KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA Basketball Media Day began Wednesday morning with the release of the annual conference preseason coaches and media polls. Missouri Western's men's team was picked 12^th in the coaches poll and ninth in the media poll, while the women's team was 11^th in the coaches poll and eighth in the media poll.
 
MEN'S POLL
Missouri Western appeared right where they finished last season in the coaches poll while the media picked MWSU three spots better than last year's finish. The Griffons went 14-14 under first-year head coach Sundance Wicks and 6-13 in the MIAA. Wicks returns two starters and seven letter winners from last season. 2019 honorable mention All-MIAA point guard Tyrell Carroll will be the team's leading returner in points (14.3), rebounds (3.5) and assists (3.5). The Griffons begin the 2019-20 season in the Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame Classic, Nov. 1^st and 2^nd at St. Joseph's Civic Arena.
 
The coaches picked Northwest Missouri to repeat as MIAA champs, but had 2019 third place finisher Missouri Southern ahead of last year's runner-up, Washburn, for second. Otherwise the top four from last season to this year's preseason poll remained the same. Northeastern State was fifth in the coaches poll after finishing ninth a season ago and Central Missouri was sixth after missing the cut for the MIAA Championships with an 11^th place finish last year.
 
The media went the same way on the top four for the men's poll, but after that there were some considerable changes. In the fifth spot on the media's poll was Pittsburg State, followed by Lincoln and Central Missouri. Northeastern State, which was fifth in the coaches poll, appeared 12^th in the media poll. Emporia State was eighth in the media poll, but 10^th in the coaches. Missouri Western was ninth in the media, but 12^th in the coaches. Nebraska Kearney was picked 14^th in both polls.
 
Men's Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (13) - 169 points
2. Missouri Southern (1) - 157 points
3. Washburn - 131 points
4. Fort Hays State - 124 points
5. Northeastern State - 99 points
6. Central Missouri - 96 points
7. Lincoln - 93 points
8. Pittsburg State - 92 points
9. Rogers State - 68 points
10. Emporia State - 66 points
11. Newman - 61 points
12. Missouri Western - 58 points
13. Central Oklahoma - 44 points
14. Nebraska Kearney - 16 points 
 
Men's Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (19) - 279 points
2. Missouri Southern (1) - 259 points
3. Washburn - 238 points
4. Fort Hays State - 198 points
5. Pittsburg State - 183 points
6. Lincoln - 156 points
7. Central Missouri - 140 points
8. Emporia State - 123 points
9. Missouri Western - 120 points
10. Newman - 103 points
11. Rogers State - 102 points
12. Northeastern State - 88 points
13. Nebraska Kearney - 64 points
14. Central Oklahoma- 46 points
 
WOMEN'S POLL
After a tie for eighth place last year, the coaches tabbed the Griffon Women's Basketball team 11^th with the media picking MWSU eighth. The Griffons went 14-16 overall with an 8-11 mark in MIAA play. First-year head coach Candi Whitaker will have two starters and seven returning letter winners, including 2019 first team All-MIAA guard Katrina Roenfeldt. In her junior season, Roenfeldt was second in the conference, averaging 16.7 points per game and broke the program's single-season record for three-pointers in a season with 86. Whitaker's first season leading the Griffons begins with an exhibition at Iowa State on Oct. 30. The regular season begins Nov. 8^th and 9^th at Civic Arena as the team co-hosts the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic with the men's team.
 
The women's coaches picked Fort Hays State to repeat as MIAA champions, but awarded four first place votes to Central Missouri, which was just six overall points behind the defending champs for first in the preseason poll. Lindenwood's departure after finishing third a season ago allowed for Washburn, Pittsburg State and Emporia State to slide up from last year's finishes. The coaches moved Nebraska-Kearney up a spot from last year's finish and put newcomer Newman in the Griffons' spot from a season ago. The coaches also picked Northwest Missouri 10^th after finishing 12^th with a 4-15 conference record last year.
 
Women's basketball media poll voters actually stayed more consistent with last year's standings in their preseason poll. The most notable change toward the top was the media's pick of Pittsburg State for third after a sixth place finish last season. Lincoln was 14^th in both polls.
 
 Women's Coaches Poll
1. Fort Hays State (10) - 166 points
2. Central Missouri (4) - 160 points
3. Washburn - 134 points
4. Pittsburg State - 131 points
5. Emporia State - 130 points
6. Nebraska Kearney - 100 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 97 points
8. Newman - 83 points
9. Missouri Southern - 67 points
10. Northwest Missouri - 64 points
11. Missouri Western - 62 points
12. Northeastern State - 37 points
13. Rogers State - 25 points
14. Lincoln - 17 points
 
Women's Media Poll
1. Fort Hays State (14) - 271 points
2. Central Missouri (6) - 263 points
3. Pittsburg State - 227 points
4. Washburn - 217 points
5. Emporia State - 213 points
6. Nebraska Kearney - 161 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 160 points
8. Missouri Western - 131 points
9. Newman - 120 points
10. Missouri Southern - 109 points
11. Northwest Missouri - 84 points
12. Rogers State - 73 points
13. Northeastern State - 47 points
14. Lincoln - 23 points