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Photo by: Lauren Verellen
Nathan Claerbaut Named to MAC All-Defensive Team
3/11/2026 9:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Clearbaut becomes just the third player in school history to earn All-MAC Defensive Team honors.
CLEVELAND, Ohio—Central Michigan senior center Nathan Claerbaut became just the third player in program history to earn All-MAC Defensive Team honors as the Mid-American Conference announced its 2025-26 men's basketball all-league teams and specialty awards on Wednesday morning.
A 7-foot, 230-pound center from Zeeland, Mich. and Zeeland East H.S., Claerbaut joins Larry Austin, Jr. in 2019 and Anthony Pritchard in both 2024 and 2025 as the three players in program history to be selected to the MAC All-Defensive Team.
Claerbaut averaged 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocked shots per game in 31 games started and 29.4 minutes per game. His 64 blocked shots and 2.1 blocks per game lead the MAC in both categories and he currently ranks No. 20 in blocks and No. 22 in blocks per game at the NCAA Division I level. His school-record 11 blocked shots against Western Michigan on Feb. 21, 2026 tied for the most blocks in a game in NCAA Division I during the 2025-26 season. He also shot a team-high 57.7 percent (164-284) from the floor, which ranks No. 2 in the MAC and grabbed a team-high 57 offensive rebounds. Claerbaut finished the year with 23 double figure scoring games, two 20-point games, three double-figure rebounding games, one double-figure blocked shot game, and four double-doubles. He led the Chippewas in scoring six times and was the leading rebounder in 11 contests.
Claerbaut transferred to Central Michigan after playing his first three years at Ferris State (2022-25). He concluded his four-year collegiate career with 750 points, 420 rebounds (149 offensive), 158 blocked shots, and a .580 field goal percentage (318-548) in 1832 minutes, 92 games and 62 total starts.
Here is a look at the 2025-26 All-MAC men's basketball teams:
2025-26 MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Travis Steele, Miami*
Player of the Year: Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Defensive Player of the Year: Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Freshman of the Year: Leroy Blyden Jr., Guard, Toledo*
Sixth Man of the Year: Shammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
*unanimous selection
All-MAC First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Amani Lyles, Senior, Forward, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
All-MAC Second Team
Leonardo Bettiol, Graduate Student, Forward, Massachusetts
Brant Byers, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard, Miami
Eian Elmer, Junior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Third Team
Shammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Ryan Sabol, Junior, Guard, Buffalo
Marcus Banks Jr., Graduate Student, Guard, Massachusetts
Luke Skaljac, Sophomore, Guard, Miami
Leroy Blyden Jr., Freshman, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Forward, Akron
Daniel Freitag, Sophomore, Guard, Buffalo
Morgan Safford, Graduate Student, Guard, Kent State
Antwone Woolfolk, Senior, Forward, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
MAC All-Defensive Team
Amani Lyles, Senior, Forward, Akron
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Forward, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Nathan Claerbaut, Senior, Center, Central Michigan
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
MAC All-Freshman Team
Eric Mahaffey, Guard, Akron
Mo Habhab, Forward, Eastern Michigan
Quinn Woidke, Guard, Kent State
Danny Carbuccia, Guard, Massachusetts
Leroy Blyden Jr., Guard, Toledo
A 7-foot, 230-pound center from Zeeland, Mich. and Zeeland East H.S., Claerbaut joins Larry Austin, Jr. in 2019 and Anthony Pritchard in both 2024 and 2025 as the three players in program history to be selected to the MAC All-Defensive Team.
Claerbaut averaged 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocked shots per game in 31 games started and 29.4 minutes per game. His 64 blocked shots and 2.1 blocks per game lead the MAC in both categories and he currently ranks No. 20 in blocks and No. 22 in blocks per game at the NCAA Division I level. His school-record 11 blocked shots against Western Michigan on Feb. 21, 2026 tied for the most blocks in a game in NCAA Division I during the 2025-26 season. He also shot a team-high 57.7 percent (164-284) from the floor, which ranks No. 2 in the MAC and grabbed a team-high 57 offensive rebounds. Claerbaut finished the year with 23 double figure scoring games, two 20-point games, three double-figure rebounding games, one double-figure blocked shot game, and four double-doubles. He led the Chippewas in scoring six times and was the leading rebounder in 11 contests.
Claerbaut transferred to Central Michigan after playing his first three years at Ferris State (2022-25). He concluded his four-year collegiate career with 750 points, 420 rebounds (149 offensive), 158 blocked shots, and a .580 field goal percentage (318-548) in 1832 minutes, 92 games and 62 total starts.
Here is a look at the 2025-26 All-MAC men's basketball teams:
2025-26 MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Travis Steele, Miami*
Player of the Year: Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
Defensive Player of the Year: Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Freshman of the Year: Leroy Blyden Jr., Guard, Toledo*
Sixth Man of the Year: Shammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
*unanimous selection
All-MAC First Team
Tavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, Akron
Amani Lyles, Senior, Forward, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
Peter Suder, Senior, Guard, Miami
All-MAC Second Team
Leonardo Bettiol, Graduate Student, Forward, Massachusetts
Brant Byers, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard, Miami
Eian Elmer, Junior, Guard, Miami
Jackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Sonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Third Team
Shammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, Akron
Ryan Sabol, Junior, Guard, Buffalo
Marcus Banks Jr., Graduate Student, Guard, Massachusetts
Luke Skaljac, Sophomore, Guard, Miami
Leroy Blyden Jr., Freshman, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Forward, Akron
Daniel Freitag, Sophomore, Guard, Buffalo
Morgan Safford, Graduate Student, Guard, Kent State
Antwone Woolfolk, Senior, Forward, Miami
Javan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, Ohio
MAC All-Defensive Team
Amani Lyles, Senior, Forward, Akron
Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Forward, Akron
Javontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling Green
Nathan Claerbaut, Senior, Center, Central Michigan
Delrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent State
MAC All-Freshman Team
Eric Mahaffey, Guard, Akron
Mo Habhab, Forward, Eastern Michigan
Quinn Woidke, Guard, Kent State
Danny Carbuccia, Guard, Massachusetts
Leroy Blyden Jr., Guard, Toledo
—CMU—
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