Football might be in full swing, but collegiate basketball is just around the corner.

Coaches and media members flocked to the Crestview Country Club in Wichita for the 2019 KCAC Basketball Media Day. Kansas Wesleyan men’s basketball and Bethany women’s basketball are both picked to have solid 2019-20 campaigns.

For the third consecutive year, the Coyotes improved on their win total under fourth-year head coach Anthony Monson. KWU went 17-13, 15-9 in the KCAC, good for fourth allowing the Coyotes to host their second straight KCAC postseason tournament contest. Kansas Wesleyan was picked to finish third by both the coaches and media members, but three coaches gave KWU a first-place vote. The Coyotes garnered 124 points, six shy of Oklahoma Wesleyan, the top pick according to media, and eight behind Southwestern, the top selection for the coaches.

Bethany has steadily improved under third-year head coach Dan O’Dowd. The Swedes were 16-15 a season ago, 12-12 in the KCAC, making the KCAC postseason tournament. KCAC coaches picked Bethany to take eighth while the media members like the Swedes a bit more, placing Bethany sixth.

On the women’s basketball side, Bethany fought through injuries, recording a 19-13 campaign, 14-10 in the conference in 2018-19. The Swedes grabbed two first-place votes in the KCAC Coaches Poll, settling for third with 116 points. Tabor was 13 points better with three first-place tallies and Sterling was the top selection with seven first-place votes.

Kansas Wesleyan followed in the KCAC Coaches Poll at the No. 4 spot. The Coyotes made the NAIA DII Tournament last season as an at-large bid, accumulating a 21-12 record, 18-6 in conference play. The Coyotes were picked to finish third ahead of Bethany in the media poll.

KCAC Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Sterling – 135 (7 first-place votes)
2. Tabor – 129 (3)
3. Bethany – 116 (2)
4. Kansas Wesleyan – 107
5. Avila – 101 (1)
6. Bethel – 92
7. Oklahoma Wesleyan – 83
8. McPherson – 59
9. Friends – 54
10. Ottawa – 45
11. Southwestern – 39
12. St. Mary – 35
13. York – 19

KCAC Women’s Basketball Media Poll
1. Sterling – 295 (16 first-place votes)
2. Tabor – 290 (8)
3. Kansas Wesleyan – 256
4. Bethany – 221
5. Bethel – 206
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan – 178
7. Avila – 170
8. Ottawa – 153
9. McPherson – 126
10. Friends – 95
11. Southwestern – 82
12. St. Mary – 76
13. York – 36

KCAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Southwestern – 132 (5 first-place votes)
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan – 130 (3)
3. Kansas Wesleyan – 124 (3)
4. Ottawa – 104 (1)
5. Friends – 101 (1)
6. St. Mary – 90
7. York – 80
8. Bethany – 70
9. Tabor – 56
10. Bethel – 54
11. McPherson – 29
12. Avila – 26
13. Sterling – 18

KCAC Men’s Basketball Media Poll
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan – 311 (14 first-place votes)
2. Southwestern – 288 (9)
3. Kansas Wesleyan – 266
4. Friends – 250 (2)
5. Ottawa – 203
6. Bethany – 176
7. York – 159
8. St. Mary – 158
9. Tabor – 153
10. Bethel – 137
11. McPherson – 76
12. Sterling – 53
13. Avila – 45

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