LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Oct. 30) – The California (PA) men's basketball team was chosen third in the preseason Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division poll, announced the league office on Thursday morning.

The Vulcans received a single first-place vote after advancing to the semifinals of the 2025 PSAC Tournament. Cal finished the year with an 18-12 overall record behind a 12-8 mark in divisional play despite losing three starters to season-ending injuries before Thanksgiving. The Vulcans have now been ranked among the top three in the preseason poll for the third-consecutive year.

Gannon was picked as the preseason favorite in the PSAC West with six first-place votes. The Golden Knights repeated as PSAC Champions last year before advancing to the Atlantic Regional Championship of the NCAA Tournament. IUP was slotted second with the remaining first-place vote, while Cal, Slippery Rock and Seton Hill rounded out the top five in the preseason West poll.

In the PSAC East, West Chester was the overwhelming favorite with eight first-place votes after leading the entire conference with 18 league wins last year. The Golden Rams captured the outright PSAC East title for the first time since 2006. East Stroudsburg garnered the remaining first-place vote and was ranked second, followed by Millersville, Shepherd and Shippensburg to complete the top five. The Rams advanced to the PSAC Championship last year for the first time since joining the conference in 2020.

Under eighth-year head coach Danny Sancomb, Cal opens the season with four games against Mountain East Conference (MEC) members beginning on Nov. 14.