GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's men's basketball team, fresh off another successful season, will kick off the 2026-27 campaign in unusual fashion. 

 

The Pioneers tip-off against Greenville University at midnight Friday in a battle of two high-scoring clubs at Greenville, Ill. Grinnell will then play Covenant College of Georgia at 1 p.m. Saturday in Greenville.  

 

Grinnell won the Midwest Conference regular-season and tournament titles a season ago and has made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. With numerous players returning from a squad that had a school-record 22 victories, the Pioneers again have high hopes entering the 2026-27 campaign. 

 

Grinnell, which was picked by league coaches to repeat as champions and received votes for the D3hoops.com preseason rankings, will be led by multi-year All-Midwest Conference first-teamers Gabe Garcia '27 and Kai Te Huki '27.  

 

"Both were named captains this season and have contributed so much to our program's success," said coach David Arseneault Jr., last season's MWC Coach of the Year. "Gabe has grown immensely over his four years at Grinnell, especially with his leadership and playmaking. Of course, he can also attack the rim and score at an elite level. Kai is incredible. He led the country in scoring as a first-year and is simultaneously one of the most unselfish players I've been around. He consistently makes the right play, and he is always willing to make the right play." 

 

Garcia, who ranked among the national leaders in free throws made last season, led Grinnell with 15.3 points per game while Te Huki was second at 12.0. 

 

The other returning All-MWC performer is big-man Tyler Copes '29, who was also the league's Newcomer and Defender of the Year and ranked 13th nationally with 2.54 blocks per game.  

 

"Tyler had an incredible first year and is only scratching the surface of what he's capable of doing," said Arseneault. "He's improved so much since last season, and I feel like he's poised for a monster year." 

 

Captains Nick Lundy '27 and Tanner Deal '27 will also provide critical senior leadership.  

 

"Nick has one of the highest basketball IQs on the team and makes at least a dozen winning plays per contest. His versatility is a huge bonus, and he can play just about every position in our system," said Arseneault. "Tanner burst onto the scene last year and is a world class 3-point shooter. The impact he's made with his vocal leadership and work ethic cannot be understated."  

 

Seniors Strahinja Nikolic '27 and Carson DeBruhl '27 also return with proven championship experience.  

 

"Stra has all-conference level talent and has embraced whatever role is needed to help the team succeed," commented Arseneault. "Every night, he'll find a variety of ways to help the team win whether it be scoring, defense, playmaking or rebounding. We're looking for Carson to fill a bigger role this year and has the talent to do so," the coach added. "He'll be a critical player for us at the point guard spot." 

 

Noah Smith '27, a newcomer to the team, rounds out the senior class. 

 

The Pioneers have no juniors but a strong sophomore class of seven including Kingzten Bristol '29, Luka Pinto '29, Aidan Wiley '29, Brady Schuettpelz '29, John O'Leary '29, and Davis Currie '29. 

 

"Kingzten and Luka are dynamic two-way players," said Arseneault. "Both had remarkable first years. Kingzten can impact the game at both ends, has tremendous versatility and is poised for a breakout season. Aidan played significant minutes for us last year and is now ready for an expanded role.Now that Brady, John and Davis have a year of experience under their belt, we're expecting them to step into bigger roles. They have the talent and I'm excited to see their contributions." 

 

The eight-man first-year class includes Brady Boulton '30, Kris Dowell '30, Nic Fleming '30, Sam Spencer '30, Magnus Mayer '30, Bennett White '30, Quinn Campbell '30 and Caue Cabral-Seixas '30.  

 

"This class is incredibly deep and talented," Arseneault said. "We'll be relying on them to play significant minutes at key positions, but I have no doubt that they are up for the challenge." 

 

Arseneault hopes all of this puts the Pioneers in position for another strong season.  

 

"We return a lot of guys who have played significant minutes, but at the same time we lost a lot of guys who knew how to win," said Arseneault. "It'll be interesting to see how some of our younger student-athletes step up. We are playing a very challenging non-conference schedule, and the league should be wide-open. With the expansion to a six-team tournament and the addition of Luther to the league, it should be an exciting year in the Midwest Conference." 

 

Zach Stevens joined the program as an assistant coach in the off-season while Jeff Smith also returns as an assistant.  

 

"We're thrilled to add coach Stevens to the staff," said Arseneault. "He is a proven coach with significant experience at the D-III level. In short time, he's already making a significant impact on our program. I'm also excited to have Coach Smith, a former D-III player, back on staff. He's been critical to our success in recent years."