Oklahoma City – After winning the 2022 Sooner Athletic Conference Post-Season Tournament last season, John Brown University will begin the 2023 season as the top team in this year’s preseason poll as voted upon by the league’s head coaches.
 
The Golden Eagles garnered 87 points and six first-place ballots to claim the top spot in the poll after finishing last season with a 15-5 overall record and an 8-1 mark in conference play. John Brown won the conference tournament as the No. 2 by defeating Science and Arts 2-0 in the finals before falling in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament to Indiana Wesleyan.
 
Science and Arts grabbed the second spot in the poll with 84 points while earning four first-place votes after winning the regular season title last year with a 16-3-1 record while finishing conference play with a perfect 9-0 mark. The Drovers also advanced to the NAIA National Tournament before dropping a 3-2 decision to Grace.
 
Mid-America Christian and Oklahoma City earned a tie for third place in the voting with 69 points. The Evangels finished the 2022 season with a 6-10-2 overall record and tied the Stars for third place in the league race with a 5-2-2 mark. Oklahoma City ended the campaign last fall with an 11-4-4 overall mark.
 
Texas Wesleyan rounds out the top five in the preseason poll with 57 points after finishing last season with a 6-11 record while going 4-5 in conference play.
 
Complete Pre-Season Poll (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
 

1.   John Brown                             87        (6)
2.   Science and Arts                     84        (4)
T3. Mid-America Christian             69
T3. Oklahoma City                        69        
5.   Texas Wesleyan                      57
6.   Wayland                                  52
7.   Southwestern Christian           41
8.   SAGU                                      33
9.   Central Christian                     25
10. Panhandle State                     21