KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Frontier Conference place three women's basketball teams and one men's basketball team in the preseason NAIA Coaches Top 25 Ratings, which were announced Wednesday.
Carroll College is the highest-ranked Frontier team in the women's top 25 at No. 6. The Fighting Saints, who went 26-7 overall last year and ended their season in the round of 16 at the NAIA national championship, are ranked in the preseason poll for the sixth consecutive season. Frontier Conference coaches also voted Carroll the preseason favorite in the league and named Jamie Pickens the preseason MVP.
Carroll begins its season Friday with a top-10 matchup against No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan at the PE Center in Helena.
Rocky Mountain, No. 15, and Providence, No. 24, are also ranked in the women's top 25, and Montana Western received votes.
Campbellsville (Ky.) is the top-ranked women's team, followed by Central Methodist (Mo.), Dordt (Iowa), Indiana Wesleyan and Marian (Ind.). View the complete women's rankings.
Montana Tech, which is sixth, is the only men's team from the Frontier ranked in the NAIA top 25. The Orediggers went 29-5 overall last season and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA national championship. They have now been ranked in 12 consecutive polls, dating back to the 2021-22 season. Tech was voted the preseason favorite in the Frontier Conference by the league's coaches, and Caleb Bellach was tabbed the preseason MVP.
The Orediggers tip off their 2023-24 season Friday at home against Portland Bible College.
Reigning national champion College of Idaho — which includes Montanans Caden Handran (Scobey), Alex Germer (Missoula Sentinel), Dougie Peoples (Butte Central) and Drew Wyman (Great Falls) on its roster — is the unanimous No. 1-ranked men's team. Grace (Ind.), Arizona Christian, Langston (Okla.) and Georgetown (Ky.) round out the top five. View the complete men's rankings.
