Skylights start the year ranked in NAIA Top 25

As expected, both the Montana State University-Northern men's and women's basketball team's names were called when the NAIA released its 2014-15 Preseason Coaches Polls Tuesday afternoon.

The Skylights, who went 22-10 and reached the NAIA Sweet 16 last season, begin the season ranked No. 21 in the NAIA. Northern climbed to as high as No. 20 a year ago. MSU-N, which is off to a 6-0 start in 2014-15, was picked to finish third in the Frontier Conference this season, and in the poll, sits only behind the two teams picked ahead of them.

The Westminster Griffins, the five-time defending Frontier champions, are ranked No. 4 in the preseason poll, while Lewis-Clark State is ranked No. 17. Carroll College also received votes in the poll. Defending national champion Oklahoma City starts the year ranked No. 1.

The Lights didn't crack the Top 25 in the men's poll, but they did receive 21 votes which ranks them 27th among NAIA teams. Northern finished last season at No. 26 and at one point in the 2013-14 campaign, rose as high as No. 8 in the poll on its way to its fourth straight NAIA national tournament.

MSU-N, which is picked to finish third in the Frontier this season, is currently off to a 5-0 start. Westminster is the highest-rated Frontier team, coming in at No. 15 in the preseason poll. Rocky Mountain College, the defending Frontier champions, is rated No. 22, while defending national champion Vanguard starts the season ranked No. 1.

Both Northern teams are off this week, before turning to action next weekend. The Skylights travel to Phoenix, Arizona, while the Lights are in Portland, Oregon. The first regular season coaches poll will be released Dec. 9.

NAIA Women's Preseason Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. 2014 Rec. Pts.

1 1 Oklahoma City (8) 27-4 249

2 2 Freed-Hardeman (2) 36-2 243

3 3 Vanguard (Calif.) 27-2 229

4 4 Westminster (Utah) 26-3 226

5 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) 32-4 222

6 6 Wiley (Texas) 30-5 204

7 7 John Brown (Ark.) 28-8 194

8 9 Oklahoma Baptist 29-6 192

9 16 Bethel (Tenn.) 23-11 188

10 11 Baker (Kan.) 27-7 163

T11 15 Loyola (La.) 23-12 162

T11 8 Our Lady of the Lake 27-5 162

13 18 Westmont (Calif.) 20-10 148

14 12 The Master's (Calif.) 24-9 142

15 17 Lewis-Clark State 27-6 130

16 13 MidAmerica Nazarene 28-4 127

17 10 Georgetown (Ky.) 21-9 124

18 19 Xavier (La.) 24-10 123

19 NR Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 19-12 109

20 14 Columbia (Mo.) 26-8 105

21 20 MSU-Northern 22-10 94

22 RV Mobile (Ala.) 23-9 64

23 22 Hope International 23-10 59

24 RV Langston (Okla.) 20-13 58

25 NR Central Methodist (Mo.) 22-9 46

Others receiving votes: Lyon (Ark.) 45; Cumberlands (Ky.) 35; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 34; Cumberland (Tenn.) 29; Shawnee State (Ohio) 28; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 11; William Woods (Mo.) 11; Concordia (Calif.) 10; Southern-New Orleans (La.) 9; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 4; Carroll (Mont.) 4.

NAIA Men's Preseason Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. 2014 Rec. Pts.

1 1 Vanguard (Calif.) (9) 32-6 219

2 5 Pikeville (Ky.) 31-3 207

3 3 Cal State San Marcos 32-2 203

4 14 Benedictine (Kan.) 23-9 194

5 11 Talladega (Ala.) 29-6 193

6 6 St. Gregory's (Okla.) 24-10 192

7 9 Columbia (Mo.) 32-3 172

8 10 Georgetown (Ky.) 24-11 168

9 7 William Carey (Miss.) 28-3 162

10 15 Hope International 23-11 160

11 4 MidAmerica Nazarene 26-11 144

12 NR Oklahoma Baptist 19-16 137

13 T16 Xavier (La.) 23-9 134

14 21 LSU Shreveport (La.) 21-9 127

T15 NR Dalton State (Ga.) 26-4 115

T15 24 Westminster (Utah) 19-13 115

17 23 Arizona Christian 23-8 95

18 RV Lindenwood-Belleville 22-9 93

19 NR Campbellsville (Ky.) 14-15 89

20 RV Evangel (Mo.) 23-11 80

21 22 Wayland Baptist (Texas) 23-11 76

22 T16 Rocky Mountain 23-8 72

23 RV Philander Smith (Ark.) 20-12 57

24 13 Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 24-8 53

T25 NR Our Lady of the Lake 21-11 49

T25 20 Cumberlands (Ky.) 20-12 49

Others Receiving Votes: Concordia (Calif.) 45; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 30; MSU-Northern 21; Oklahoma City 13; Wiley (Texas) 11; SAGU (Texas) 4; St. Thomas (Texas) 3; Park (Mo.) 3.