INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s coaches poll picks at No. 1 and No. 2, Findlay and Kentucky Wesleyan, have both entered the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) preseason national rankings.
 
Findlay checks in at No. 20 to start the 2017-18 season while Kentucky Wesleyan, defending regular season and tournament champs, opens the year slotted at No. 24.
 
The Oilers have already made noise as they prepare for their first year as a member of the Great Midwest by beating Toledo in a charity exhibition contest that raised $6,500 towards hurricane relief victims.
 
Kentucky Wesleyan also played against a high-profile NCAA Division I program on Monday evening against Louisville on ESPN3 in the KFC Yum! Center.
 
Findlay qualified for the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2016-17 with a season to remember after advancing into the Midwest Region final against Bellarmine.
 
Kentucky Wesleyan also qualified for the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional and faced Quincy in the first round.
 
Findlay was a unanimous choice by the league’s choice to win the conference race this season while the Panthers of KWC were selected second. The two schools will meet later in front of a national audience on ESPN3 as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase on the WatchESPN app at Findlay in Croy Gymnasium.
 
Findlay and Kentucky Wesleyan both tip off the season this weekend as part of the Hall of Fame Classic at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
 
Findlay has a marquee matchup against No. 6 Indiana (PA) on Friday while Kentucky Wesleyan has an opener against Montevallo.