BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A trio of Mid-South Conference teams are ranked in the Gared-NAIA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll, the national office announced Wednesday.

Reigning NAIA National Champions Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) is the top MSC team in the poll, checking in at No. 2. The Lions -- who won the Mid-South Conference regular-season and tournament titles last season -- earned four of the 19 first-place votes.

Freed-Hardeman -- who has captured two out of the last three NAIA National Championships -- finished 2025-26 with a 35-1 record. The Lions begin their title defense on Saturday, Oct. 24, at home against Marian (Ind.).

Georgetown (Ky.) and Cumberlands (Ky.) also begin this season in the top 10.

Georgetown is No. 7 in the preseason poll after finishing 2025-26 with a 24-8 record and reaching the NAIA National Tournament's Round of 16. The Tigers open their season on Thursday, Oct. 22, at home against Alice Lloyd (Ky.).

Cumberlands opens the season at No. 10 following a 24-9 record and a run to the NAIA National Tournament final site last season. The Patriots host Simmons (Ky.) on Friday, Oct. 23, in their season opener.

Grace (Ind.) is the top-ranked team in the poll. Arizona Christian is No. 3, followed by No. 4-ranked Rocky Mountain (Mont.) and No. 5-ranked Indiana Wesleyan.

The first regular season poll is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 11.