Bowling Green State University Athletics

Javontae Campbell Earns Preseason All-MAC Nod
October 21, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Falcons Tabbed For Middle Of The Pack In Preseason Poll
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference released the preseason coaches polls for the 2025-26 men's basketball season Tuesday morning (Oct. 21). For individual awards, senior guard Javontae Campbell was selected to the Preseason First Team All-MAC. As for the team, the Falcons were picked to finish seventh in the MAC in the 13-team field following the addition of UMass this season.
Campbell is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that earned him MAC All-Defensive and All-MAC Third Team honors. Campbell swiped a program-record 90 steals last season, finishing fourth in the nation for the season and fifth all-time in the MAC. Campbell was one of four Falcons to appear in all 32 games with 31 starts, averaging 30.6 minutes per game. He also posted the first triple-double by a Falcon since 2006-07, finishing with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Aquinas on Dec. 23. He was one of just 22 players in the nation with a triple-double. Campbell is the first Preseason All-MAC First Team selection for BGSU since Daeqwon Plowden in 2021-22.Â
As a team, BGSU is coming off a 14-18 season last year with an 8-10 MAC record while making the MAC Tournament. The Falcons welcome 10 newcomers to the program while returning seven players for a roster size of 17. BGSU will begin with two road exhibitions, facing Michigan State on Oct. 23 and Dayton on Oct. 27. As for the regular season, BGSU will open with three home games, beginning with Texas State on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.Â
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143
2. Miami (2) – 133
3. Kent State – 122
4. Ohio – 108
5. UMass – 98
6. Toledo – 95
7. Bowling Green – 73
8. Ball State – 62
9. Eastern Michigan – 52
10. Western Michigan – 46
11. Buffalo – 37
12. Central Michigan – 31
13. Northern Illinois – 14
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Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), UMass (1)
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2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Second Team
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Wing, Akron
Shamah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Daniel Hankins-Sanford, Senior, Forward, UMass
Eian Elmer, Junior, Wing, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' men's basketball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMBB
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsumhoops'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics' and 'BGSU Men's Hoops'
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'
Campbell is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that earned him MAC All-Defensive and All-MAC Third Team honors. Campbell swiped a program-record 90 steals last season, finishing fourth in the nation for the season and fifth all-time in the MAC. Campbell was one of four Falcons to appear in all 32 games with 31 starts, averaging 30.6 minutes per game. He also posted the first triple-double by a Falcon since 2006-07, finishing with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Aquinas on Dec. 23. He was one of just 22 players in the nation with a triple-double. Campbell is the first Preseason All-MAC First Team selection for BGSU since Daeqwon Plowden in 2021-22.Â
As a team, BGSU is coming off a 14-18 season last year with an 8-10 MAC record while making the MAC Tournament. The Falcons welcome 10 newcomers to the program while returning seven players for a roster size of 17. BGSU will begin with two road exhibitions, facing Michigan State on Oct. 23 and Dayton on Oct. 27. As for the regular season, BGSU will open with three home games, beginning with Texas State on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.Â
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143
2. Miami (2) – 133
3. Kent State – 122
4. Ohio – 108
5. UMass – 98
6. Toledo – 95
7. Bowling Green – 73
8. Ball State – 62
9. Eastern Michigan – 52
10. Western Michigan – 46
11. Buffalo – 37
12. Central Michigan – 31
13. Northern Illinois – 14
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Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), UMass (1)
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2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Second Team
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Wing, Akron
Shamah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Daniel Hankins-Sanford, Senior, Forward, UMass
Eian Elmer, Junior, Wing, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' men's basketball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMBB
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsumhoops'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics' and 'BGSU Men's Hoops'
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'
Players Mentioned
Derrick Butler, DaJion Humphrey, & Coach Simon Postgame Interview (Mar. 7, 2025)
Saturday, March 08
Marcus Johnson, Javontae Campbell, & Coach Simon Postgame Interview (Mar. 1, 2025)
Saturday, March 01
Javontae Campbell, Derrick Butler, & Coach Simon Postgame Interview (Feb. 21, 2025)
Saturday, February 22
Wilguens Jr. Exacte, Javontae Campbell, & Coach Simon Postgame Interview (Feb. 18, 2025)
Wednesday, February 19