Palm Beach Atlantic University men’s basketball team will enter the 2026-27 season ranked No. 13 nationally in the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll. The Sailfish received 164 points in the preseason rankings. This is the first time Palm Beach Atlantic has entered a season ranked in the top 25 during its NCAA Division II era.
Ranking follows record season
Palm Beach Atlantic finished the 2025-26 season with a 26-6 overall record, a program record for wins in its NCAA Division II era. The Sailfish went 16-4 in Sunshine State Conference play and finished second in the conference standings under head coach Cole Rose. Palm Beach Atlantic also reached the Sunshine State Conference tournament championship game and earned a berth in the NCAA Division II South Region tournament, the second regional appearance in program history.
The Sailfish reached as high as No. 3 in the national rankings during the 2025-26 season after defeating Nova Southeastern. Nova Southeastern was selected first, and Palm Beach Atlantic second, in the 2026-27 Sunshine State Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Returning contributors and new addition
Palm Beach Atlantic returns Christian Kirkland, Ty Burton and Graham Worland from last season’s team. Kirkland earned All-Sunshine State Conference Defensive Team honors and set a Palm Beach Atlantic NCAA Division II-era single-season record with 56 blocks in 2025-26. Worland averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while Burton averaged 9.5 points per game.
The Sailfish added Camerin James from Keiser University. James earned NAIA All-American honors the previous season, according to the program. His addition gives Palm Beach Atlantic another player who earned postseason recognition before the 2026-27 season.
Opening schedule
Palm Beach Atlantic will open the season Nov. 13 against Trevecca Nazarene in the South Region Crossover hosted by Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Sailfish will play Morehouse on Nov. 14 at the same event. Palm Beach Atlantic is then scheduled to visit Lynn on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Tampa on Nov. 21 at 4 p.m.
The Sailfish are scheduled to host Mississippi Christian on Nov. 27 at 5 p.m. and Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras on Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. Palm Beach Atlantic will host Embry-Riddle (Fla.) on Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and visit Nova Southeastern on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. The team is also scheduled to host Barry on Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. before traveling to Trinity (Fla.) on Dec. 18 at 3 p.m.
FSB Take
Palm Beach Atlantic’s first NCAA Division II-era preseason top-25 ranking follows its program-record 26-win season and second NCAA Division II South Region appearance. The Sailfish will begin the season with games against Trevecca Nazarene and Morehouse in the South Region Crossover hosted by Embry-Riddle. Those opening games provide the team’s first scheduled competition after its No. 13 preseason recognition.
Source: Original report