BALTIMORE, MD – Defending Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) champion Fayetteville State University has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2026-27 CIAA Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish. The Broncos also placed two student-athletes on the CIAA Preseason All-Conference Team, with returning guard Travon Cooper II and transfer Joseph Allen III earning recognition.

Fayetteville State is coming off a 23-7 season that included a 14-2 record in CIAA play. The Broncos captured the 2025-26 CIAA Men's Basketball Championship with a victory over Bluefield State and advanced to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, where their season ended in the opening round against California (Pa.).

Cooper returns after playing a key role in Fayetteville State's CIAA championship run. The veteran guard started 28 of 30 games during the 2025-26 season and averaged 10.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. Cooper also contributed 48 steals and 27 blocks, emerging as one of the conference's most effective two-way players.

Allen earned preseason all-conference recognition ahead of his first season in a Broncos uniform. A transfer joining Fayetteville State for the 2026-27 campaign, Allen arrives after averaging 12.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and an impressive 45.8 percent from three-point range. The versatile forward's ability to stretch the floor and impact the game on both ends made him one of the conference's most respected newcomers entering the season.

Coming off a conference championship and NCAA postseason appearance, Fayetteville State enters the 2026-27 season looking to defend its CIAA title with Cooper returning to the lineup and Allen highlighting a talented group of newcomers.

2026-27 CIAA Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish

1. Fayetteville State University
2. Bluefield State University
3. Virginia State University
4. Claflin University
5. Virginia Union University
6. Winston-Salem State University
7. Johnson C. Smith University
8. Lincoln University (Pa.)
9. Bowie State University
10. Livingstone College
11. Shaw University
12. Elizabeth City State University

2026-27 CIAA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team

• Malachi Dark, Virginia Union University*
• Jaiden McGhee, Bowie State University*
• James Nipper, Livingstone College*
• Ellija Preddy, Bluefield State University
• Jared Davis, Johnson C. Smith University
• Anthony Davenport, Bluefield State University
• Travon Cooper II, Fayetteville State University
• Joseph Allen III, Fayetteville State University
• Davian Coleman, Virginia State University
• Julius Olanrewaju, Lincoln University (Pa.)
• Ronald Bridges, Jr., Winston-Salem State University

Indicates a student-athlete who earned All-CIAA honors during the 2025-26 season.