BECKLEY, W.Va. — WVU Tech men's basketball will open a new era under interim head coach Corey Acord, as the Golden Bears were picked seventh in the 2025 River States Conference (RSC) Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced Tuesday by the league office.
Each of the league's 12 head coaches voted in the poll, ranking other member programs in predicted order of finish.
Building on a Winning Foundation
The Golden Bears are coming off a 16-11 campaign in 2024-25, highlighted by wins over nationally ranked opponents and a balanced offensive attack. Tech finished 7-9 in RSC play, ranking among the league's top four in both field-goal percentage (47.5%) and scoring defense (68.0 points allowed per game).
Golden Bear Returners
• Cole Chapman – PG (Beaver, W.Va. / Shady Spring HS)
A steady floor leader, Chapman started all 27 games in 2024-25 and ranked among the RSC's best in assists and steals.
He averaged 4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists, shooting 75.8% at the line.
Ball-control totals: 28 offensive rebounds, 77 defensive rebounds (105 total), 87 assists, 42 turnovers, 44 steals, 3 blocks.
Career totals across 55 games include 201 rebounds and 162 assists.
• Liam Craven – G (Brantford, Ontario / Combine Academy)
Craven provides perimeter scoring and experience, starting 18 games last season while averaging 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds.
He shot 35.2% from the field and 33.6% from three.
Career totals through 55 games: 102 rebounds, 50 assists, 27 steals, and 38 three-pointers made in 2024-25 alone.
• Christian Goebel – G (Charleston, W.Va. / George Washington HS)
Appeared in 7 games as a freshman, averaging 1.1 points on 60% shooting, including 33% from three.
Ball-control totals: 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block.
• Richard Fu – G (New Taipei, Taiwan / Teays Valley Christian School)
Competed in 5 games last season after five appearances in 2023-24.
Career totals: 10 games, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block while shooting 52.9% overall.
• Matthew Linville – F/C (Kermit, W.Va. / Martin County HS)
A 6-7 forward providing interior depth, Linville played in 3 games in 2024-25, averaging 1.7 points on 66.7% shooting and hitting his lone three-point attempt.
Career totals: 7 games, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 60% career field-goal accuracy.
Challenging Schedule Ahead
WVU Tech opens play with scrimmages at Concord University (Oct. 18) and at home versus West Virginia Wesleyan (Oct. 25) before hosting Bluefield University (Nov. 1) at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
Non-conference action includes contests against Pikeville, Cumberlands, Georgetown, and Campbellsville, all established NAIA programs.
Conference play begins Dec. 10 at Shawnee State, with key home dates against Rio Grande (Jan. 13), IU Southeast (Jan. 17) and IU East (Feb. 21 — Senior Night).
2025-26 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
| Rank |
School |
Points |
First-Place Votes |
| 1 |
University of Rio Grande (Ohio) |
111 |
6 |
| 2 |
Indiana University Kokomo |
103 |
2 |
| 3 |
Shawnee State University (Ohio) |
98 |
3 |
| 4 |
Indiana University East |
88 |
— |
| 5 |
Indiana University Southeast |
87 |
— |
| 6 |
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College (Ind.) |
68 |
1 |
| 7 |
WVU Tech (W.Va.) |
63 |
— |
| 8 |
Midway University (Ky.) |
60 |
— |
| 9 |
Brescia University (Ky.) |
41 |
— |
| 10 |
Oakland City University (Ind.) |
38 |
— |
| 11 |
Kentucky Christian University |
19 |
— |
| 12 |
Indiana University Columbus |
16 |
— |
What's Next
The Golden Bears tip off the regular season Nov. 1 vs. Bluefield University in Beckley.
Follow all the action, including live coverage links, at goldenbearathletics.com/coverage.
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