A look at the KCAC basketball teams

In coaches predicted order of finish

Coach: Micah Ratzlaff, ninth season, 126-113

2014-15: 19-13, 15-3 KCAC

Outlook: Tabor is the defending KCAC regular-season champion and Ratzlaff has led his alma mater to back-to-back NAIA Division II Tournaments. The Bluejays lost honorable mention NAIA Division II All-American forward Andrew Thomas to graduation, but return three starters. Junior point guard Lance Carter averaged 12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3 assists. Ratzlaff said Carter lost 25 pounds in the offseason and is in the best shape of his life. Senior guard Malik Brooks is the team’s leading returning scorer at 13.5 points.

Coach: Troy Brown, second season, 22-9

2014-15: 22-9, 14-4

Outlook: Junior guard Grant Greenberg is already Saint Mary’s career scoring leader, the reigning KCAC Player of the Year and enters his final two seasons established as one of the nation’s top players. Greenberg, a 6-foot-3 Leavenworth native, earned NAIA Division II All-American honors last season after he was second in the nation in scoring at 28.9 points to go with 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. The Spires return four starters and hope some added depth will allow Greenberg to rest at times – he averaged 38 minutes last season.

Coach: Dale Faber, 13th season, 209-162

2014-15: 17-16, 11-7

Outlook: Faber is the winningest coach in Friends history and has led the school to the NAIA Division II Tournament five times, but none was more of a surprise than last season. After losing National Player of the Year Joe Mitchell, the Falcons seemed headed toward a rebuilding year before Kapaun product Toby Baxter took over, averaging 17.2 points and earning All-KCAC honors as Friends won the KCAC Tournament and earned an automatic bid to the national tournament. Friends returns starters in Baxter, Brett Williams and Brandon Johnson – all guards – and should get a lift in the post from 6-6 junior transfer Kaleb Ratliff and 6-7 junior transfer Deshawn Watson.

Coach: Clair Oleen, 23rd season

2014-15: 19-11, 11-7

Outlook: This could be one of Oleen’s best teams in years, with four returning starters and the Swedes’ top four scorers – led by All-KCAC guard Cody Harris. Harris, a 6-5 senior, was the KCAC Newcomer of the Year last season after averaging 18.5 points and hitting 99 three-pointers. Jonathan Gidson, Gary Jones and Larry McLin are the other three returning starters. Gidson, a 6-4 senior guard, was a second-team All-KCAC pick last season, wasn’t a starter and averaged 16.9 points. Jones, a 6-5 forward, was a third-team All-KCAC pick, averaged 16.7 points and led Bethany with 6.4 rebounds.

Coach: Matt O’Brien, seventh season, 102-77

2014-15: 20-10, 10-8

Outlook: Senior guard Cameron Clark is already one of the greatest players in Southwestern history. Clark, a 6-3 Lewisville, Texas, native, has earned some type of All-American honors three times and is a three-time All-KCAC pick. Clark averaged 21.2 points as Southwestern won 20 games for the first time in O’Brien’s tenure. Southwestern brings in its biggest recruiting class under O’Brien with 12 freshmen.

Coach: Aaron Siebenthall, first season

2014-15: 16-12, 9-9

Outlook: Siebenthall takes over after nine seasons as an assistant to Andy Carrier, who coached Ottawa for 25 seasons and retired after last year. Ottawa alum and Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart got his old school on the national radar by setting up an exhibition game between Ottawa and Kentucky on Nov. 2 in Lexington, Ky. Second-team All-KCAC guard Marshon Norfleet is back, and should get help from 2014 Jayhawk East Division II Player of the Year Pat Jones, a Johnson County product who played at Lynn College last season.

Coach: Dean Jaderston, 10th season, 160-115

2014-15: 16-16, 9-9

Outlook: Last season was the first time in Jaderston’s tenure that Sterling finished in the bottom half of the KCAC (sixth). Sterling will be hard-pressed to break back into the top half of the league with no returning double-digit scorers, although Buhler native Brandon Givens averaged 10.3 points in 2013-14 and 8.6 points last season. Sterling will need a big lift from 6-5 senior forward Terrence Boyd, who is at his fifth college.

Coach: Tim Swartzendruber, eighth season, 128-96

2014-15: 10-21, 6-12

Outlook: Swartzendruber hasn’t minced words about his team’s failings last season – particularly on the defensive end. McPherson struggled to close out close games, losing eight games by eight points or less, and missed the NAIA Division II Tournament for the second straight year after going four straight seasons and making it to the Final Four in 2012. Swartzendruber thinks freshman point guard and Heights product Chris Lowe could give the team a lift after helping lead the Falcons to the Class 5A title last season.

Coach: Mark Molder, second season, 7-23

2014-15: 7-23

Outlook: Oklahoma Wesleyan is in its first season in the KCAC, coming over from the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. Molder spent three seasons as Oklahoma Wesleyan’s women’s coach, leading the team to the NAIA Division II Tournament twice before taking over the men’s program.

Coach: Chris Fear, fifth season, 22-93

2014-15: 5-25, 3-15

Outlook: Fear said that it feels like Kansas Wesleyan is “finally there now” after struggling through his first four seasons. His optimism isn’t unfounded – Kansas Wesleyan has a team leader back in senior point guard Dylan Hidalgo, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and a pair of All-KCAC Freshmen back in 6-4 forward Arique Moss and 6-3 guard Keion Criswell. Criswell is the Coyotes’ top returning scorer at 8.2 points.

Coach: Tony Hoops, second season, 9-21

2014-15: 9-21, 3-15

Outlook: Hoops took on a massive rebuilding project after the Threshers went 0-27 in 2013-14. The losing streak reached 30 games before Bethel defeated Concordia in its second game. “You would’ve thought we won the national championship,” Hoops said. “And it kind of felt like that.” Bethel followed that with its best season in nine years, winning nine games.

In coaches predicted order of finish

Coach: Shawn Reed, fifth season, 48-42

2014-15: 21-13, 15-3 KCAC

Outlook: Reed returners four starters off last year’s KCAC regular-season champion and the best postseason run in school history after Tabor advanced to the NAIA Division II Elite Eight. Tabor’s top returner is 5-foot-11 junior forward Tena Loewen, a Hillsboro native. Loewen averaged 7.7 points, 7 rebounds and shot 61 percent from the field on the way to being named second team All-KCAC. Butler Community College transfer Jurnee Reid also joins the team. Tabor faces two NAIA Division II Final Four teams from last season in its nonconference schedule with games against Hastings and Briar Cliff.

Coach: Jason Jeschke, second season 27-7

2014-15: 27-7

Outlook: Jeschke has a KCAC title contender in Oklahoma Wesleyan’s first season in the league after leaving the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference, where they were runner-up last year before advancing to the NAIA Division II Sweet 16. Oklahoma Wesleyan was ranked in the Top 25 from start to finish last season and returns 6-foot senior forward Susan Ageson, an All-MCAC pick last season, along with a pair of honorable mention All-MCAC guards in Kayla Morgan and Courtney Robinson.

Coach: Ryan Showman, fourth season, 54-38

2014-15: 20-10, 12-6

Outlook: KWU will be led by a pair of returning guards who showed they could compete with the best players in the KCAC last season. Showman thinks junior guard Jenna Farris, a third team All-KCAC pick, looks more comfortable in the offense, and that’s after Farris averaged 14.2 points in just 11 starts last season. Junior guard Karli Steinle, honorable mention All-KCAC, averaged 10.1 points and was second on the team with 5.3 rebounds.

Coach: RaeAnne Boothe, sixth season, 109-51

2014-15: 21-12, 11-7

Outlook: Friends saw its streak of four straight trips to the NAIA Division II Tournament end last season. Boothe was disappointed in how the Falcons’ responded after rising to No. 9 in the country in December before dropping four of five games. Junior guard Shann Sellers is Friends’ top returning scorer at 12.9 points and is one of four players who return that started at least five games.

Coach: Bruce Tate, ninth season, 48-85

2014-15: 15-14, 11-7

Outlook: Last season was only Tate’s second double-digit win season in his tenure, and he returns four starters off that team. The key will be replacing All-KCAC pick Mikayla Skidmore, who started all 29 games and was also an All-KCAC Defensive selection.

Coach: Whitney Corley, first season

2014-15: 22-10, 13-5

Outlook: Corley, a former Southwestern star, took over for longtime coach Dave Denly in May after Denly resigned to become the coach at Bellevue. Denly didn’t leave the cupboard bare for Corley, as Southwestern returns one of the premiere post players in the KCAC in 6-foot forward Jana Reichenberger, a Bishop Carroll product. Reichenberger, a second-team All-KCAC pick last season, is the top returning scorer for the Moundbuilders at 11.2 points and led the team with 8.9 rebounds. Sophomore Jordy Miller, another 6-foot forward and Carroll product, was on the All-KCAC Freshman team last season.

Coach: Bruce Erickson, third season, 15-42

2014-15: 12-18, 7-11

Outlook: Erickson, a former Oklahoma State and UMKC assistant, saw considerable growth in his second season, going from three to 12 wins. He has a player to build on for the future in 6-foot sophomore guard Kelsey Switzer, last year’s KCAC Freshman of the Year. Switzer, a Murphys, Calif., native, averaged 11.8 points and 4.7 rebounds. Saint Mary has another top returner in 6-foot senior guard Imani Dixon, the Spires’ leading scorer and rebounder last season at 12 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Coach: K.C. Bassett, second season 13-18

2014-15: 13-18, 9-9

Outlook: Bassett, the 2007 KCAC Player of the Year, took over for longtime coach and Kansas Sports Hall of Famer Lonnie Kruse last season after serving as an assistant at Sterling for seven seasons. Sterling showed flashes in Bassett’s first season – which she called a “whirlwind” – with three wins over Top 25 teams. Sterling returns three starters, including All-KCAC Freshmen team selection Jordin Greer.

Coach: Gordon Reimer, third season, 14-47

2014-15: 4-26, 3-15

Outlook: Reimer may have finally found his footing at McPherson after two disappointing seasons. McPherson has all five starters back and gets a big lift from Emporia State transfer Ashton Bruner. Reimer has had success in the KCAC before, leading Kansas Wesleyan to three NAIA Division II tournament appearances in eight seasons.

Coach: Mark Fox, 11th season, 107-168

2014-15: 10-18, 7-11

Outlook: With 10 new players on the roster, Fox thinks this year’s squad is behind where others have been in the past at this point. Bethel’s biggest challenge will be replacing KCAC Player of the Year April Harpe, who averaged 16.8 points and 10.2 rebounds last season and shot 57.1 percent from the field.

Coach: Brett Morehouse, third season, 8-52

2014-15: 3-27, 2-16

Outlook: Bethany has struggled over the last two seasons, winning five games in KCAC play. Morehouse’s work load was lessened considerably this year after Bethany added a full-time women’s assistant for the first time in Tony Nakashima, as Morehouse had to coach both the varsity and junior varsity the last two seasons. Junior guard Adriane Davis was the KCAC Newcomer of the Year last season after the Eastern Oklahoma State transfer averaged 15.6 points.

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 5:30 AM with the headline "A look at the KCAC basketball teams."