BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2025-26 Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All-SWAC teams and Individual Award winners during the league’s media day event on Wednesday morning. The all-conference honors and preseason poll were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Bethune-Cookman was tabbed as the favorite heading into the season. The Wildcats were followed by Southern (2
nd), Jackson State (3
rd), Alabama State (4
th) and Texas Southern (5
th) to round out the top five preseason poll selections.
Alabama A&M (6
th), Grambling State (7
th), Florida A&M (8
th), Prairie View A&M (9
th), Alcorn State (10
th), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11
th), and Mississippi Valley State (12
th) were tabbed to finish 6-12 respectively.
B-CU led all preseason poll selections garnering 12 first place votes, followed by Southern (5), Alabama State (3), Jackson State (1) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1).
Jackson State’s Daeshun Ruffin was named Preseason Player of the Year, while Bethune-Cookman’s Doctor Bradley claimed Preseason Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
Ruffin was named to SWAC All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament. He scored in double figures 20 times this past season, including a streak of 13 consecutive games. Ruffin finished the season with one game in double-assists, finishing with a career-high 10. Defensively he recorded three or more steals five times, including recording four twice.
Bradley emerged as one of the most dynamic players in the SWAC a season ago. Defensively leading he led the SWAC in steals per game at 2.8 and adding a block per conference game we was a key contributor on both ends of the floor.
The complete list of the preseason poll rankings and all-conference selections and individual awards winners is listed below.
2025-26 SWAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
Predicted Order of Finish
- Bethune-Cookman- 232 (12)
- Southern- 214 (5)
- Jackson State- 208 (1)
- Alabama State- 183 (3)
- Texas Southern- 182
- Alabama A&M- 163
- Grambling State- 151
- Florida A&M- 115
- Prairie View A&M- 99
- Alcorn State- 74
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 70 (1)
- Mississippi Valley State- 25
*First place votes listed in parenthesis
2025-26 SWAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Awards
Player of the Year
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State
Defensive Player of the Year
Doctor Bradley, Bethune-Cookman
All-SWAC First Team
Michael Jacobs, Southern
Daniel Rouzan, Bethune-Cookman
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State
Kintavious Dozier, Alabama A&M
Doctor Bradley, Bethune-Cookman
All-SWAC Second Team
Zaire Hayes, Texas Southern
Dorian McMillian, Jackson State
Jordan Chatman, Florida A&M
Seneca Willoughby, Bethune-Cookman
Micah Simpson, Alabama State
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at
www.swac.org.