ALVA, Okla. – The Great American Conference has released the annual 2026 preseason coaches poll, voted on by the conference coaches. The Northwestern Rangers enter the year picked seventh.

Arkansas Tech finished first in the poll with 115 points and six first place votes, which puts them narrowly ahead of Harding, who had 110 points and five first place votes. Southern Arkansas was the only other team to receive a first-place vote, as they finished with 102 points and one vote for first place.

Henderson State came in fourth in 87 points, while Arkansas-Monticello was not far behind in fifth with 82 points. Ouachita Baptist received 68 points in sixth, while Northwestern got 59.
Oklahoma Baptist rounds out the top eight with 58 points, with Southeastern in ninth at 47. Southwestern received 31 points for 10th place, while East Central got 11th place with 22, and Southern Nazarene got 12th with 11 points.

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