NASHVILLE – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference released its 2023-2024 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' poll today and the Trevecca Nazarene University Men's Basketball team is picked to finish 11th in the 13-team field. 
 
Trevecca begins their 12th NCAA Division II and Great Midwest season with a new leader on the sideline, first-year Trojan coach Kevin Caroll (full bio). The former Lipscomb University assistant coach and Maryville-St. Louis head coach is set to reveal his first team wearing the Purple and White. Carroll, a former Alabama Huntsville assistant, brings ten seasons of head coaching experience at both the collegiate and high school levels. Carroll was a former Berry College performer then moved into coaching with stops at all collegiate levels in the NCAA ranks. He was a former DII head coach at Maryville St. Louis, where he led the team to its most wins in school history and a share of the GLVC West Runner-Up, just behind the eventual Division II National Champion. He was also an assistant coach at both D1, and D II levels.
 
2023-24 SEASON PREVIEW
ROSTER (full roster)
A deeper dive into the newcomers (READ)
 
The 17 person 2023-24 roster includes ten returners joined by seven new faces who are a mixture of freshmen and transfers.  
 
The seven new Trojans are Jamal Cannady, Jr. (Baltimore, Maryland), Robert Banks (Duncanville, Texas), Jalen Page (Murfreesboro, TN), Isaiah Divens (Murfreesboro, TN), Dulguun "Tommy" Gankhuyag (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia), Spencer White (Carmel, IN), and Justin Bass (Hampton, Virginia).
 
There are three transfers in the junior class, the trio are Jamal Cannady, Jr. (Bryn Athyn College), Robert Banks (Spoon River College), and Jalen Page (Lee University).
 
Cannady is a scorer who lit up the scoreboard as a nationally known NCAA Division III scorer for Bryn Athyn. Robert Banks, known as "Priese" has the ability to score inside or out. Page is a Murfreesboro product returning to Middle Tennessee and has already served notice he will put points on the board for the Purple and White. He scored 20 against a talented Arkansas State University in Trevecca exhibition game this week. Cannady added 14 for the Trojans in that game.
 
The newcomers are four freshman making their collegiate debut this fall, they are Isaiah Divens (Murfreesboro Blackman HS), Dulguun "Tommy" Gankhuyag (Centerville - Ohio - HS), and Spencer White (Carmel HS) are joined by Justin Bass (Kecoughtan HS).
 
Divens is another product from the talent-rich Murfreesboro area. Tommy Gangkuyag played for a nationally ranked high school in Ohio, but also played this summer for the Mongolian National Team at an Olympic style event in China. He looks to get time in the post early. Spencer White is a promising freshmen from Indiana and Justin Bass brings his talents from Virginia after a successful prep career there.
 
The returning roster includes three seniors, Lawrence Brazil III, Caleb Terry, and Zeke Grier. The six returning sophomores are Aiden Williams, Connor Martin, Josh Goings, Drew Blackston, Gus Davenport,and Jake Mulder.  The last returner is Peter Lambesis who transferred to TNU prior to last season and is a graduate student.
 
Pete Lambesis Jr. hit a game winning shot early in his career in the Trojan Fieldhouse, but a injury sidelined him the rest of the season. He gets a clean sheet with the 2023-24 season and brings a veteran presence to the squad. Caleb Terry brings size in the post and always hovers with a threat to swat away the shots of Trojan opponents.
 
Josh Goings had a solid start to his career as a freshman and was second on the team in assists. Lawrence Brazil III led the team in assists and provides a defensive threat as well. Jake Mulder, another freshman who made some noise last year, returns after providing a consistent shot and rebounds. Gus Davenport had a high-scoring high school career and showed basketball savvy in his first year on the Hill.
 
Drew Blackston brings his game back to the Fieldhouse after earning minutes early last year. Connor Martin showed he can get on a run from deep and looks to knock down more shots in year two. Zeke Grier has found his way on the floor throughout his career and continues to grow his game. Aiden Williams had a standout career and looks to contribute again in year two.
 
2023-2024 GREAT MIDWEST MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1	Ashland University (11)	156
2	Walsh University (2)	142
3	Cedarville University	135
4	University of Findlay	112
5	Lake Erie College	107
6	Hillsdale College	102
7	Tiffin University	98
8	Kentucky Wesleyan College	74
9	Thomas More University	70
10	Ohio Dominican University	57
11	Trevecca Nazarene University	48
12	Malone University	47
13	Northwood University	35

 
2023-24 SCHEDULE
Full Schedule
The Trojans suited up for the first time in the Kevin Carroll era on October 25, 2023 at NCAA Division 1 Arkansas State University. The team lost to the Red Wolves at the 10,000 seat First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
 
The first home game is on November 4, 2023 (4:00 PM) when the Trojans host their annual homecoming exhibition. This year the Trojans welcome Rhodes College to Trojan Fieldhouse for homecoming.
 
The regular season gets underway November 10-11 at the Southwest Baptist University Classic/Region Crossover in Bolivar, Mo. Trevecca plays SBU and Drury University. 
 
The first home regular season game is November 15 at the Fieldhouse when Tennessee Wesleyan College visits for a non-conference game. TNU travels to Memphis to face Christian Brothers (Nov. 18) and Shorter College (Nov. 21) in Rome, Ga. before starting conference play.
 
Trevecca opens their final Great Midwest season at home with the University of Findlay (Nov. 28) then heads on the road for their conference road tilt is at Northwood University (Dec. 2).
 
After the Northwood game opens December play, the Trojans host Christian Brothers for a non-conference return visit from the Bucs at Trojan Fieldhouse.
 
A solo trip to Malone University (Dec. 9) in Canton, Ohio interrupts the string of non-conference games. A Bryan College (Dec. 19) visit to the Trojan Fieldhouse finishes off the pre-Christmas schedule.
 
Milligan College (Dec. 30) serves as a warmup after the Christmas Holiday break, then Trevecca plays at Jacksonville State University (Ala.) for an exhibition game with the NCAA Division I program.
 
January 2024 welcomes the Trojans back to Great Midwest play and a four-game stretch of home games. Ashland (Jan. 4), Malone (Jan. 6), Hillsdale (Jan. 11) and Northwood (Jan. 13) all come to the Trojan Fieldhouse. After two road games, at Ashland (Jan. 18) and Tiffin (Jan. 20), Trevecca closes out January with their fifth home game of the month against Lake Erie (Jan. 27).
 
The Trojans open February with two road games, at Findlay (Feb. 1) and Ohio Dominican (Feb. 3). Another four game home stand in conference comes in the middle of February with Cedarville (Feb. 8), Thomas More (Feb. 10), Kentucky Wesleyan (Feb. 15), and Tiffin (Feb. 17) all come to the Fieldhouse. The Tiffin game is the last home game for the Trojans as they head on the road to close out the regular season at Walsh (Feb. 22), Cedarville (Feb. 24), Thomas More (Feb. 29), and Kentucky Wesleyan (March 2).
 
The Great Midwest Championships begin with the quarterfinals at the top four seeds home court on March 5, 2024. The semifinals and finals are at the top remaining seed on March 8-9, 2024.
 
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