Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – The St. Norbert College men’s basketball team has been picked by the Midwest Conference (MWC) coaches to win its sixth consecutive conference championship. 

The Green Knights earned all nine possible first-place votes in the poll to earn 81 points.  Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own programs.  St. Norbert is expected to accomplish a feat just two other MWC programs have done in the league history.  Beloit College and former MWC member Carleton College are the only other programs to win six straight crowns.  Carleton won every title from 1928-33 and shared the 1934 crown with Knox College.  Beloit also shared the 1946 title with Knox and continued their streak until 1951.  St. Norbert will also be gunning for its eighth conference title in the last nine years. 

Lake Forest College earned the final first-place tally and finished second in the poll with 67 points.  Grinnell College and Cornell College tied for third place in the poll with 60 points each and Ripon College came in fifth with 56. 

Monmouth College tallied 38 points in the poll to finish sixth and was followed closely by Lawrence University in seventh (35 points).  Illinois College (23), Beloit College (21) and Knox College (9) complete the poll. 

Six programs open the season on Wednesday, Nov. 15.  Beloit and Lake Forest open conference action on Tuesday, Nov. 21 in Beloit. 

2017-18 MWC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. St. Norbert	(9) 81
2. Lake Forest	(1) 67
3. Cornell	60
3. Grinnell	60
5. Ripon	56
6. Monmouth	38
7. Lawrence	35
8. Illinois College	23
9. Beloit	21
10. Knox	9