DALLAS – Jax State forward
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil was named one of 10 members of the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team on Thursday, the first Gamecock to earn preseason all-conference honors since Darian Adams in 2021.
Jax State was also selected to finish seventh in the CUSA Preseason Coaches Poll by the league's head coaches. Jax State finished second in the conference last season and made an appearance in the CUSA title game.
El Moutaouakkil, a Louisiana transfer from Rabat, Morocco, appeared in 33 games for the Ragin' Cajuns last season and led the squad in scoring. El Moutaouakkil had seven games with 20 or more points and managed double figures 25 times in 2024.
The senior guard scored a season-high 28 points with six rebounds in an overtime win over ULM in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on March 4 before scoring 22 points the following day against Old Dominion.
Prior to his time at Louisiana, El Moutaouakkil spent two seasons at Indian River State, averaging 25.0 points his sophomore season and ranking fifth in the NJCAA in scoring. The 6-6 guard was twice named the NJCAA National Player of the Week.
Just one year removed from finishing second in the regular season and being the CUSA Tournament runner up, Jax State has been picked to finish seventh out of 12 teams but he league's head coaches.
The Gamecocks return three scholarship players from last season, including
Marcus Fitzgerald Jr.,
Jamar Franklin and
Iaroslav Niagu. The Gamecocks welcome in eight transfers, including El Moutaouakkil and two freshmen.
Liberty was picked to finish first in the preseason coaches poll with 11 first place votes while Kennesaw State received the only other first place vote, being picked to finish second. Jax State was picked behind Liberty, Kennesaw State, New Mexico State, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky in the poll.
2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Simeon Cottle, G, Kennesaw State
2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Cavan Reilly, G, Delaware
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, G, Jax 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, LA Tech
Kamari Lands, G, MTSU
Jemel Jones, G, NM State
2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
- Liberty (11) - 143 pts
- Kennesaw State (1) - 126 pts
- NM State - 113 pts
- MTSU - 103 pts
- LA Tech - 82 pts
- WKU - 79 pts
- Jax State - 67 pts
- UTEP - 66 pts
- Sam Houston - 56 pts
- FIU - 36 pts
- Delaware - 35 pts
- Missouri State - 30 pts
