SEASON PREVIEW: 2026 Madison College WolfPack Men's Basketball

The Madison College men's basketball program embarks on a new season with a new head coach for the fourth time in the past decade as the Malik Wildermuth era is set to begin. The WolfPack, who were ranked as high as #10 in the nation a year ago, are coming off their first 20-win season since 2016-17  and the team's new leader is hopeful to keep it moving in the right direction. The squad returns three players and welcomes in a talented new group that features another trio of players with collegiate experience.

“We have a good balance of experience and depth, and even though we aren't the biggest team, I think we compliment each other well. As we go through the season and get back to full strength, I am excited to see us compete night-in-and-night-out to see what we can turn into at the end of the season.”

Returners

Carter Sullivan is the only returning starter from last winter, with the 6'6" forward brining back his averages of 9.5 points and team-leading 6.5 rebounds, to go along with a team-best 16 blocked shots. Guards Isaiah Robinson and Cam Williams will lead the backcourt as they seek more dynamic roles in the second seasons. Williams proved to be a real spark of the bench in his debut season, posting 8.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Robinson, who started one game as a freshman, averaged 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. 

“I'm looking forward to seeing our three returners lead the rest of the team as they continue to mature in their games. Carter is out top returning scorer and a real physical presence inside. Isaiah is a dynamic guard that can do it all. And Cam is our energizer, and he continues to grow his skill set while impacting every part of the game.”

Newcomers

The WolfPack welcome in ten new faces for the 2026-27 campaign, a group that includes three transfer players. Two of the transfers, guards Elijah Gorman (Sun Prairie, WI) and Kayden Tix (Stewartville, MN), were teammates last season at Minnesota North-Hibbing, while forward Jeremiah Fitzgerald (Milwaukee, WI) arrives at Madison College from NCAA Division III Marian University. The rest of the true freshman newcomers features six guards and one forward. Saquan Commings (Chicago, IL), Owen Ayite-Atayi (Fitchburg, WI), TJ Ricketts (Milwaukee, WI), Lee Brooks (Duluth, MN), AJ Nelson (Cottage Grove, WI), and Tre Cloud (Madison, WI) will bolster the backcourt, with Evan Lord (Prentice, WI) adding to the frontcourt.
 

“This is a very intriguing group with loads of potential as we get familiar with ourselves as a team. Commings is an extremely dynamic player who won a city championship in Chicago and is able to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Fitzgerald is a wiry forward that can do a little bit of everything on offense and defense, and Gorman is a heady player that can really shoot the ball. The experience of the transfer players will be a tremendous asset to our team with their experience and understanding of how to play and compete at the collegiate level.”

Schedule

Madison College will open the 2026-27 season November 3 with a road trip to North Iowa Area Community College before the home opener two days later with Anoka-Ramsey Community College inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. Region 4 remains an challenging gauntlet, starting with a November 14 contest at Carl Sandburg College, who upset the WolfPack in the Region 4 Tournament Quarterfinals last season. November 16 brings a tough test away from home as Madison College visits Ellsworth Community College, who opens the season ranked #8 in the NJCAA Division II Preseason Poll. Waubonsee Community College and Rock Valley College are both receiving votes in the early rankings, and loom as road trips on December 2 and January 9, respectively. A five-game homestand in December includes a showdown with in-state rival and #5-ranked Milwaukee Area Technical College. January 12 is another home game against a ranked team as #18 South Suburban College visits the capital city. The WolfPack will host #6 (Div. III) Joliet Junior College on January 30 for Sophomore Night, marking the last of 12 home games before wrapping up the regular season with five straight road games in February, a stretch that includes back-to-back trips to Milwaukee for a rematch with a Stormers and a clash with #15 Bryant & Stratton College. The Region 4 Tournament begins with a quarterfinal on February 25 before the tournament shifts to Rockford, Illinois, for the semifinals and finals. The 2026 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship will be played in Danville, Illinois, from March 15-20.