INDIANAPOLIS - The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has announced the preseason coaches' poll for the upcoming 2026-2027 basketball seasons. The Cardinal men have been selected to finish second, their highest preseason pick since joining the league in 2011, and received six first place votes, while the women were picked 15th. McKendree and Maryville Universities were selected at the top of the men's and women's polls, respectively. The polls are selected by the league's head coaches who, per GLVC bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.

The Jewell men are coming off their second GLVC title in three seasons and return of the best players in NCAA Division II in senior Justice Sutton. A year ago, the guard was a All-GLVC First Team, NABC All-District Second Team, and CSC Academic All-America Third Team honoree. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while scoring in double figures in all but one game with 13 games of 20-plus points and two double-doubles. Also back are guards Ashton Jermain, Ty Romero, Cooper Francis, Adam Fuller, PJ Moore, Jaden Peterson, and Christian Rebec, along with forwards, Bryce Mitchell, Will Beck, and Peter Obeng.

That group will be aided by seven newcomers, including key transfers. Kansas City natives Devin Conley and Brandon Moore return home after two seasons at Emporia State and Southwest Baptist, respectively, where they both appeared in more than 40 games. Meanwhile Christian Rohde is junior college transfer who adds height and shot blocking ability. Rookies Hudson Weikal, Aidan O'Haire, CJ Duson, and Jack Huyser will also make their debuts this winter. Chris McCabe enters his eighth season at the helm, having won his 100th career game in the GLVC Championship. He will again be assisted by a crew of Cardinal alumni as Christian Hildebrandt, '15 and Mason Alexander, '23 are back, while Eli Wingert, '25 also joins the staff. 

On the women's side, second year head coach Jenni Croy, and longtime assistant Lesli Collins, are looking to build off year one but will do so with a mostly new crop of Cardinals. Five players return from 2025-26 including Jewell's lone senior Syderah Farmer who led the team with 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game a year ago. Jalea Price started all 26 games as a freshman and returns for her second go while Maja Komaszynska, Alex McGarrah, and Chanelle Anderson also return. The Cardinals will be boosted by the addition of six freshmen and four transfers, including juniors Lyndee Mikesell (NOC-Enid) and Willow Gideon (Washburn), while Lily Gates (Mayville State), and Taylor Swarnes (NEO) come to The Hill as sophomores. In the freshman class, Emerson Privatsky, Ragan Filmore, and Caitlyn Hoehns add depth at the guard position while Millie Ramsey, Nancy King, and Harper Floyd provide much needed size in the paint. 

Both squads open the season on November 9 as the men head to Northwest Missouri State while the women host Kansas Christian inside the Mabee Center at 5:30 p.m. The full GLVC Preseason Polls can be found below. 

2026-27 GLVC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL

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

2026-27 GLVC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL

Place	School	Points (first-place votes)
1.	Maryville	186 (6)
2.	Missouri-St. Louis	183 (6)
3.	Drury	171 (2)
4.	McKendree	141
T-5.	Lewis	130
T-5.	Truman	130
7.	Quincy	114
8.	Upper Iowa	107
9.	Illinois Springfield	98
10.	Missouri S&T	90 (1)
11.	Southwest Baptist	60
12.	Indianapolis	54
13.	Rockhurst	50
14.	Lincoln	37
15.	William Jewell	23