KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has revealed their initial poll for the 2022-23 men's basketball season. MSUM finds themselves ranked 21st in the preseason poll. 

The Dragons are ranked after a season that saw them finish 19-12 overall. This included an NSIC Tournament victory and an NCAA Tournament berth. MSUM fell to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State in the NCAA Regional. 

It is Northwest Missouri State that tops the initial poll in 2022-23 after finishing 34-5 a season ago. Other familiar names in the preseason poll are Minnesota Duluth, who MSUM defeated in the NSIC Tournament championship a year ago. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in the poll while fellow NSIC foe Augustana is ranked 18th. The Vikings also fell victim to the Dragons in the NSIC Tournament semi-final last season. Upper Iowa came in right behind MSUM in the poll, ranked 22nd.

Northern State and Wayne State fell just outside the top-25 rankings. The Wolves garnered 53 points, putting them as the first team outside the top-25. The Wildcats received 12 points in the preliminary rankings. 

Led by seniors Lorenzo McGhee, Gavin Baumgartner and Jaden Stanley-Williams, the Dragons welcome back six of their top eight scorers from 2021-22. MSUM will be led by first-year head coach (and former assistant) Tim Bergstraser, who was named to the post in May.

Receiving 84 points in the poll, the previously unranked Dragons will open their season in Wayne, Nebraska, as a part of the GAC-NSIC Challenge. MSUM will meet Oklahoma Baptist on November 11 followed by Southeastern Oklahoma State the following day.

2022-23 NABC Divison II Coaches Preseason Poll
*NSIC Team

1. Northwest Missouri State 
2. Augusta (Ga.) 
3. Indiana  (Pa.)
4. Nova Southeastern (Fla.)
5. West Texas A&M
6. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 
7. Minnesota Duluth
8. West Liberty (W.Va.)
9. Cal State San Bernardino
10. Black Hills State (S.D.) 
11. Central Oklahoma
12. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
13. Cal State San Marcos
14. Bentley (Mass.)
15. Chico State (Calif).
16. Lubbock Christian (Texas)
17. UNC Pembroke
18. Augustana (S.D.)
19. Fairmont State (W.Va.)
20. Walsh (Ohio)
21. MSU Moorhead
22. Upper Iowa
23. Virginia Union
24. Alabama Huntsville
25. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.)