Northwest Missouri State, who has won the last three NCAA Division II championships, was tabbed as the top-ranked team in the nation in the NABC/Division II pre-season rankings. 

The Bearcats knocked off Augusta – the second-ranked team in the poll – in the title game a year and was one of four teams to receive first place votes in the rankings along with Augusta, Indiana (Pa.) and Nova Southeastern.

Seven of the eight teams that competed in last year's Elite Eight – the top four teams, plus Black Hills State, Bentley and Chico State – were all ranked among the top 15.  The eighth participant, Hillsdale, received votes in the pre-season poll.  The 2022-23 season gets underway this weekend with the Small College Hall of Fame Classic at Florida Southern, an event that will include five teams in the pre-season top 25.

Northwest will open the 2022-23 season this weekend at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Lakeland, Fla. Northwest will take on No. 5-ranked West Texas A&M (Saturday, 7 p.m. CT)) and Flagler (Sunday, 7 p.m. CT).