). UT also received four votes to win the MAC Tournament.
Parks is the team's top returning scorer and rebounder with 10.7 ppg and 5.6 rpg, respectively. Jones will be in his first season with the Rockets' program as UT's starting point guard after transferring from Marquette University.
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Toledo registered its ninth-straight winning season last year with a 19-15 record under Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk. The 2025-26 campaign saw Toledo make a run to the MAC Championship Game after earning a top-four seed in the tournament for a sixth-straight season. The Rockets defeated Bowling Green (77-76) in the quarterfinals and UMass (77-67) in the semifinals before falling in the championship game to Akron (79-76).
The Rockets have not experienced a losing season since Kowalczyk's first year in the 2010-11 season and have won five Mid-American Conference titles during his tenure.
Toledo's regular season begins on Monday, Nov. 2 when it visits Arkansas State in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge at 7:00 p.m. CT in Jonesboro, Ark. The Rockets open their 22-game MAC season on Wednesday, Dec. 2 with a trip to Athens, Ohio to face Ohio.
Season and individual game tickets for the men's basketball program are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at the Sullivan Athletic Complex in Savage Arena, contact the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or go online to UTRockets.com/tix.
2026-27 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (First Place Votes)
1. Miami – 130 (9)
2. TOLEDO – 117 (2)
3. Akron – 110
4. Kent State – 108 (1)
5. Ohio – 82
6. UMass – 79
7. Bowling Green – 63
8. Western Michigan – 58
9. Eastern Michigan – 56
10. Buffalo – 47
11. Ball State – 40
12. Central Michigan – 25
Tournament Champions: Miami (5), TOLEDO (4), UMass (2), Kent State (1)
Players Mentioned
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