ST. LOUIS - The Westminster Blue Jays were selected to finish first in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the 2016-17 preseason coaches' poll released Thursday.
Westminster College earned 70 points and four first-place votes. Spalding (Kentucky) University was second with 67 points and two first-place votes, while Webster University was third with 65 points and two first-place votes. Greenville (Illinois) College came in fourth with 57 points and one first-place vote.
The Blue Jays finished last season with a 12-16 record and went 10-8 in the SLIAC, eventually winning the conference's postseason tournament. Westminster returns all five starters from last season, including junior guards Romo Tabb - who averaged 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds - Tanner Cochran and Jimmy Villalobos.
The Blue Jays play their season opener at Millikin (Illinois) University on Nov. 18.