KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its preseason polls for the 2024-25 men’s basketball season. MIAA head coaches picked Washburn to finish at the top of the league while MIAA media members tabbed Fort Hays State to take the 2025 crown.
 
The MIAA tipped off the 2024-25 basketball season with the Association’s annual Basketball Media Day at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City. Commissioner Mike Racy announced the men’s and women’s preseason rankings from MIAA coaches and media representatives during his opening remarks of the 2024 MIAA Basketball Media Day, presented by  Seigfreid Bingham.
 
Washburn led the preseason coaches poll with 161 points and eight first-place selections. The Ichabods finished the 2023-24 season with an overall record of 19-11 and went 14-8 in the league, tying for fourth place in the regular season. Washburn was picked three spots lower in the media poll, coming in at No. 4 with 212 points and one first-place selection.
 
Fort Hays State was picked MIAA favorites by media representatives who cover MIAA  teams. The Tigers went 23-8 overall last season and was the league’s regular season runner-up with a MIAA record of 17-5. Fort Hays State finished second in the coaches poll with 156 points and three first-place nods.  
 
Pittsburg State finished second in the coaches poll and third in the media poll, collecting a total of five first-place votes between the two. The Gorillas finished the 2023-24 season 21-11 overall and 15-7 in the league. Northwest Missouri, the defending MIAA regular season and tournament champion, finished third in the media poll and fourth in the coaches poll. The Bearcats owned an impressive MIAA record of 20-2 last season and finished 29-5 overall. The Gorillas and Bearcats battled for the 2024 MIAA tournament title which resulted in a 78-65 Northwest victory.
 
The 2024-25 MIAA men’s basketball season will feature three new head coaches – Tom Billeter enters his season at Emporia State, Marty Levinson begins his first season leading an NCAA Division II program at Nebraska Kearney and Matt Keeley begins his first season leading the four-time national champions, the Northwest Missouri Bearcats.
 
Below is the official preseason coaches poll and preseason media poll for the 2024-25 MIAA men’s basketball season.

The 2024-25 NCAA Division II men’s basketball season officially begins the first weekend of November with MIAA contests starting the first week of December. To view the complete schedule for all MIAA men’s basketball programs, click here.
 
2024-25 MIAA MEN'S PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Washburn [8] – 161 points 
2. Fort Hays State [3] – 156 points
3. Pittsburg State [2] – 149 points
4. Northwest Missouri [1] – 125 points
5. Central Oklahoma – 120 points
6. Missouri Western – 105 points
7. Central Missouri – 96 points
8. Rogers State – 88 points
9. Emporia State – 79 points
10. Missouri Southern – 66 points
11. Northeastern State – 44 points
12. Nebraska Kearney – 39 points
13. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 24 points
14. Newman – 22 points
[#] - Number of First-Place Votes
 
2024-25 MIAA MEN'S PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Fort Hays State [9] – 247 points
2. Pittsburg State [3] – 229 points
3. Northwest Missouri [5] – 217 points
4. Washburn [1] – 212 points
5. Central Oklahoma [1] – 174 points
6. Rogers State – 165 points
7. Missouri Western – 163 points
8. Emporia State – 134 points
9. Missouri Southern – 130 points
10. Central Missouri – 106 points
11. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 74 points
12. Northeastern State – 65 points
13. Nebraska Kearney – 42 points
14. Newman – 36 points 
[#] - Number of First-Place Votes