Valparaiso University men's basketball sophomore JT Pettigrew (Lisle, Ill. / Bolingbrook) was one of five players named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Team by Lindy's Basketball Magazine, while sophomore Rakim Chaney (Rockford, Ill. / Rockford Auburn) was named to the publication's Preseason All-MVC Second Team. The publication also projected Pettigrew to be the league's best rebounder.
 


Valpo, Murray State and Illinois State are the only teams in the league with multiple players in the league's preseason top-10, according to Lindy's. The publication also released its projected order of finish, prognosticating a top-5 placement for the Beacons.
 
In addition, Sean Paul of Field of 68 predicts that Valpo's Rajan Roberts (Chicago, Ill. / AZ Compass Prep) will be the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year.
 
Powell on the Field of 68
Valpo head coach Roger Powell Jr. previewed the season with Rob Dauster and Jeff Goodman on The Field of 68. Click here to view the interview.
 
Grit and Grill, Oct. 3, Noon, ARC
Free lunch will be provided by Lombardi Sausage Company. Doors open at 11:45 a.m. Fans will catch an early look at the Beacons by checking out an open scrimmage. Click here to register.
 
MVC Basketball Tipoff, Oct. 14, St. Louis
Justus McNair, Rakim Chaney, JT Pettigrew and head coach Roger Powell Jr. will represent Valpo at the MVC Basketball Tipoff, the league's media day in St. Louis, on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The MVC preseason poll and MVC Preseason Watch List will be released in conjunction with MVC Media Day.  
 
More on Pettigrew
Pettigrew, who was also tabbed to the Blue Ribbon Magazine Preseason All-MVC Team, became the first Valpo freshman to earn all-conference honors since Lubos Barton in 1999 as he was named to the All-MVC Third Team last season. He was the MVC Freshman of the Year Runner-up and achieved all-freshman team status. A four-time MVC Freshman of the Week, Pettigrew averaged 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while playing in all 33 contests and making 31 starts. He played his best basketball down the stretch, averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 rebounds over the final month of the season. Pettigrew ranked third in the league in rebounding average in MVC play.
 
More on Chaney
Chaney averaged 10.3 points per game while totaling 92 assists and 46 steals during his freshman season, playing in all 33 games and making 31 starts. He started all 20 league games, averaging 9.8 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per game while totaling 55 assists and 23 steals. He ranked third in program history for steals by a freshman, sixth in program history for assists by a freshman and made 60 3-pointers, the sixth-most by a freshman in program history. Chaney was in the top 10 in the MVC in steals per game, made 3s per game and assist-to-turnover ratio and was in the top 15 in the league in assists per game and 3-point percentage. He was a multi-time MVC Freshman of the Week.
 
More on the Program's Forward Momentum
The team went 11-9 in league action last year, nearly doubling its conference win total for a second straight season, notching the team's first-ever winning season in Valley play. Overall, Valpo won 18 games including 17 regular-season contests in 2025-26, the program's highest regular-season win total since its final season in the Horizon League in 2016-17. The Beacons enjoyed their first winning season overall since 2019-20 and featured a 13-4 mark at the Athletics-Recreation Center, their highest home win total since 2016-17.
 
Last year, Valpo exceeded expectations, finishing just one game out of a tie for third in a tightly-packed league after being picked last in the 11-team conference's preseason poll. Valpo ranked 325^th nationally in Division-I experience prior to the 2025-26 season and finished the regular season at 150 in the KenPom after beginning at 283, a jump of 133 spots that was the fourth-largest improvement nationally.
 
Lindy's Preseason All-MVC First Team
Andy Johnson, UIC
Roman Domon, Murray State
AJ Casey, Evansville
JT Pettigrew, Valparaiso
Chase Walker, Illinois State
 
Lindy's Preseason All-MVC Second Team
Rakim Chaney, Valparaiso
Jabez Jenkins, Belmont
Christian Jones, Murray State
Malik Massina Moore, Illinois State
Owen Larson, Drake
 
Lindy's MVC Predictions

1. Murray State
2. UIC
3. Illinois State
4. Belmont
5. Valparaiso
6. Bradley
7. UNI
8. Drake
9. Indiana State
10. Southern Illinois
11. Evansville

Field of 68 (Sean Paul) MVC Preseason Poll

1. Murray State
2. UIC
3. Illinois State
4. Belmont
5. Drake
6. UNI
7. Bradley
8. Valparaiso
9. Indiana State
10. Southern Illinois
11. Evansville

Field of 68 (Sean Paul) MVC Preseason Awards Predictions
Coach of the Year – Ryan Miller, Murray State
Player of the Year – Roman Domon, Murray State
Defensive Player of the Year – Jabez Jenkins, Belmont
Transfer of the Year – Malik Messina-Moore, Illinois State
Freshman of the Year – Rajan Roberts, Valparaiso
 
BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1.      UIC
2.      Illinois State
3.      Murray State
4.      Valparaiso
5.      Belmont
6.      Bradley
7.      Drake
8.      Southern Illinois
9.      Evansville
10.    UNI
11.    Indiana State
 
BLUE RIBBON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Chase Walker, SR, Illinois State
F-Roman Domon, SO, Murray State
F-JT Pettigrew, SO, Valparaiso
G-Andy Johnson, SO, UIC
G-Ahmad Henderson, SR, UIC
 
BLUE RIBBON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chase Walker, SR, Illinois State
 
BLUE RIBBON  NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Christian Jones, R-JR, Murray State