Mahmoud Fofana Named Preseason All-Big West, CSUN Picked Fifth

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball's senior forward Mahmoud Fofana was one-of-six selected to the 2025-26 Big West Preseason Coaches' Team on Thursday, as announced by the conference office. The Matadors were also slotted to finish fifth in the annual preseason coaches' poll.

Originally from San Jose, Fofana enters his third and final season with the Matadors in 2025-26, looking to build on a strong year on the court last season. Fofana proved to be a pivotal member of a Matador team that tied a school record for victories with 22 last season. The 6-6 forward played in all 33 games, starting the final 32 where he posted new CSUN career highs in points per game (8.0), field goal percentage (58.1), steals per game (1.2) and assists per game (1.0) while finishing second on the team in rebounding at 5.0 per game.
Mahmoud Fofana Preseason All-Big West/Poll

Mahmoud Fofana Preseason All-Big West/Poll

Fofana was especially effective in Big West play, improving his point and rebound averages to 8.2 and 5.8, respectively. He reached double figures in scoring in 10 total games including six conference games, highlighted by a Division I career-best 24 points in a road game at Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 11. Fofana also scored 17 points on just 4-of-5 shooting to go with eight rebounds in the Matadors' Big West quarterfinal game against UC Santa Barbara in March.

In the 2025-26 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, CSUN finished with 63 points to place fifth while UC Irvine received eight first-place votes to finish first with 98 points. UC Santa Barbara had three first-place votes and had 93 points to take second. Hawai'i was third at 76 points and UC San Diego, last season's Big West champion, was fourth at 69 points. Below CSUN was UC Davis in sixth followed by Cal Poly, Long Beach State, UC Riverside, Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Fullerton.

Over the past two seasons, CSUN has racked up 41 wins and back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2009 under head coach Andy Newman. The Matadors reached 22 wins for the first time since the 2000-01 season last year while establishing a new program record with 14 conference victories and finishing tied for third in the Big West. The team will return six total letterwinners in 2025-26 with 10 total newcomers including six Division I transfers.

2025-26 All-Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Team
Jurian Dixon, R-So., G, UC Irvine
Mahmoud Fofana, Sr., F, CSUN
Jason Fontenet II, Jr., G, UC Santa Barbara
Andre Henry, Gr., G, UC Irvine
Aidan Mahaney, Sr., G, UC Santa Barbara
Gytis Nemeiksa, Sr., F, Hawai'i

2025-26 Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. UC Irvine - 98 points (8)
2. UC Santa Barbara - 93 points (3)
3. Hawai'i - 76 points
4. UC San Diego - 69 points
5. CSUN - 63 points
6. UC Davis - 58 points
7. Cal Poly - 54 points
8. Long Beach State - 31 points
9. UC Riverside - 26 points
10. Cal State Bakersfield - 20 points
11. Cal State Fullerton - 17 points.
() - First Place Votes

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Mahmoud Fofana Named Preseason All-Big West, CSUN Picked Fifth

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Mahmoud Fofana

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