Jalen Speer, Matt Van Komen Earn Preseason All-SBC Honors

Buy Season Tickets Here | Championship Fund

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University Men's Basketball graduate students Jaleen Speer and Matt Van Komen were honored by the Sun Belt Conference as members various preseason teams with the team being picked in the preseason poll on Monday, as announced by the league office.

Speer named to the first team with Van Komen getting a third-team nod

"Jalen and Matt making preseason all-conference is an honor," Herd Men's Basketball Head Coach Cornelius 'Corny' Jackson said. "it's a reflection of the hard work and dedication that they both bring everyday. Their leadership will be key as we push to exceed expectations this season."

Speer played in 31 games, making 23 starts, averaging 28.8 minutes per contest with 10.8 points per game and making 35.1 percent of his shots from three-point range in 2024-25. The graduate student had 13 contests in double-figure scoring, including three contests of 20 or more points with a season-high 27 points on a program record 7-for-7 night from distance against James Madison (Jan. 9).

Van Komen comes to Huntington off a Colonial Athletic Association All-Defensive Team nod with 75 blocks, the 13th most in the country during the 2024-25 season. The center averaged 6.0 points and 7.9 rebounds across 32 games for the Phoenix during the 2024-25 campaign.

Marshall is under second-year Head Coach Cornelius 'Corny' Jackson coming off a 20-win season and an appearance in the 2025 SBC Tournament Quarterfinals as it prepares for its first exhibition of the season on Tuesday night against Alice Lloyd at 7 p.m. in the Cam Henderson Center.

2025 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Awards

Preseason Player of the Year:
Robert Davis, Jr., Old Dominion [R-Jr. | G | Detroit, Mich.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Robert Davis, Jr., Old Dominion [R-Jr. | G | Detroit, Mich.]
Thomas Dowd, Troy [Jr. | F | Dothan, Ala.]
Tyren Moore, Georgia Southern [Gr. | G | Louisville, Ky.]
Jalen Speer, Marshall [Gr. | G | Gainesville, Fla.]
Bradley Douglas, James Madison [Gr. | G | Eustis, Fla.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Eren Banks, App State [Jr. | G | Eatonton, Ga.]
Mark Drone, Texas State [Sr. | G | Jackson, Miss.]
Jelani Hamilton, Georgia State [R-So. | G | Marietta, Ga.]
Chandler Jackson, Arkansas State [Jr. | G | Memphis, Tenn.]
RaSheed Jones, Coastal Carolina [Jr. | G | Marion, Ind.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Jordan Battle, Old Dominion [Sr. | G | Norfolk, Va.]
John Broom, South Alabama [R-So. | G | Jacksonville, Ala.]
Kaden Gumbs, Texas State [Jr. | G | San Marcos, Texas]
Matt Van Komen, Marshall [Gr. | C | Lehi, Utah]
Nakavieon White, Georgia Southern [R-Sr. | F | Odessa, Texas]

2025 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (1) – 175
2. Arkansas State (3) – 154
3. South Alabama (4) – 152
4. Troy (1) – 148
5. Old Dominion (2) – 145
6. Marshall (1) – 128
7. App State (1) – 123
8. Texas State – 106
9. Louisiana (1) – 95
10. Georgia Southern – 66
11. Georgia State – 59
12. Southern Miss – 57
13. Coastal Carolina – 43
14. ULM – 19

Parentheses indicate first-place votes

For all the latest information about Marshall Men's Basketball, follow @Herd_MBB on Twitter and @herdmbb on Instagram.

To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.

---HerdZone.com---

Marshall University Athletics

Jalen Speer, Matt Van Komen Earn Preseason All-SBC Honors

Players Mentioned

Jalen Speer

Matt Van Komen

Related Videos