The Lincoln men's and women's basketball teams found themselves in different sections of the preseason polls Wednesday at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Media Day in Kansas City.
The Lincoln men were picked to finish sixth in the media poll and seventh in the coaches poll, while the women were selected last out of 14 teams in both the coaches and media polls.
Northwest Missouri, the reigning men's national champion, was picked atop the men's poll by both coaches and the media. Fort Hays State was picked to win the MIAA in the women's coaches and media polls.
The Lincoln men received 93 points in the coaches poll, three behind sixth-place Central Missouri and one ahead of eighth-place Pittsburg State. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team on their ballot.
In the men's media poll, Lincoln received 156 points. Pittsburg State was fifth with 183 points, while Central Missouri was seventh with 140.
Northwest Missouri received 13 of the 14 first-place votes in the coaches poll, as well as 19 of the 20 first-place votes in the media poll. Missouri Southern, the No. 2 team in both polls, had the remaining first-place vote in both polls.
Washburn was No. 3 and Fort Hays State was No. 4 in both polls as well.
The Lincoln women received 17 points in the coaches poll and 23 points in the media poll.
Fort Hays State received 10 first-place votes in the coaches poll and 14 first-place votes in the media poll. Central Missouri, picked No. 2 in both polls, had the remaining four first-place votes from the coaches and six first-place votes from the media.
Washburn, Pittsburg State and Emporia State rounded out the top five in the coaches poll, while Pittsburg State, Washburn and Emporia State finished out the top five in the media poll.
The Lincoln men finished fifth in the MIAA last season with a 10-9 record, while the women were last with a 2-17 record.
The Lincoln women play exhibition games Oct. 28 at Missouri State and Nov. 3 at Langston. The Blue Tigers begin the regular season Nov. 8 against Southern Arkansas in the Central Region Challenge at Monticello, Ark.
The Lincoln men play Nov. 2 in an exhibition game at Southeast Missouri. The Blue Tigers open the 2019-20 season Nov. 8 against Sioux Falls in the MIAA Challenge at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
For the complete MIAA preseason polls, see page C2 in today's print edition of the News Tribune.