Five teams received first-place votes. Eight points separate the top three. The Cascade coaches have given us plenty to debate before the first tip.
College of Idaho leads the 2026–27 Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s basketball preseason coaches poll with 111 points and three first-place votes. Eastern Oregon follows at 105, while Lewis-Clark State is third with 103.
The interesting wrinkle? Eastern Oregon received four first-place votes, more than any other team. LC State picked up two, and Oregon Tech and Corban received one each. Oregon Tech finished fourth with 88 points, followed by Corban at 75.
2026–27 Cascade preseason coaches poll
- College of Idaho
- Eastern Oregon
- Lewis-Clark State
- Oregon Tech
- Corban
- Southern Oregon
- Bushnell
- Northwest
- Warner Pacific
- Evergreen State
- Walla Walla
Southern Oregon collected 69 points, Bushnell 58 and Northwest 46. Warner Pacific finished with 31, Evergreen State with 24 and Walla Walla with 16.
A league with plenty of contenders
Eastern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State shared last season’s regular-season championship at 16–4 in conference play. Corban won the conference tournament, and all three joined Oregon Tech and College of Idaho in the NAIA national tournament.
That gives this poll some real context. Five programs reached nationals, and five now have at least one coach picking them to win the league. College of Idaho gets the preseason target, but the voting leaves very little room between the leading contenders.
Who separates from that group once conference play begins? That is the race to watch in the Cascade.
Source: Cascade Collegiate Conference’s official preseason poll, October 15, 2026.
