HELENA -- Montana Tech's men's basketball team came in tied for second in the Frontier Conference's preseason coaches poll, the Frontier office announced Monday.
The Orediggers received one first-place vote and a total of 100 points in the preseason ballot. Defending champion Rocky Mountain came back the favorite, landing 110 points and 10 first-place nods. Bellevue tied with Tech for second and landed the other first-place vote.
Montana Tech enters the 2026-27 season in search of a sixth-straight NAIA tournament appearance. The team went 23-9 last season and won a first-round postseason game before bowing out against top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan.
A pair of returners garnered all-conference recognition from the Frontier last year. Senior
Brayden Koch was a second-teamer in 2025, and sophomore
Asher Williams was the sixth-man of the year.
The team will have a chance to repeat its Frontier tournament title in front of its hometown fans as the basketball championships return to the Butte Civic Center February 26-March 1.
The Orediggers start the 2026-27 season next Friday, October 30 in Dillon against The College of Idaho.
2026-27 Frontier Conference Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
First-place votes are listed in parentheses
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
 |
119 (10) |
| T2 |
 |
100 (1) |
| T2 |
 |
100 (1) |
| 4 |
 |
93 |
| 5 |
 |
85 |
| 6 |
 |
76 |
| 7 |
 |
58 |
| 8 |
.png) |
51 |
| 9 |
 |
43 |
| 10 |
 |
32 |
| 11 |
 |
20 |
| 12 |
.png) |
15 |
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