Fresh off a regular season title and at-large NCAA tournament appearance, UNI has been tabbed as the league favorite in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, receiving 96 points and six first-place votes. The Panthers outdistanced second-place pick and defending MVC tournament champion Illinois State (93 points, four 1st place votes) and Loyola Chicago (77 points) which placed third.

Bradley (71), Missouri State (48), Evansville (47), Valparaiso (39), Southern Illinois (36), Drake (26) and Indiana State (17) round out the poll.