DES MOINES – The Midwest Collegiate Conference has released its preseason men’s basketball poll of league coaches, and Iowa Wesleyan College has been picked to finish third in the conference in the 2008-09 season.
IWC received 61 points in the preseason poll, including one first place vote. The Tigers are behind defending league champion William Penn University, which received 78 points and six first place votes. Grand View College is picked to finish second in the MCC with 71 points and two first place votes.
St. Ambrose University received 47 points and is predicted to place fourth in the league, just ahead of Mount Mercy College (46 points). Viterbo University (36), Ashford University (31), Clarke College (21) and Waldorf College (14) round out the predicted order of finish.
The Tigers finished last season with a 13-15 overall record and placed alone in third place in the conference with a 9-7 regular season mark. IWC’s season ended on a three-point basket at the buzzer of an 88-87 double-overtime loss to St. Ambrose in the quarterfinals of the MCC tourney. This year Head Coach Alan Magnani returns four starters from last year’s team, including two-time NAIA Division II Second Team All-American Brett Humpal (Sr.-Decorah, Iowa).
2008-09 Midwest Collegiate Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
(First place votes in parentheses)
1. William Penn (6) 78 pts
2. Grand View (2) 71 pts
3. Iowa Wesleyan (1) 61 pts
4. St. Ambrose 47 pts
5. Mount Mercy 46 pts
6. Viterbo 36 pts
7. Ashford 31 pts
8. Clarke 21 pts
9. Waldorf 14 pts
For more information regarding the IWC men’s basketball program or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
