KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the first time since the 2012 season, the Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team has been placed atop the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media polls released today by the league office before the start of the MIAA Basketball Media Day at the College Basketball Experience in downtown Kansas City. Ichabod head coach Brett Ballard will be at the podium at 1:15 pm today on the MIAA Network's live stream.

In the MIAA Coaches Poll, Washburn received 13 of 14 first-place votes, tallying 169 points, finishing ahead of Rogers State which had one first-place vote and 141 total points.

In the MIAA media poll, the Ichabods received 23 of 25 first-place votes from the media for 346 total points. Fort Hays State had one first-place vote and 297 points, and Rogers State had a first-place vote and 286 total points.

The Ichabods are coming off one of the best seasons in program history with an NCAA Final Four appearance, an NCAA Central Regional Championship and an MIAA regular season title with a 30-4 overall record after going 17-2 in MIAA play.

Washburn will open the 2025-26 season at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic facing Augusta on Nov. 1 and Dallas Baptist the following day in Lakeland, Fla. Both teams played in the NCAA Tournament last season with Augusta playing in its regional quarterfinals and Dallas Baptist reaching the NCAA National Semifinals joining the Ichabods last season in Evansville, Ind.
 
 
Release from the MIAA
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its preseason rankings for the 2025-26 men's basketball season. Washburn was picked as the favorite to take home this season's hardware by MIAA head coaches and media representatives.
 
The MIAA tips off the 2025-26 NCAA Division II basketball season today in downtown Kansas City for its annual Basketball Media Day, presented by Seigfreid Bingham. All 28 MIAA head coaches will gather at the College Basketball Experience to speak on the upcoming season and take questions from media members in attendance. Fans can watch the 2026 MIAA Basketball Media Day live, for free, on The MIAA Network.

Washburn, the league's defending regular season champion, finished at the top of both the coaches and media preseason polls. The Ichabods were the unanimous favorite among MIAA head coaches, totaling 169 points and 13 first-place votes. They totaled 346 points and 23 first-place selections from media members who cover MIAA basketball.  
 
The Ichabods went 30-4 overall and 17-2 against league competition last season to clinch the program's first outright MIAA regular season title since the 2003-04 season. After being upset in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals, the Bods received a bid into the NCAA postseason, where they were crowned champions of the Central Region and advanced to compete for a national title. Washburn ended its 2024-25 season in the Division II Final Four, falling to the eventual national champion, Nova Southeastern.
 
Rogers State received its best preseason rankings since joining the MIAA in 2019. The Hillcats finished second in the coaches poll with 141 points and one first-place selection, and third in the media poll with 286 points and another first-place nod. They ended last season 13-6 in the MIAA and 23-10 overall.
 
Fort Hays State, the defending MIAA tournament champion, finished third in the MIAA coaches poll and second in the media poll. The Tigers ended their 2024-25 campaign 12-7 in the MIAA and 22-10 overall. They were the only MIAA team to join the Ichabods in the NCAA postseason, where they suffered a first-round loss in the Central Region Championship.
 
Both MIAA coaches and media members also included Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State in their top five. The full rankings for the 2025-26 MIAA men's basketball preseason coaches and media polls are listed below.
 
The 2025-26 NCAA Division II basketball season will officially tip off on Friday, October 31, with MIAA teams competing in D2CCA Tip-Off Classics. This season will feature one new head coach on the men's side with Brooks McKowen taking over the Griffon basketball program.
 
The 2026 MIAA Basketball Championships will return to the historic Municipal March 4-8 in downtown Kansas City. To view the complete 2025-26 schedules for all 14 MIAA men's basketball programs, visit theMIAA.com/mensbasketball.  
 
2025-26 MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL
1. Washburn [13] – 169 points
2. Rogers State [1] – 141 points
3. Central Oklahoma – 137 points
4. Fort Hays State – 134 points
5. Pittsburg State – 127 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 106 points
7. Central Missouri – 102 points
8. Missouri Western – 79 points
9. Northeastern State – 62 points
10. Emporia State – 59 points
11. Newman – 52 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 41 points
13. Missouri Southern – 35 points
14. Northwest Missouri – 30 points
[#] - First Place Votes
 
2025-26 MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA POLL
1. Washburn [23] – 346 points
2. Fort Hays State [1] – 297 points
3. Rogers State [1] – 286 points
4. Pittsburg State – 280 points
5. Central Oklahoma – 229 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 211 points
7. Central Missouri – 186 points
8. Missouri Western – 169 points
9. Emporia State – 159 points
10. Northeastern State – 132 points
11. Northwest Missouri – 108 points
12. Newman – 93 points
13. Missouri Southern – 69 points
14. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 59 points
[#] - First Place Votes