INDIANAPOLIS – With the season coming in two weeks, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference announced the 2023-24 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Friday (Oct. 27) afternoon.

The Panthers were picked tenth in the poll as voted on by the conference's head coaches, compiling 57 points. 

The defending G-MAC tournament champion Ashland is the preseason favorite with 11 of the 13 first place votes and 156 points. Walsh, the regular season champion, was second with two first place votes (142 points). Cedarville (135 points), Findlay (112 points) and Lake Erie (107 points) round out the top five. Hillsdale, the second G-MAC representative in the Midwest Regional, was slotted sixth with 102 points. Tiffin garnered 98 points in seventh place with Kentucky Wesleyan (74 points) and Thomas More (70 points) in eighth and ninth place, respectively. Trevecca Nazarene, Malone and Northwood were all picked behind the Panthers in 11th through 13th place. 

Ohio Dominican finished the 2022-23 season with a 9-18 overall record and was 5-15 in conference play.

Head coach Casey Kaufman begins his first season at the helm of the Panthers this winter. Kaufman returns three players from last season's squad. Seniors Nate Webb (Lafayette, Indiana) and Kayin Derden (Columbus, Ohio) along with sophomore Kevin James (Massillon, Ohio) are all back for Ohio Dominican. 

Ohio Dominican will host a GLVC/G-MAC crossover at Alumni Hall to begin the 2023-24 season. The opening weekend event takes place on Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th with Lewis, McKendree and Tiffin all playing. Conference play opens on the road at Cedarville on November 30th. 

2023-24 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll