INDIANAPOLIS – McKendree was voted in the preseason coaches' poll, presented by Primo Designs, as the choice to win the 2027 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) men's basketball championship, the league office announced on Friday.
The preseason poll is determined by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 McKendree
- Received nine first-place votes and 190 total points.
- Advanced to the semifinals of the GLVC Tournament as the sixth seed.
- Coached by George Suggs, who enters his sixth season after a 22-8 overall and 14-6 GLVC record in 2025-26.
- Return All-GLVC First Team and All-Defensive Team honoree Rini Harris, along with GLVC Freshman of the Year and All-Defensive Team selection Andrew Moore.
No. 2 William Jewell
- Received six first-place votes and 186 total points.
- Won second GLVC Championship in last three seasons as the second seed, earning an automatic qualification spot in the NCAA Midwest Regional.
- Coached by Chris McCabe, who enters his eighth campaign after a 22-10 overall and 15-5 GLVC record last season.
- Return National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District Second Team and All-GLVC First Team selection Justice Sutton.
No. 3 Upper Iowa
- Received 146 total points.
- Fell to William Jewell in GLVC Tournament quarterfinals as the seventh seed.
- Coached by Casey Kasperbauer, who enters his second season after a 17-11 overall and 12-8 GLVC record in his first year.
- Return All-GLVC First Team honoree Kyle Hrncir.
No. 4 Illinois Springfield
- Received 144 total points.
- Fell to McKendree in GLVC Tournament quarterfinals as the third seed.
- Coached by Matt Brock, who enters his eighth campaign after a 17-12 overall and 13-7 GLVC record in 2025-26.
- Return GLVC All-Freshman selection Alex Stell.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 15th was Indianapolis (140 points), Missouri S&T (136), Missouri-St. Louis (125), Drury (121), Rockhurst (80), Quincy (67), Lincoln and Truman State (64), Lewis and Southwest Baptist (44), and Maryville (24).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
McKendree |
190 (9) |
| 2. |
William Jewell |
186 (6) |
| 3. |
Upper Iowa |
146 |
| 4. |
Illinois Springfield |
144 |
| 5. |
Indianapolis |
140 |
| 6. |
Missouri S&T |
136 |
| 7. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
125 |
| 8. |
Drury |
121 |
| 9. |
Rockhurst |
80 |
| 10. |
Quincy |
67 |
T-11.
T-11. |
Lincoln
Truman State |
64
64 |
| T-13. |
Lewis |
44 |
| T-13. |
Southwest Baptist |
44 |
| 15. |
Maryville |
24 |