via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oregon Tech opens the 2024-25 season ranked No. 16 in the Preseason NAIA Men’s Basketball Top-25 Coaches Poll, released by the national office.
The Hustlin’ Owls earn a spot in the poll to start a year for the sixth time in seven seasons, with Tech ranked for the sixth-straight polling period.
OIT received 255 voter points from the 20 conference raters – one of three Cascade Conference teams in the rating. Defending CCC regular-season champ, College of Idaho, is ranked No. 2, with Lewis-Clark State ranked No. 25. The Owls defeated both teams on the road on the way to the CCC Tournament title in 2024 – part of a 27-6 season.
One non-conference opponent is ranked in the poll – No. 6-ranked Arizona Christian, who visits Klamath Falls as part of the Lithia Classic.
Tech opens the season next Friday in Helena, Mont., competing in the Comfort Suites Classic – facing the University of Providence and Carroll College.
| RANK | INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] | 2023-24 RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
| 1 | Langston (Okla.) [13] | 35-2 | 533 |
| 2 | College of Idaho [5] | 32-4 | 525 |
| 3 | Indiana Wesleyan | 29-6 | 483 |
| 4 | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) [2] | 32-4 | 478 |
| 5 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 31-3 | 456 |
| 6 | Arizona Christian | 25-8 | 451 |
| 7 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 24-8 | 427 |
| 8 | Grace (Ind.) | 34-2 | 415 |
| 9 | Montana Tech | 27-5 | 355 |
| 10 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 24-9 | 350 |
| 11 | Concordia (Neb.) | 24-8 | 335 |
| 12 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 24-7 | 333 |
| 13 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 24-9 | 293 |
| 14 | Central Baptist (Ark.) | 28-7 | 275 |
| 15 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 25-8 | 259 |
| 16 | Oregon Tech | 27-6 | 255 |
| 17 | Ave Maria (Fla.) | 22-10 | 246 |
| 18 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 28-5 | 244 |
| 19 | Huntington (Ind.) | 22-10 | 214 |
| 19 | Baker (Kan.) | 23-10 | 214 |
| 21 | Madonna (Mich.) | 27-7 | 185 |
| 22 | Florida Memorial | 23-7 | 151 |
| 23 | Nelson (Texas) | 20-10 | 116 |
| 24 | Kansas Wesleyan | 23-9 | 110 |
| 25 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 24-9 | 95 |
For just the third time in program history, Oregon Tech earned a spot in the preseason NAIA Top-25 Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll, released by the national office.
Coming off a 27-5 record, the Lady Owls earned 181 voter points, starting the 2024-25 season ranked No. 20. It equals the highest preseason ranking, first established in 2016, with the 2003 team also starting the year in the Top-25 (No. 22).
OIT was one of three Cascade Conference teams in the poll – joined by No. 10-ranked Southern Oregon and No. 24-ranked Lewis-Clark State.
Three of the Lady Owls six non-conference opponents are also in the tabulation – No. 1-ranked Dordt, No. 19-ranked Northwestern and Arizona Christian, which was in the group of others receiving votes.
Tech opens the season on Nov. 1 with a road date in Orange City, Iowa, against Northwestern College.
| RANK | INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] | 2023-24 RECORD | POINTS |
| 1 | Dordt (Iowa) [12] | 35-2 | 532 |
| 2 | Providence (Mont.) [7] | 27-9 | 525 |
| 3 | Indiana Wesleyan [1] | 29-5 | 496 |
| 4 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 31-2 | 470 |
| 5 | Concordia (Neb.) | 27-7 | 452 |
| 6 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 28-7 | 432 |
| 7 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 26-10 | 422 |
| 8 | Carroll (Mont.) | 28-6 | 412 |
| 9 | Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) | 22-11 | 357 |
| 10 | Southern Oregon | 28-5 | 330 |
| 11 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 25-7 | 326 |
| 12 | Indiana Tech | 30-4 | 298 |
| 13 | Loyola (La.) | 26-5 | 289 |
| 14 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 30-3 | 252 |
| 15 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 26-6 | 235 |
| 16 | Mayville State (S.D.) | 26-4 | 230 |
| 17 | Grand View (Iowa) | 37-5 | 216 |
| 18 | Wayland Baptist (Texas) | 23-9 | 200 |
| 19 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 19-12 | 192 |
| 20 | Oregon Tech | 27-5 | 181 |
| 21 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 16-13 | 163 |
| 22 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 18-11 | 151 |
| 23 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 24-10 | 139 |
| 24 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 26-6 | 125 |
| 25 | IU South Bend (Ind.) | 31-2 | 124 |