CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Loras College men's basketball team has been picked second in the American Rivers Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, as released by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon.

The Duhawks totaled 53 points and received two first-place votes, four shy of Central College who was tabbed as the preseason favorite after receiving four of the remaining five first-place votes and 61 points. Coe was picked to finish third with 49 points, followed by the University of Dubuque in fourth with 44 points and one first-place vote. Nebraska Wesleyan rounded out the top five with 43 points.

Loras is coming off a 2022-23 campaign that included a 17-11 overall record, including a 9-7 mark in the A-R-C. The Duhawks earned the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament and took down the No. 5 seed Wartburg Knights in the quarterfinals and No. 1-seeded Central College Dutch in the semifinals before falling to Coe in the championship.

The Duhawks return all five starters from last season, including First Team All-Conference guard Ali Sabet and Second Team All-Conference forward Tyler Bass. Sabet finished last year averaging 17.4 points per game, while Bass had 13.9 points and seven rebounds per contest. Also returning to Loras is Myles Barry, Declan Ciurlik, and Alex Singleton, all of whom combine to score just north of 30 points per game.

The Purple and Gold start the 2023-24 season on Nov. 11 inside the Lillis Athletic & Wellness Center against Principia College. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.

A-R-C Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank     School (1^st Place Votes) Points                 2022-23 Record
1            Central (6)                        61 points            18-7 overall, 13-3 A-R-C (A-R-C Champions)
2            Loras (2)                            53 points            17-11 overall, 9-7 A-R-C
3            Coe                                    49 points            16-13 overall, 7-9 A-R-C (A-R-C Tournament Champions)
4            Dubuque (1)                     44 points            19-7 overall, 12-4 A-R-C
5            Nebraska Wes.                 43 points            16-10 overall, 11-5 A-R-C
6            Simpson                            26 points            12-12 overall, 5-11 A-R-C
7            Luther                               19 points            9-16 overall, 5-11 A-R-C
8            Buena Vista                      15 points            9-16 overall, 2-14 A-R-C
9            Wartburg                          14 points            11-15 overall, 8-8 A-R-C