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Flames Picked 1st; Cleveland, Metheny & Porter Named CUSA Preseason All-Conference
10/9/2025 2:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Led by preseason all-conference selections Zach Cleveland, Kaden Metheny and Colin Porter, defending Conference USA champion Liberty has been selected for a first-place finish by the CUSA head coaches in this year's preseason poll.
Liberty received 11 of the 12 available first-place votes and 143 points in the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. Kennesaw State garnered the other first-place vote and was picked to finish in second place with 126 points. Rounding out the top five were New Mexico State (113 points), Middle Tennessee (103 points) and Louisiana Tech (82 points).
Liberty was the only team in the league with three players on the preseason all-conference team and one of only two CUSA squads with multiple players on the 10-player team. Kennesaw State featured CUSA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference team member Simeon Cottle, along with Preseason All-Conference team selection Braedan Lue.
This is the second time in three years in the league that the Flames have been picked to win the CUSA title. Liberty and Middle Tennessee shared the top spot in the 2023-24 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Flames' first-place selection in this year's poll comes on the heels of a 2024-25 season in which Liberty posted a 28-7 overall record and 13-5 CUSA mark while claiming the regular-season and tournament titles.
This is the second straight year Cleveland and Metheny have been tabbed to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team. Cleveland was an All-CUSA third team selection as a junior last year and was named a finalist for 2024-25 Lou Henson Award. Metheny, the 2025 CUSA Championship MVP, earned All-CUSA second team honors last year. Porter, an All-CUSA honorable mention selection during the 2024-25 season, earns his first preseason all-conference nod.
Rounding out the rest of the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll were Western Kentucky (No. 6, 79 points), 2025 CUSA runner-up Jacksonville State (No. 7, 67 points), UTEP (No. 8, 66 points), Sam Houston (No. 9, 56 points), FIU (No. 10, 36 points), Delaware (No. 11, 35 points) and Missouri State (No. 12, 30 points).
Cleveland, a 6-7 senior forward from Bloomington, Ill., is a two-time All-CUSA selection. As a junior, he averaged 11.0 points (No. 3 on team), 6.3 rebounds (No. 1 on team) and 5.1 assists (No. 1 on team) per game. Cleveland ranked No. 51 nationally, second among CUSA players and first among all forwards nationally in assists per game. Cleveland dished out five or more assists 18 times a season ago and scored in double figures 20 times. He was also tabbed to the 2024-25 Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List.
Metheny, a 5-11 graduate student guard from Morgantown, W.Va., is a two-time All-CUSA selection and was voted to the CUSA Championship All-Tournament team in addition to his CUSA Championship MVP honors. Metheny, also a 2024 Paradise Jam All-Tournament team honoree, led the Flames with 102 three-pointers, ranking No. 25 nationally in the category. He finished 34th in the country in triples per game (3.0), and his 102 makes from long distance are tied with Seth Curry for fourth most in a single season in program history. Metheny finished the 2024-25 season averaging 13.3 ppg (No. 2 on team), 2.9 rpg, 2.0 apg and 0.8 spg. The guard averaged 20.3 ppg and made 16 threes in three CUSA Championship contests.
Porter, a 5-10 senior guard from Ashland, Ky., earned Paradise Jam MVP and All-Tournament team recognition last year. He finished the year ranked 14th nationally and first in CUSA in assist/turnover ratio (2.88). Porter averaged 9.1 points, 4.3 assists (No. 2 on team) and 2.2 rebounds per game on the years while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. The guard averaged 11.7 ppg, 6.3 apg, 2.7 rpg and 1.0 spg and shot 52 percent from the field in three CUSA Championship games.
Head coach Ritchie McKay and Porter will be featured in the 2025 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day event next Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. Liberty's 2025-26 season will begin on Nov. 3 against Kentucky Christian at Liberty Arena. The Flames' first CUSA game will be on Dec. 28 at FIU.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Ticket Sales/Flames Club Information
Season tickets for the 2025-26 men's basketball season are sold out for the fourth consecutive year! Single-game tickets will go on sale for non-conference games to the public on Oct. 23 and conference games on Dec. 8.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members Oct. 16 for non-conference and Dec. 1 for conference games, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
Other ticket options for Flames Nation include two-mini plans:
Flames fans have helped the cheer the home team to a 69-10 home record in five seasons of competition at Liberty Arena. Liberty went 12-3 at home during the 2024-25 campaign.
2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Liberty (11 first-place votes) – 143 points
2) Kennesaw State (1) – 126
3) New Mexico State – 113
4) Middle Tennessee – 103
5) Louisiana Tech – 82
6) Western Kentucky – 79
7) Jacksonville State – 67
8) UTEP – 66
9) Sam Houston – 56
10) FIU – 36
11) Delaware – 35
12) Missouri State – 30
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Simeon Cottle, G, Kennesaw State
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Cavan Reilly, G, Delaware
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, G, Jacksonville State
Simeon Cottle, G, Kennesaw State
Braedan Lue, F, Kennesaw State
Zach Cleveland, F, Liberty
Kaden Metheny, G, Liberty
Colin Porter, G, Liberty
Kaden Cooper, G, Louisiana Tech
Kamari Lands, G, Middle Tennessee
Jemel Jones, G, New Mexico State
Liberty received 11 of the 12 available first-place votes and 143 points in the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. Kennesaw State garnered the other first-place vote and was picked to finish in second place with 126 points. Rounding out the top five were New Mexico State (113 points), Middle Tennessee (103 points) and Louisiana Tech (82 points).
Liberty was the only team in the league with three players on the preseason all-conference team and one of only two CUSA squads with multiple players on the 10-player team. Kennesaw State featured CUSA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference team member Simeon Cottle, along with Preseason All-Conference team selection Braedan Lue.
This is the second time in three years in the league that the Flames have been picked to win the CUSA title. Liberty and Middle Tennessee shared the top spot in the 2023-24 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Flames' first-place selection in this year's poll comes on the heels of a 2024-25 season in which Liberty posted a 28-7 overall record and 13-5 CUSA mark while claiming the regular-season and tournament titles.
This is the second straight year Cleveland and Metheny have been tabbed to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team. Cleveland was an All-CUSA third team selection as a junior last year and was named a finalist for 2024-25 Lou Henson Award. Metheny, the 2025 CUSA Championship MVP, earned All-CUSA second team honors last year. Porter, an All-CUSA honorable mention selection during the 2024-25 season, earns his first preseason all-conference nod.
Rounding out the rest of the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll were Western Kentucky (No. 6, 79 points), 2025 CUSA runner-up Jacksonville State (No. 7, 67 points), UTEP (No. 8, 66 points), Sam Houston (No. 9, 56 points), FIU (No. 10, 36 points), Delaware (No. 11, 35 points) and Missouri State (No. 12, 30 points).
Cleveland, a 6-7 senior forward from Bloomington, Ill., is a two-time All-CUSA selection. As a junior, he averaged 11.0 points (No. 3 on team), 6.3 rebounds (No. 1 on team) and 5.1 assists (No. 1 on team) per game. Cleveland ranked No. 51 nationally, second among CUSA players and first among all forwards nationally in assists per game. Cleveland dished out five or more assists 18 times a season ago and scored in double figures 20 times. He was also tabbed to the 2024-25 Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List.
Metheny, a 5-11 graduate student guard from Morgantown, W.Va., is a two-time All-CUSA selection and was voted to the CUSA Championship All-Tournament team in addition to his CUSA Championship MVP honors. Metheny, also a 2024 Paradise Jam All-Tournament team honoree, led the Flames with 102 three-pointers, ranking No. 25 nationally in the category. He finished 34th in the country in triples per game (3.0), and his 102 makes from long distance are tied with Seth Curry for fourth most in a single season in program history. Metheny finished the 2024-25 season averaging 13.3 ppg (No. 2 on team), 2.9 rpg, 2.0 apg and 0.8 spg. The guard averaged 20.3 ppg and made 16 threes in three CUSA Championship contests.
Porter, a 5-10 senior guard from Ashland, Ky., earned Paradise Jam MVP and All-Tournament team recognition last year. He finished the year ranked 14th nationally and first in CUSA in assist/turnover ratio (2.88). Porter averaged 9.1 points, 4.3 assists (No. 2 on team) and 2.2 rebounds per game on the years while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. The guard averaged 11.7 ppg, 6.3 apg, 2.7 rpg and 1.0 spg and shot 52 percent from the field in three CUSA Championship games.
Head coach Ritchie McKay and Porter will be featured in the 2025 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day event next Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. Liberty's 2025-26 season will begin on Nov. 3 against Kentucky Christian at Liberty Arena. The Flames' first CUSA game will be on Dec. 28 at FIU.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Ticket Sales/Flames Club Information
Season tickets for the 2025-26 men's basketball season are sold out for the fourth consecutive year! Single-game tickets will go on sale for non-conference games to the public on Oct. 23 and conference games on Dec. 8.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members Oct. 16 for non-conference and Dec. 1 for conference games, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
Other ticket options for Flames Nation include two-mini plans:
- Starting 5 Pack –$100 and saves you 27% off single-game pricing. This plan includes one premium game against Charleston or Florida Atlantic, along with your choice of four additional non-conference or select CUSA matchups.
- 3 Point Pack - $63 and saves you 25% compared to single-game pricing. With this plan, you can choose three select non-conference or conference games.
Flames fans have helped the cheer the home team to a 69-10 home record in five seasons of competition at Liberty Arena. Liberty went 12-3 at home during the 2024-25 campaign.
2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Liberty (11 first-place votes) – 143 points
2) Kennesaw State (1) – 126
3) New Mexico State – 113
4) Middle Tennessee – 103
5) Louisiana Tech – 82
6) Western Kentucky – 79
7) Jacksonville State – 67
8) UTEP – 66
9) Sam Houston – 56
10) FIU – 36
11) Delaware – 35
12) Missouri State – 30
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Simeon Cottle, G, Kennesaw State
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Cavan Reilly, G, Delaware
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, G, Jacksonville State
Simeon Cottle, G, Kennesaw State
Braedan Lue, F, Kennesaw State
Zach Cleveland, F, Liberty
Kaden Metheny, G, Liberty
Colin Porter, G, Liberty
Kaden Cooper, G, Louisiana Tech
Kamari Lands, G, Middle Tennessee
Jemel Jones, G, New Mexico State
Players Mentioned
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