The defending GLIAC Tournament champion Northern Michigan Wildcats men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the 2025-26 GLIAC Preseason Poll. Additionally, graduate forward Dylan Kuehl has been named to the Preseason All-GLIAC First Team, while fellow front-court standout Jackson Dudek has been named to the Preseason Second Team.
The Wildcats enter the new season as one of the GLIAC’s most consistent programs, having claimed a conference championship (regular season or tournament) in each of the last three seasons and made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history. Northern finished the 2024-25 campaign by capturing the GLIAC Tournament title, knocking off No. 5 Grand Valley State, No. 1 Michigan Tech, and No. 2 Lake Superior State along the way.
Leading the way once again is Dylan Kuehl, a three-time All-GLIAC First Team and All-Defensive Team selection who also earned D2CCA All-Midwest Region and NABC All-District honors a season ago. The Iron Ridge, Wisconsin native paced the Wildcats with 16.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, reached double figures in every GLIAC contest, and surpassed 1,000 career points last season.
Jackson Dudek and Sam Privet round out NMU’s formidable front line. Dudek earned GLIAC Tournament MVP honors after averaging 15.7 points across the championship run, including 19 in the title game. Privet started all 32 games, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds on a team-best 56.4 % shooting. Together, the trio combined for nearly 35 points and 17 rebounds per game.
Nine newcomers join the fold this season, highlighted by Division I transfers Charlie Miller (Northern Iowa) and Bennett Basich (UW-Green Bay), who add athleticism and scoring punch to the backcourt. Their arrival complements a veteran core intent on maintaining NMU’s position at the top of the GLIAC standings and pushing further into the NCAA Tournament.
Now in his seventh season leading the program, head coach Matt Majkrzak holds a 108-66 (.621) overall record and a 69-43 (.616) GLIAC mark. He is assisted this year by John-Michael Hughes and assistant coach Luke Taylor, both of whom bring fresh perspectives to a program with championship expectations. Under their guidance, the Wildcats combine experience and depth as they chase another banner in 2025-26.
