NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Elmhurst University men's basketball team has earned the top spot in the 2026-27 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Preseason Poll, as released by the conference on Thursday afternoon.

The Bluejays secured 62 total points and six first-place votes en route to earning preseason favorite status. Illinois Wesleyan University checked into the runner-up spot with 59 total points and three first-place votes, while Wheaton College was tabbed third in the poll with 49 points.

Carthage College and North Park University rounded out the league's top five with 43 and 30 points respectively.

Last season, the Blue and White posted a 19-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in CCIW play. The Bluejays earned the third seed in the conference tournament, taking down sixth-seeded Carroll University in the quarterfinals and second-seeded Carthage College in the semifinals, before falling to top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan University in the championship game to end their season.

Two key returners for the Bluejays this season are all-Conference players, Dominic Trelenberg and Vinnie Adjahoungbeta. During his senior season, Trelenberg averaged 18.1 points per game, which ranked first on the team and sixth in the CCIW. The Westchester, Ill. native also ranked in the top 10 in the league in three-point percentage (5^th - .395), free throw percentage (10^th - .754), three-point field goals per game (4^th – 2.4), and minutes played per game (1^st – 35.3). In addition to his unanimous First Team All-Conference selection last season, Trelenberg was also recognized as a member of the D3hoops.com All-Region Third Team as well as a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District Second Team selection.

As a sophomore, Adjahoungbeta led the Bluejays on the glass, pulling down 207 total rebounds and averaging 7.4 rebounds per game, a mark that ranked fourth in CCIW. The Moline, Ill. native also posted a team-high 28 blocked shots, which ranked sixth in the league. Adjahoungbeta excelled both on and off the court, garnering Second Team All-Conference accolades and College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors.

The Blue and White open their 2026-27 campaign on Saturday, Nov. 7 when they travel to Ripon, Wis. to take on the Ripon College Red Hawks. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Doc Weiske '50 Memorial Gymnasium.