DAILY DIVE

One Week Out: New Polls and a Special Night in Houston

SEVEN DAYS. We are one week from the October 22 opening date for countable NAIA competition, and the preseason conversation keeps getting louder. Three more leagues have weighed in, another media day is on the calendar, and tonight brings a matchup with deep Montana Tech roots.

The Heart, Cascade and Sun coaches polls give us three new favorites with targets on their backs. Grand View and William Penn are separated by two points. The Cascade’s top three are within eight. Keiser received eight of the Sun’s nine first-place votes. Let’s dive in!

Tonight: Montana Tech at Houston

This is a special one. Montana Tech visits Houston tonight, October 15, at 7 p.m. Central inside Fertitta Center, with the exhibition streaming on ESPN+. Houston’s official game preview has the matchup details. It is an exhibition, so it will not count toward Montana Tech’s regular-season record.

For Kelvin Sampson, the connection to the Orediggers runs much deeper than one game. He was Montana Tech’s head coach from 1981–85, guiding the program to three straight 22-win seasons and two Frontier Conference titles. Montana Tech’s home floor still carries his name: Kelvin Sampson Court. Houston revisited that history ahead of tonight’s meeting.

Adam Hiatt’s Orediggers now get to share the floor with Sampson’s Cougars. Before the ball goes up, revisit our Road to Muni conversation with both coaches. Their stories and discussion of this matchup make this a perfect pregame watch.

Watch Road to Muni: Kelvin Sampson and Adam Hiatt on YouTube →

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Two points. That is all that separates Grand View and William Penn at the top of the Heart! Grand View leads with 239 points, while the defending conference tournament champion Statesmen have 237. Both received seven first-place votes. Missouri Valley is third with 204, and Missouri Baptist is fourth with 197 and the remaining two first-place votes. Defending regular-season champion Graceland lands ninth. Clarke and Culver-Stockton are tied for 15th.

1. Grand View
2. William Penn
3. Missouri Valley
4. Missouri Baptist
5. Benedictine
6. Mount Mercy
7. Central Methodist
8. MidAmerica Nazarene
9. Graceland
10. Peru State
11. Park
12. Baker
13. St. Ambrose
14. William Woods
15. Clarke

15. Culver-Stockton

Read the official Heart coaches poll →

Cascade Collegiate Conference

College of Idaho takes the top spot with 111 points and three first-place votes, but this ballot gives us plenty to talk about. Eastern Oregon received the most first-place votes with four and is second at 105 points. Lewis-Clark State sits right behind at 103 with two first-place votes. Oregon Tech and Corban each received one, spreading first-place support across five programs. The coaches see a crowded race at the top.

1. College of Idaho
2. Eastern Oregon
3. Lewis-Clark State
4. Oregon Tech
5. Corban
6. Southern Oregon
7. Bushnell
8. Northwest
9. Warner Pacific
10. Evergreen State
11. Walla Walla

Read the official Cascade coaches poll →

The Sun Conference

Keiser has the clearest first-place backing of this group, earning 64 points and eight of the nine first-place votes. Ave Maria is second with 53 points, followed by St. Thomas at 51 with the other first-place vote. Southeastern is fourth at 44. The Seahawks start with the preseason target, while the next three have their own plans for how this race should finish.

1. Keiser
2. Ave Maria
3. St. Thomas
4. Southeastern
5. Coastal Georgia
6. Florida Memorial
7. Warner
8. New College of Florida
9. Webber International

Read Keiser Athletics’ full Sun coaches poll release →

Catch up on yesterday’s polls

Missed the first wave? Our previous Daily Dive covered the Crossroads, GPAC, GSAC, River States and SSAC. Those links take you straight to each league’s selections.

SAC Media Day is on the calendar

The Sooner Athletic Conference announced its 2026 Basketball Virtual Media Days, with the men’s event set for Wednesday, October 21. Jim Powers will host conversations with coaches and selected student-athletes on Urban Edge Network, with on-demand viewing afterward. The men’s preseason coaches poll is scheduled to be released that morning before the interviews begin. Another league’s picture is about to come into focus!

The countdown keeps rolling

The polls give us something to debate. The interviews give us a closer look at the people and programs behind them. Tonight, Montana Tech and Houston give us basketball to watch. The favorites have their targets, the challengers have their motivation, and the regular season is almost here.

One week to go. Good At Basketball.

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