:A GRANDE, Ore. - Fresh off a trip to the NAIA Division II national semifinals, the College of Idaho wase picked to defend their Cascade Conference championship, earning top billing in the annual preseason coaches' poll, released this morning
It marks the fifth-straight season that the Yotes were selected to win the title in the balloting of the 11 league coaches - with C of I winning the loop trophy in 2015 and 2018 and advancing to the NAIA Championships in three of the seasons.
The Coyotes received six first-place votes and 113 voter points, just ahead of Oregon Tech (111), Southern Oregon (99) and Warner Pacific (93). OIT returns a talented group of guards from a team that advanced to the first-round at Nationals; SOU returns three starters and seven key contributors from a squad that handed C of I one of their league losses in 2017-18; while WPU has a veteran group returning from a squad that lost to the Yotes in the CCC title game and advanced to the second-round at Nationals.
C of I opens the season this weekend at the Quinn Classic in La Grande - meeting New Hope Christian on Friday and Salish Kootenai on Saturday - with both start times set for 2 p.m.
2018-19 CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll
| PL |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
Pts |
CCC |
Overall |
| 1. |
College of Idaho (6) |
113 |
18-2 |
30-7 |
| 2. |
Oregon Tech (3) |
111 |
14-6 |
22-11 |
| 3. |
Southern Oregon (2) |
99 |
13-7 |
20-12 |
| 4. |
Warner Pacific |
93 |
15-5 |
24-10 |
| 5. |
Eastern Oregon |
73 |
13-7 |
21-8 |
| 6. |
Corban |
64 |
10-10 |
17-13 |
| 7. |
Northwest |
54 |
7-13 |
13-18 |
| 8. |
Northwest Christian |
50 |
9-11 |
13-15 |
| 9. |
Evergreen |
29 |
4-16 |
5-24 |
| 10. |
Multnomah |
27 |
5-15 |
9-21 |
| 11. |
Walla Walla |
13 |
2-18 |
6-24 |
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