WICHITA, Kan. — Southwestern College and Kansas Wesleyan University took home the top spots in their respective divisions in both the KCAC Football Preseason Coaches' and Preseason Media Polls for the 2023 season, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Southwestern was projected to be the top team in the Kessinger division by both the coaches and media members, while the Coyotes were selected as the top team in the Bissell division by both groups. Coaches only voted on the order in their own division, while media members voted for both divisions.
In the Kessinger division, the coaches selected the Moundbuilders as the top team in the preseason. Southwestern earned 22 total points and took home three first-place votes, narrowly edging out new KCAC member Evangel University, which had 21 total points and two first-place votes. Bethel was ranked third in the division by the coaches, with 17 total points, followed by Friends University, which had 14 total points and the final first-place vote. Rounding out the Kessinger preseason coaches' poll were McPherson College (11 points) and Bethany College (five points).
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
Southwestern College |
22 |
3 |
| 2 |
Evangel University |
21 |
2 |
| 3 |
Bethel College |
17 |
|
| 4 |
Friends University |
14 |
1 |
| 5 |
McPherson College |
11 |
|
| 6 |
Bethany College |
5 |
|
Members of the media ranked the teams in the Kessinger division in the exact same order. Southwestern was the top team in the poll with 110 total points, taking home 12 first place votes. Evangel was ranked second by media members with 98 total points and four first-place votes. Bethel College was in the No. 3 spot, earning 87 total points and the final four first-place votes. Friends was ranked fourth with 53 total points, McPherson was not far behind in the No. 5 spot with 49 total points, and Bethany was sixth in the Kessinger division with 23 total points.
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
Southwestern College |
110 |
12 |
| 2 |
Evangel University |
98 |
4 |
| 3 |
Bethel College |
87 |
4 |
| 4 |
Friends University |
53 |
|
| 5 |
McPherson College |
49 |
|
| 6 |
Bethany College |
23 |
|
The coaches ranked Kansas Wesleyan No. 1 in the Bissell division in their preseason poll, with the Coyotes taking home 25 total points and five first-place votes. Avila was ranked No. 2, as the Eagles earned 19 total points and received the final first-place vote. Tabor was ranked No. 3 with 14 total points, narrowly edging out Saint Mary in the No. 4 spot with 14 points. Rounding out the Bissell preseason coaches' poll was Ottawa (11 points) and Sterling (six points).
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
25 |
5 |
| 2 |
Avila University |
19 |
1 |
| 3 |
Tabor College |
15 |
|
| 4 |
University of Saint Mary |
14 |
|
| 5 |
Ottawa University |
11 |
|
| 6 |
Sterling College |
6 |
|
The media agreed with the coaches in the Bissell division as well, ranking the teams in the exact same order. Kansas Wesleyan was selected as the top team by the media, earning 118 total points and 13 first-place votes. Avila University was not far behind, with 110 total points and the final eight first-place votes. Tabor tallied 73 total points, Saint Mary had 59, Ottawa had 49, and Sterling had 32.
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
118 |
13 |
| 2 |
Avila University |
110 |
8 |
| 3 |
Tabor College |
73 |
|
| 4 |
University of Saint Mary |
59 |
|
| 5 |
Ottawa University |
49 |
|
| 6 |
Sterling College |
32 |
|
—KCAC—