Cal Poly Humboldt was picked second in the 2026-27 CCAA preseason poll, just two points behind favorite Cal State San Bernardino. The ranking marks a sharp rise for the Lumberjacks, who were picked eighth last year after reaching the conference championship game and earning their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016.

By the Numbers
  • Humboldt: 176 points and 2 first-place votes.
  • Cal State San Bernardino: 178 points and 6 first-place votes.
  • Just 15 points separated the poll’s top 4 teams.
  • Humboldt went 17-15 overall and 13-9 in CCAA play last season.
Yes, But

The poll signals strong expectations, but the top four teams were tightly grouped and each received multiple first-place votes. Humboldt will need to turn its postseason breakthrough into consistent results in a conference that is expanding.

State of Play
  • The CCAA adds Menlo and Fresno Pacific, bringing the men’s basketball field to 14 programs.
  • The conference tournament expands to 7 teams, with the top 2 seeds receiving byes to the semifinals.
  • Humboldt opens its season at home against Jessup on Nov. 9 and starts CCAA play at Fresno Pacific on Dec. 3.
What's Next

Humboldt begins its season Nov. 9 at Lumberjack Arena, then opens conference play Dec. 3. Its second-place preseason standing sets a high bar as the team looks to build on last season’s tournament run.

Bottom Line

Humboldt has moved from preseason dark horse to a leading contender—but a crowded top tier means last season’s breakthrough is only the starting point.