CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the 2026 Men's Basketball All-Conference teams and the major award winners on Wednesday morning.
Transylvania junior Hunter Barr (Hardinsburg, Ky.) took home two major awards as he was named the 2026 HCAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, in a vote of league coaches. The junior was the sole unanimous 2026 All-Conference First Team selection and finished the regular-season as the No. 2 point-scorer in the conference at 18.9 points per game. He was also extremely efficient, shooting an impressive 60.6 percent from the floor, ranking him in the top-20 in all of NCAA Division III. Barr was also a top-5 HCAC performer on the glass, grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game in the regular season helping him record eight double-doubles. On the defensive end, Barr was a dominating presence in the paint. He led the league in blocked shots with 45 (1.8 blocks per game), which placed him in the top-40 nationally. He was named HCAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week four times this year (Weeks 7, 9, 11, 13).
For the second year in a row, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology produced the HCAC Newcomer of the Year as Evan Gentile (Kettering, Ohio) was honored. The first-year sharpshooter averaged 10.5 points per game becoming the team’s third scoring option. He made 53 three-pointers, placing him in the top-10 on the HCAC leaderboard and shot 40.0 percent from deep. He also managed 30 steals in the regular season.
After leading Transylvania to a 17-8 regular season record in 2026, a 14-4 mark in league play and a share of the conference regular season title, Brian Lane was voted as the 2026 HCAC Coach of the Year. It is his fifth time being bestowed the honor and the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Player of the Year: Hunter Barr, Transylvania
Defensive Player of the Year: Hunter Barr, Transylvania
Coach of the Year: Brian Lane, Transylvania
Newcomer of the Year: Evan Gentile, Rose-Hulman
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team, and Honorable Mention Team. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches.
2026 All-Conference First Team
| Name |
Year |
Position |
Institution |
| Hunter Barr* |
JR |
Forward |
Transylvania |
| Cooper Matthews |
JR |
Guard |
Franklin |
| Malachi McNair |
SO |
Forward |
Hanover |
| Cole Pride |
JR |
Forward |
Rose-Hulman |
| Joey Schmitz |
SO |
Guard |
Rose-Hulman |
| Kenney Troutman |
SR |
Guard |
Anderson |
*Unanimous First Team selection
2026 All-Conference Second Team
| Name |
Year |
Position |
Institution |
| Ty Lynas |
SR |
Guard |
Manchester |
| Drew Marshall |
JR |
Guard |
Transylvania |
| Elijah Mattingly |
SR |
Wing |
Anderson |
| Bryce Riley |
SR |
Guard/Forward |
Berea |
| Nevin Robson |
SR |
Guard |
Bluffton |
| Bryce Williams |
JR |
Guard |
Anderson |
2026 All-Conference Honorable Mention
| Name |
Year |
Position |
Institution |
| Evan Gentile |
FY |
Guard |
Rose-Hulman |
| Justin Harrington |
SO |
Guard |
Franklin |
| Jason Lavender |
JR |
Forward |
MSJ |
| Mathew Menninger |
SR |
Forward |
MSJ |
| Cooper Ollis |
FY |
Guard |
MSJ |
| Daniel Savovic |
JR |
Guard |
Rose-Hulman |
| Nolan Swan |
SO |
Guard |
Anderson |
| CJ Walls |
JR |
Guard/Forward |
Hanover |
For more information on HCAC Men's Basketball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.