Backcourt Excellence Takes Center Stage as Michigan Duo Earns Preseason All Big Ten Honors

Expectations are always massive in Ann Arbor, but coming off a historic national title run, the spotlight is burning brighter than ever. The Big Ten Conference rolled out its 2026-27 Preseason All Big Ten team on Monday, and the University of Michigan basketball program saw its premier backcourt pair recognized among the league's elite. Senior guard Elliot Cadeau and sophomore guard Trey McKenney both landed spots on the eleven player squad.

Their inclusion makes Michigan one of just three programs across the entire conference to boast multiple selections on this prestigious preseason roster. On top of that, Cadeau and McKenney etch their names in the school record books as the 25th and 26th Wolverines to secure preseason All Big Ten acclaim.

Having multiple players named to the preseason team is a rare feat even for a storied program like Michigan. This season marks only the fourth time in school history that the Maize and Blue have featured two players on the list. The duo joins a stacked group of historical Michigan pairings: Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose back in 1993-94, Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III in 2013-14, and Hunter Dickinson alongside Caleb Houstan in 2021-22.

At the heart of Michigan's title defense is Elliot Cadeau. The 6-1 floor general returns to lead the offensive controls after guiding the Wolverines through a jaw dropping 37-3 campaign capped by the 2026 NCAA national championship. Cadeau started all 40 games during his debut year in Ann Arbor, putting up 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and a team best 5.9 assists per contest. His stellar performance on college basketball's biggest stage earned him NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.

Cadeau racked up 234 assists last winter, marking his second straight year passing the 200 assist threshold and pushing his overall career mark to 615. When the postseason pressure hit, Cadeau elevated his game, reaching double digits in scoring during seven of Michigan's nine postseason battles. He delivered his finest moment in the national title matchup against UConn, tying a career high with 19 points to secure a 69-63 victory.

Right beside Cadeau in the backcourt is Trey McKenney, who put together an explosive freshman campaign that earned him Big Ten All Freshman Team recognition. The Flint native stepped into major responsibilities right away, appearing in all 40 games while posting 9.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per contest.

The 6-4 guard instantly became Michigan's most potent perimeter threat, sinking a team leading 68 shots from behind the arc while converting at a 39.1 percent clip. He was equally clutch from the charity stripe, hitting 89.5 percent of his free throws. McKenney reached double figure scoring 26 times, opening his college career with a 21 point outing featuring six three pointers against Oakland. Throughout Michigan's March run to six straight postseason wins, McKenney proved crucial, even pulling down a career high eight rebounds in the championship battle against UConn.

With two seasoned guards anchoring the floor, Michigan enters the upcoming campaign positioned as a major contender once again.