KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association officially tipped off the 2026-27 basketball season with its annual MIAA Basketball Media Day, presented by Seigfreid Bingham, on Tuesday, October 6, hosted at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City.
 
MIAA coaches, student-athletes, administrators, officials and media members all gathered at the CBE in downtown Kansas City for the 2026 MIAA Basketball Media Day, presented by Seigfreid Bingham. All 28 MIAA head men’s and women’s coaches participated in 15-minute press conferences on center stage, taking questions from media members who cover MIAA teams and the Media Day emcee, Brenda VanLengen.
 
VanLengen returned as the MIAA’s Basketball Media Day emcee for the fifth consecutive year. A veteran women’s basketball broadcaster, VanLengen is currently producing a multi-episode documentary series on the origin story of women’s college basketball entitled “If Not For Them.” The docuseries will feature incredible stories of the women who built the foundation for the success in women’s basketball today, told by the women who made the history.
 
MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy opened the invite-only event with an update on recent MIAA and NCAA news and legislation. He also announced the results of the 2026-27 men’s and women’s preseason coaches and media polls, with Washburn picked No. 1 in both men’s polls and Central Missouri picked No. 1 in both women’s polls.
 
Popular topics discussed among MIAA coaches included transfer portal pros and cons, the NCAA’s new NCAA Power Index (NPI), and how tough it is to compete in the MIAA year after year. When VanLengen prompted coaches to share their favorite thing about their teams, many coaches answered with how involved their programs have been in their local communities, not only through community services, but also by connecting with the youth and being great role models within the community.
 
MIAA basketball fans and media representatives can watch the 2026 MIAA Basketball Media Day presented by Seigfreid Bingham on demand at TheMIAANetwork.com/MIAA.
 
The first official games of the 2026-27 NCAA Division II men’s and women’s basketball seasons begin on November 9, but teams selected to play in designated showcases will play their first games as early as October 30. The first MIAA contests of the season are scheduled to begin on December 3.  
 
To view the week-by-week schedules for all 14 MIAA women’s basketball programs, visit theMIAA.com/womensbasketball.
To view the week-by-week schedules for all 14 MIAA men’s basketball programs, visit theMIAA.com/mensbasketball.