The following is a release from the Montana Tech Sports Information Department:

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Montana Tech's men's basketball team will begin the season as a top-10 squad in the NAIA.

The reigning Frontier Conference champions checked in at No. 9 in the first top 25 rankings of the 2024-25 campaign, announced Tuesday by the NAIA national office. The Orediggers were the only Frontier school included in the preseason poll.

Montana Tech enters the year as the favorite in the Frontier Conference's preseason coaches' poll after finishing 27-5 a season ago. Tech won its third-straight league title en route to the NAIA national tournament, where the Diggers defeated Wayland Baptist in the first round before their season ended in the second round.

The Orediggers return a pair of all-conference performers this season in senior Michael Ure, a first-teamer, and junior Hayden Diekhans, an honorable mention pick and the conference's defensive player of the year. Senior Camdyn LaRance was the co-sixth-man of the year. Ure earned the Frontier's preseason player of the year award, the league announced last week, and Diekhans joined him on the preseason All-Frontier squad.

Montana Tech opens up the quest for a fourth-consecutive conference title Friday, Nov. 1 against Walla Walla at the Montana Western Classic in Dillon.

2024-25 NAIA Men's Basketball Preseason Top 25
released October 23

RANK     INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES]     2023-24 RECORD     FINAL POINTS
1Langston (Okla.) [13]35-2533
2College of Idaho [5]32-4525
3Indiana Wesleyan29-6483
4Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) [2]32-4478
5Oklahoma Wesleyan31-3456
6Arizona Christian25-8451
7Georgetown (Ky.)24-8427
8Grace (Ind.)34-2415
9Montana Tech27-5355
10The Master's (Calif.)24-9350
11Concordia (Neb.)24-8335
12LSU Alexandria (La.)24-7333
13LSU Shreveport (La.)24-9293
14Central Baptist (Ark.)28-7275
15Northwestern (Iowa)25-8259
16Oregon Tech27-6255
17Ave Maria (Fla.)22-10246
18Cumberlands (Ky.)28-5244
19Huntington (Ind.)22-10214
19Baker (Kan.)23-10214
21Madonna (Mich.)27-7185
22Florida Memorial23-7151
23Nelson (Texas)20-10116
24Kansas Wesleyan23-9110
25Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)24-995

Receiving Votes: Life (Ga.) 89, Columbia (Mo.) 84, Keiser (Fla.) 50, Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 46, Pikeville (Ky.) 40, Indiana Tech 34, Dordt (Iowa) 24, IU Northwest (Ind.) 21, Hope International (Calif.) 19, Spring Arbor (Mich.) 13, Xavier (La.) 9, Peru State (Neb.) 9, Mobile (Ala.) 8, St. Thomas (Fla.) 3, Cornerstone (Mich.) 3, Southwestern (Kan.) 3, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 2
Rating Methodology:

  • The NAIA Men's Basketball Poll is for publicity purposes only and has no weight or bearing in the selection process for national championship field consideration
  • The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and Continental Athletic Conference (Independents)
  • The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second place and so on through the list
  • The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low ratings) is removed
  • Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes"
  • Frequency of polls occur bi-weekly
  • Records listed are as of the end of the day on Monday of the poll week

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