DAILY DIVE

Eight Days to Tipoff: Conference Coaches Polls Are Rolling In

EIGHT DAYS. That’s all that separates us from NAIA regular-season tipoff. The first allowable competition date is October 22, and the anticipation of a new season is starting to feel real. New rosters, new opportunities and a fresh run at Kansas City are almost here!

The conference coaches polls are giving us our first look at how the people inside each league see the races. The favorites have fresh targets on their backs. The challengers have fresh motivation. Soon, we get to see who can turn those expectations into wins.

Today’s Daily Dive brings together five verified 2026–27 men’s basketball preseason coaches polls: the Crossroads, GPAC, GSAC, River States and SSAC. These are the conferences’ coaches selections, separate from NAIA Hoops Report’s own preseason rankings.

On the mic: KCAC Men’s Basketball Media Day

We were on the mic today! NAIA Hoops Report hosted the coach interviews for the 2026 KCAC Men’s Basketball Virtual Media Day, presented by IMA Financial Group. All 14 programs had a chance to talk about the season ahead, with the conversations released throughout October 14 on Urban Edge Network.

Catch the interviews through the KCAC’s official social posts, including Saint Mary’s Troy Brown and York’s Mitch McMullen. Both posts link straight to the full conversations. You can also browse the KCAC interviews on UEN and follow @KCACsports on X for conference coverage. A full day of talking hoops is a pretty good way to build the anticipation!

Warner takes down D1 Florida A&M in an exhibition

It begins! Warner knocked off NCAA Division I Florida A&M, 59–44, in an exhibition in Tallahassee on October 13. As we reported on X, the Royals delivered an early NAIA-over-D1 result to get everyone talking.

FAMU’s official schedule announcement confirms this was an exhibition, so it does not go into the regular-season win column. Still, beating a Division I opponent by 15 is an exciting way for Warner to head toward the season!

Crossroads League

Grace starts on top with 81 points, followed by Indiana Wesleyan and Taylor. After a 31–4 season and a fourth straight sweep of the league’s regular-season and tournament titles, the Lancers remain the team the rest of the Crossroads is chasing.

1. Grace
2. Indiana Wesleyan
3. Taylor
4. Huntington
5. Marian
6. Mount Vernon Nazarene
7. Saint Francis
8. Bethel
9. Goshen
10. Spring Arbor

Read the official Crossroads League poll →

Great Plains Athletic Conference

Concordia gets the nod with 96 points and six first-place votes, but Morningside is only five points back. Dordt also received first-place support. Three teams sharing those votes gives us an early reason to circle the head-to-head matchups in the GPAC.

1. Concordia (Neb.)
2. Morningside
3. Dordt
4. Dakota Wesleyan
5. Mount Marty
6. Northwestern
7. Briar Cliff
8. Midland
9. Doane
10. Hastings
11. Waldorf

Read the official Great Plains Athletic Conference poll →

Great Southwest Athletic Conference

Arizona Christian leads the GSAC with 61 points and five first-place votes. The next group is tightly packed: The Master’s is second at 50, with Embry-Riddle and Hope International tied at 48. Five different programs received a first-place vote, including fifth-place Benedictine Mesa.

1. Arizona Christian
2. The Master’s
3. Embry-Riddle

3. Hope International

5. Benedictine Mesa
6. OUAZ
7. Life Pacific
8. La Sierra
9. Park Gilbert

Read the official Great Southwest Athletic Conference poll →

River States Conference

IU Kokomo collected seven of the 10 first-place votes and leads with 79 points. Defending conference tournament champion IU Southeast is second, while Rio Grande is third and received the remaining first-place vote. The top three account for every first-place selection.

1. IU Kokomo
2. IU Southeast
3. Rio Grande
4. Midway
5. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
6. WVU Tech
7. IU East
8. Brescia
9. Kentucky Christian
10. IU Columbus

Read the official River States Conference poll →

Southern States Athletic Conference

Loyola leads a crowded SSAC race with 181 points and six first-place votes. William Carey, last season’s regular-season champion, is second with 168 and five first-place votes. Faulkner and defending tournament champion Dalton State also earned first-place support. Only nine points separate second through fourth.

1. Loyola (La.)
2. William Carey
3. Faulkner
4. Dalton State
5. Life
6. Brewton-Parker
7. Xavier (La.)
8. UT Southern
9. Mobile
10. Point
11. Thomas
12. Blue Mountain
13. Abraham Baldwin
14. Andrew

Read the official Southern States Athletic Conference poll →

The games will have the final word

There is plenty to like about this first wave of polls. The GPAC’s top two are separated by five points. Five GSAC teams received first-place votes. Four SSAC programs have at least one coach picking them to finish on top. That is a lot of confidence spread around before a single countable game has been played.

Being picked first brings expectations, but it does not put a win in the standings. Teams farther down these lists have every opportunity to make the coaches rethink the order. That is part of what makes this time of year so much fun.

Eight days until the season can tip off. NAIA hoops is almost here, and we cannot wait to get back to the games!

NAIA Hoops Report is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NAIA. Poll results are credited to the conferences linked above.