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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

For the first time since the 2012 season the Washburn University men's basketball team has been tapped for the No. 1 spot in the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media polls released Monday by the league office before the start of the MIAA Basketball Media Day in Kansas City, Mo.

Washburn men's basketball has been tapped for the No. 1 spot in both MIAA preseason polls after winning an NCAA regional title and reaching the national semifinals last season. [File photo/TSN]

In the MIAA Coaches Poll, Washburn received 13 of 14 first-place votes, tallying 169 points and finishing ahead of Rogers State, which had one first-place vote and 141 total points.

In the MIAA media poll, the Ichabods received 23 of 25 first-place votes from the media for 346 total points. Fort Hays State had one first-place vote and 297 points and Rogers State had a first-place vote and 286 total points.

The Ichabods are coming off an NCAA Final Four appearance, an NCAA Central Regional Championship and an MIAA regular season title with a 30-4 overall record after going 17-2 in MIAA play.

Rogers State received its best preseason rankings since joining the MIAA in 2019 after ending last season 23-10 overall and 13-6 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State, the defending MIAA tournament champion, finished 22-10 overall and 12-7 in the MIAA last season.

Both MIAA coaches and media members also included Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State in their top five.

Washburn will open the 2025-26 season at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic facing Augusta on Nov. 1 and Dallas Baptist the following day in Lakeland, Fla.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Preseason MIAA polls for the 2025-26 season have Washburn women's basketball slotted at No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and No. 3 in the Media Poll released on Monday morning by the conference.

Lora Westling's Washburn women's basketball team has been picked second and third in the MIAA preseason polls. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn is coming off an 18-13 season with a 11-8 mark inside the MIAA that saw them reach the MIAA Tournament semifinals.

In the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll the Ichabods landed at No. 2 with 148 points and six first-place votes, the most among any team in the conference among coaches.

Fort Hays State sits atop the poll with 152 total points and two first-place votes. Pittsburg State is slotted at No. 3 with five first-place votes and 144 points. Central Missouri claims the final first-place nod, with 138 total points at No. 4.

In the media poll Washburn sits at No. 3 with 276 total points and three first-place votes.

Pittsburg State leads the media ballot with 13 first-place votes and 326 total points. Fort Hays State is second with five first-place votes and 299 points. Behind the Ichabods is Central Missouri at No. 4, with the final four first-place votes and 271 total points.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Former Centralia multi-sport star Kamble Haverkamp cherished his time in the Kansas State football progam.

But Washburn University offered Haverkamp an opportunity that the 6-foot, 205-pound senior free safety wasn't sure if or when he'd ever get from the Wildcats -- a chance to play on a regular basis.

Centralia product Kamble Haverkamp's decision to transfer to Washburn has been a good one for him and the Ichabods. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

"There were a lot of great guys (at Kansas State) that taught me a lot, great leaders, as far as how you have to study and prepare and how you approach all the things you have to do as a student-athlete, so I definitely grew a lot in my time there for sure,'' Haverkamp said.

"You're there and it's awesome. It's a great place to be, you can't deny that, but whenever you look at all the time you have to put in to be a student-athlete and all the early mornings and all the lifting, eating right and all the time that it takes just to be a student-athlete, the bare minimum, if I'm going to do all of that I want to play on the field.

"I want to play and contribute to my team and make all that time worth it and get the reward of playing.''

And four seasons after making the decision to transfer to Washburn, it's safe to say the move has been a good one for both Haverkamp and the Ichabods.

"Absolutely, one of the best decisions I've ever made,'' Haverkamp said. "Obviously, playing football is great and that's awesome, but it's also just all the people that I've gotten to meet, teammates that are now brothers, and coaches that have impacted me, especially coach Wat (Ichabod coach Zach Watkins).

"I've been with him four years now and he's just a great guy to be around and he's taught me so much and he's a mentor to me.''

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Welcome to Top Sports News

Washburn men's basketball picked No. 1 in both MIAA preseason polls

Washburn women's basketball No. 2 in MIAA preseason Coaches Poll, No. 3 in Media Poll

Haverkamp's move to Washburn pays dividends for former Centralia star, Ichabods