NEWPORT NEWS — Following a 23-6 final record a year ago and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Christopher Newport University men’s basketball team has been slotted ninth in the nation in the pre-season poll from D3hoops.com. John Krikorian‘s squad advanced to its ninth straight NCAA Tournament last season, the longest active consecutive streak in the country, and the 28th all-time tourney in program history.
Christopher Newport advanced to the round of eight in the 2023-24 season, and won its first NCAA Championship in program history in the 2022-23 campaign. CNU features an impressive group of returning players from a season ago, including lone senior Collin Hines as well as juniors Toa Hollenbeck, Tyson Henderson, Ethan Ward, Jason Ofcarcik, Ryan Derderian, Isaiah Dozier, Brian Weiser, and Milyan Smith-Walker.
The Captains open the new season on Friday, November 7th, at Penn State Altoona in a 6:00 p.m. scheduled start. CNU’s home opener will be on Wednesday, November 12th, against Randolph-Macon College at the Freeman Center. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Christopher Newport will also host an exhibition game on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Freeman Center vs. Elizabeth City State University.
The complete pre-season poll from D3hoops.com entering 2025-26 season:
| # | School (No. 1 votes) | W-L | Pts. |
| 1 | Trinity (Conn.) (23) | 30-3 | 623 |
| 2 | Randolph-Macon (1) | 24-5 | 537 |
| 3 | Emory | 23-6 | 529 |
| 4 | Tufts | 22-6 | 520 |
| 5 | Washington U. | 23-7 | 499 |
| 6 | Redlands (1) | 25-5 | 492 |
| 7 | UW-La Crosse | 25-6 | 397 |
| 8 | Carthage | 21-7 | 396 |
| 9 | Christopher Newport | 23-6 | 394 |
| 10 | Roanoke | 25-6 | 341 |
| 11 | Chicago | 18-8 | 340 |
| 12 | Calvin | 21-7 | 310 |
| 13 | Wesleyan | 30-2 | 278 |
| 14 | Virginia Wesleyan | 22-7 | 262 |
| 15 | Mary Washington | 15-15 | 239 |
| 16 | Illinois Wesleyan | 24-6 | 227 |
| 17 | Hampden-Sydney | 23-6 | 220 |
| 18 | UW-Platteville | 26-3 | 213 |
| 19 | WPI | 26-4 | 187 |
| 20 | Hardin-Simmons | 20-10 | 176 |
| 21 | Maryville (Tenn.) | 21-6 | 151 |
| 22 | Catholic | 25-6 | 112 |
| 23 | Montclair State | 22-7 | 111 |
| 24 | TCNJ | 20-8 | 84 |
| 25 | St. Joseph (Conn.) | 19-8 | 69 |
Others receiving votes: Williams 63; St. Joseph’s (Maine) 53; Keene State 48; Stockton 42; Franklin & Marshall 35; Yeshiva 32; Hamilton 16; Denison 15; St. Thomas (Texas) 14; MSOE 12; Whitworth 12; St. John’s 11; UW-Oshkosh 11; Mount Union 9; Trine 9; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 6; Concordia (Wis.) 6; Gettysburg 6; Berry 5; Wisconsin Lutheran 3; Clark 2; Ithaca 2; UW-Whitewater 2; York (Pa.) 2; Chapman 1; Trinity (Texas) 1.
The D3hoops.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly. Points are awarded on a 25-24-23-22-etc. basis.
