Heading into the 2024 Mid-American Conference season, several questions about the conference’s top teams and players remain.
Several of the conference’s best players from 2023 are gone and the league will showcase a new group of faces this upcoming season. Just one player from last season’s All-MAC First Team remains in the conference – Central Michigan guard Anthony Pritchard. Regular-season champions Toledo lost three players to Power 6 teams via the portal, including co-defensive player of the year Tyler Cochran.
With a major chunk of the conference’s talent transferring, expect a new group of players to take a big leap in 2024.
Here’s a look at some of the potential breakout stars in the MAC this season:
Javan Simmons, Toledo, F
Simmons started all 32 games for the Rockets in 2024 and finished fourth on the team in points per game with 12.2. With Toledo’s top three scorers entering the portal, the door is open for the sophomore forward to take the reins as the top scorer for the defending regular-season MAC champs.
Seth Wilson, Akron, G
The senior transfer from West Virginia appeared in 28 games for the Mountaineers and averaged 3.5 ppg. With a larger role expected at Akron, Wilson could step into a leadership position on the Zips, who lost several key pieces, including conference player of the year Enrique Freeman.
JaVaughn Hannah, Western Michigan, G
Hannah was named conference sixth man of the year in his sophomore season and could take a big leap for the Broncos in 2024. Across 30 games last year, Hannah averaged 9.2 ppg. He comes into this season as the top returning scorer for WMU and could be in for a breakout year.
Anthony Pritchard, Central Michigan, G
After a first-team conference selection and co-DPOY, Pritchard is among the favorites to take home the league’s player of the year award. The Chippewas leader in points, assists and steals should be among the top players in the conference in 2024.
Marquis Barnett, Kent State, G
After three seasons at Presbyterian, Barnett makes the move to the MAC and joins the conference tournament’s runner-up. The senior averaged 16.4 ppg last year and could be the go-to scorer for the Golden Flashes, who lost four players to the transfer portal.
