Pictured: 2025-26 Warriors celebrate CCC Tournament championship

Men's Basketball 11/4/2026 4:00:00 PM Clayton Messerle, Assistant Athletic Director

Men’s Basketball Season Preview – Warriors Look to Build Upon Historic Postseason Run in 2026-27

SALEM, Ore. – Momentum can be a powerful thing in college basketball, and few teams in the NAIA enter the 2026-27 season carrying more postseason confidence than the Corban University men's basketball program. One season ago, the Warriors authored one of the most memorable conference tournament runs in school history, winning three consecutive road contests as the No. 7 seed to capture the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship and secure a berth in the NAIA National Tournament.

"Coming off a CCC Tournament Championship, our challenge is not simply to celebrate what we accomplished, but to build upon it," began Warriors' head coach Wayne Mendezona when asked to discuss the direction of his program in his second season leading the team into battle. "Championships are earned through daily discipline, sacrifice, accountability, and a relentless commitment to one another. Our identity is built around a Collective Mindset, where every player understands that the strength of our team is greater than any individual. Above all, our foundation is Jesus Christ, and our prayer is that everything we do as a basketball program honors Him while helping our young men grow as players, leaders, and men of faith. We want to play with toughness, confidence, and tremendous energy while embracing our philosophy of 'Poise in All the Noise.' Our expectations are high, but our focus remains on the process of becoming the best team we can possibly become. We want to be a team that competes with purpose, plays for each other, and embraces the challenge of finishing strong."

Now entering his second season at the helm, Mendezona looks to build upon that foundation with a roster that blends returning contributors, experienced transfers, and a talented recruiting class. Though Corban must replace several significant pieces from last year's championship squad, the Warriors bring back enough proven talent and add enough experience to remain a dangerous contender within one of the NAIA's most competitive conferences.

The Warriors finished 17-15 overall and 10-10 in conference play last season before catching fire in March, defeating No. 2-seed Eastern Oregon University, No. 6-seed Bushnell University, and No. 1-seed Lewis-Clark State College on the road to capture the conference crown and earn the program's seventh NAIA National Tournament appearance.

With postseason expectations elevated and a new cast of impact players ready to emerge, the Warriors enter 2026-27 eager to prove that last spring's championship run was only the beginning.

Season Schedule / Key Matchups

Corban's schedule provides no shortage of opportunities to test itself before postseason play arrives. The Warriors begin the regular season at home against Simpson University on November 5th, followed by early-season challenges include a road matchup with NCAA DII Western Oregon University, a contest at NCAA DIII Linfield University, and an exhibition meeting with NCAA DI Eastern Washington University. Corban will also host Cal Prestige University and participate in the annual Simpson Classic in California during non-conference play.

CCC play begins in early December with home contests against Bushnell and Warner Pacific University. Those matchups serve as the first step in what should be another highly competitive CCC race. The Warriors will face several pivotal stretches throughout the season, including a difficult January road trip through Idaho and southern Oregon featuring contests against LC State, Oregon Tech, and Southern Oregon University.

The final weeks of conference play could prove decisive. February includes road contests at College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon before Corban closes the regular season at home against both Southern Oregon and Tech. Those final weekend matchups may have significant implications for conference tournament seeding.

If last year's postseason run taught anything, it is that the Warriors are more than capable of competing with the conference's best. Corban defeated consistent CCC title threats in Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon, and College of Idaho during the 2025-26 regular season campaign, proving they can challenge any opponent in the league when playing at their best.

Conference Outlook

The CCC once again projects to be among the deepest conferences in the NAIA. According to the 2026-27 CCC Coaches' Preseason Poll, College of Idaho was selected first with 111 points, followed by Eastern Oregon, Lewis-Clark State, and Oregon Tech. Corban was picked fifth overall with 75 points and received one first-place vote.

While the Warriors begin the season outside the conference's top four in the preseason poll, recent history suggests that placement means very little once conference play begins. Last season, Corban entered the CCC Tournament as the No. 7 seed before embarking on its remarkable championship run. Along the way, the Warriors won road games against higher-seeded opponents and ultimately defeated top-seeded LC State in overtime to clinch the tournament title.

The league's balance appears stronger than ever. Just 36 points separated fourth-place Oregon Tech and sixth-place Southern Oregon University in the voting, illustrating the parity expected throughout the conference schedule.

For Corban, the goal will be transforming last year's postseason momentum into regular-season consistency. If the Warriors can do that, they possess the talent necessary to exceed their preseason projection and factor prominently into the conference championship conversation as they look to earn their first regular season crown since the 1997-98 school year.

Roster Composition

Corban returns seven players from last season's CCC Tournament Championship squad, including two of the conference's premier players in redshirt senior center TJ Zimmermann and senior guard Joe Gould. After helping guide the Warriors to an NAIA National Tournament appearance a season ago, the veteran duo returns as the centerpiece of a roster that blends proven production with an influx of talented newcomers.

Zimmermann enters the season after earning First Team All-CCC honors and leading the Warriors in scoring at 17.1 points per game. The versatile center shot nearly 47 percent from the field while averaging 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest, establishing himself as one of the most complete players in the conference.

Alongside him, Gould returns after another outstanding campaign in which he averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and a team-high 99 assists. Also a First Team All-CCC selection, Gould's ability to control the tempo and create offense out of seamlessly thin air makes him one of the league's most impactful guards.

Sophomore guard Landon Knox emerged as one of the team's most reliable perimeter shooters, appearing in all 32 games and knocking down 24 three-pointers while shooting 86.5 percent from the free-throw line.

The recruiting class itself may be among the biggest strengths of this year's roster. The Warriors bring in transfers who joined the program after contributing at the collegiate level elsewhere, including junior guard Bobby Williams, junior guard Dylan Wiggins, junior forward Lincoln Satterthwaite, redshirt sophomore guard Isaiah Sonntag, and junior center Kayne Gilmore. Their collective experience should help ease the transition created by graduation losses.

Williams arrives after earning consecutive First Team All-League and All-Conference honors at Contra Costa College, while Wiggins brings a decorated athletic résumé from Tacoma Community College. Sonntag transfers from NCAA Division II Seattle Pacific University, and Gilmore adds much-needed size at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds after stops at both Ohlone College and Yavapai College.

Satterthwaite also enters the program after a successful career at Clackamas Community College, while freshman guard Ethan Inocencio arrives following a standout senior season in which he averaged 23 points per game and earned First Team All-4A recognition in Nevada. Fellow freshman Brian McCollum Jr. adds additional length, athleticism, and long-term potential on the wing.

In total, Corban returns seven players and adds seven newcomers, creating a balanced roster that combines continuity with fresh talent. The challenge will be developing chemistry quickly enough to navigate another demanding CCC schedule.

Warrior Whims (Final Thoughts)

The 2025-26 season produced a championship banner and unforgettable memories, but it also established a new standard.

Under Mendezona, the Warriors demonstrated an ability to compete with nationally respected programs while showcasing the resilience required to win postseason games on the road. Those experiences cannot be taught, and they provide a foundation that should benefit the program moving forward.

This year's roster may look different, but the expectations remain unchanged.

The Navy and Gold possess a deep group of experienced transfers, promising young returners, and a coaching staff that successfully guided a championship run during its first season together. While replacing last year's starting lineup power will not be easy, Corban has assembled the pieces necessary to remain firmly in the mix within the CCC.

If the newcomers integrate quickly and the returning core embraces larger responsibilities, the Warriors have every opportunity to prove that last year's postseason surge was not an outlier but rather the beginning of a new chapter for Corban men's basketball.