• Preseason Releases: Men, Women | Media Day Recap
The Tennessee State men’s team was picked fourth while the women’s team was predicted eighth in the 2025-26 OVC Preseason Poll voted on by league head coaches and communications directors.
The predictions were released as part of the OVC Basketball Media Day powered by Centerpoint Energy, which was held on October 14.
The TSU men’s team begins its first season under Nolan Smith, the former Duke guard who was most recently an assistant coach at Memphis. The team returns Aaron Nkrumah, who was an All-OVC selection last season and averaged 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds/game. The squad also has sophomore guard Malik London and graduate forward Carlous Williams. London sat out last year with an injury while Williams is coming off a season where he averaged 10.9 points/game and hit 54.9 percent from the field.
The Tigers women’s team begins season number two under Candice Dupree. Her team returns a solid core from last year’s group, blending experienced leadership with a talented crop of newcomers. Among the players to watch is sophomore guard Somah Kamara. She made an immediate impact as a freshman with her quickness, vision, and defensive energy, and she is expected to take on a larger role this season as a floor leader. She averaged 12.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists/game last season.
The TSU teams will look to be one of eight teams in each gender to qualify for the 2026 OVC Basketball Championships, which will be played March 4-7 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. For more information on the championship, click here.
BELOW VIDEOS
Head Men’s Coach Nolan Smith
Senior guard Travis Harper II
Head Women’s Coach Candice Dupree
Sophomore guard Erin Martin