The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team geared up for the 2025-26 season, starting with a game against Kent State Tuscarawas on October 28 at Ariel Arena. This match marked the beginning of their campaign on Champions of Character Day.
In the Crossroads League preseason standings, MVNU was ranked eighth. The team, led by Coach Ronai, brings back nine players from last year's roster. They aim to make an impact in the competitive league that had six teams qualify for the NAIA National Tournament.
Among the returning players is Trent Koning, a senior from Cedarville, Ohio. Last season, he earned All-Crossroads League Honorable Mention by scoring an average of 15.1 points per game and achieving a shooting percentage of 41.3% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. Defensively, Koning was second in the league with an average of 1.7 steals per game.
Peyton Heiss and Isaiah Brown are also set to return after strong freshman seasons. Heiss averaged 8.6 points per game with a shooting percentage of 42.3% from the field and 33.9% from beyond the arc. Brown scored an average of 7.7 points per game while shooting 55.1% overall and 38.3% from three-point range.
Coach Ronai has added five freshmen to bolster the team's lineup: Bryce Snell from Cincinnati, Isaac Burns from Troy, Abib Abib from Mason, Reed Platfoot from Jackson Center, and Kieran Granville-Britten also from Cincinnati.
MVNU's Crossroads League play will commence on November 19 at Ariel Arena against the University of Saint Francis.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private Christian institution offering education to nearly 2,200 students across various states and countries.
Information from this article can be found here.
