KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Friends University Falcons will begin the 2025-26 season as the No. 24-ranked team in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches' poll, released today (Oct. 22) by the national office.
Defending NAIA National Champion College of Idaho claimed the top spot, with Oklahoma Wesleyan at No. 10 and Saint Mary receiving votes as the other KCAC representatives.
Under KCAC Coach of the Year Phil McClintock in his third season at the helm, the Falcons lose KCAC Co-Player of the Year and NAIA All-America performer KJ Spiller, but return an All-KCAC trio of Randy Woolf, Jr., Cahlese Lee and Ringo Deng.
The Falcons are looking to build off their best season in six years that saw the program's most wins (24) since the 2018-19 season along with the team's first NAIA Postseason win since 2013-14 and a second-place KCAC finish.
"It was obviously a good year last season, we do return a lot but every year is different," McClintock said during his KCAC Media segment. "Guys will be in different roles. We were the hunter last year, but this year we'll have a target on our back."
The Falcons will open the 2025-26 season at home Saturday (Oct. 25) against No.8-ranked Northwestern College (Iowa) at 1 pm inside the Garvey Center.
Complete NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches' poll
