COLBY, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division 1 men’s basketball preseason poll has been released, and the league’s head coaches picked the Saints to finish 12th ahead of the 2025-26 season.

The Saints are slated to finish 12th out of 13 teams in the league, ahead of only Fort Hays Tech Northwest. Coffeyville was picked to finish atop the standings, followed by Cowley and Barton in a tie for second.

Seward returns only one student-athlete, Quincey Kidd, off its 2024-25 team that finished last in the KJCCC with a 3-26 overall record and 2-22 in conference play.

Head coach Austin Downing ushers in a new era for the Saints this season, his first as head coach. Downing comes to Seward by way of Barton Community College where he was the lead assistant the past three seasons. Downing and the Cougars won the 2023-24 NJCAA D1 Men’s National Championship and made an appearance in the national tournament last season. In his time on staff with the Cougars they held a record of 86-19 overall, which is tops in the conference in that span. The Cougars played in the Region 6 championship game all three seasons Downing was on staff.

Downing’s staff consists of assistant coach Marquis McCray, volunteer assistant coach Darko Cohadarevic and student coach Joey Dyck. The staff brought in 18 new student-athletes on the 19-man roster.

The first look at the Saints for fans comes this Saturday at 5 p.m. in The Greenhouse for Saints Preview Night. There will be fun for all ages including giveaways, team introductions, a dunk contest, a 3-Point Contest, games for fans/kids/students, autographs, a gear sale, scrimmages and more.

Seward opens its 2025-26 season on the road in La Junta, Colo., taking part in the Otero Classic. They play host Otero College on Friday, Oct. 31st at 8 p.m. CST and close the tournament out on Saturday, Nov. 1st, vs. Trinidad State at 3 p.m. CST. The Saints home opener is set for Wednesday, Nov. 5th, at 11 a.m. vs Friends University’s JV squad. The first home game vs. an NJCAA team is Tuesday, Nov. 11th, when Frank Phillips visits The Greenhouse for a 5:30 p.m. matchup.

Click here to read the full release from the KJCCC.

KJCCC D1 Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)

1) Coffeyville (6)

T2) Cowley (4)

T2) Barton (1)

4) Hutchinson

5) Butler

6) Dodge City (1)

7) Independence

8) Garden City

9) Cloud County (1)

10) Pratt

11) Colby

12) Seward County

13) Fort Hays Tech NW