WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons have been selected to finish second in the KCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference office announced today (Aug. 14).

The Falcons trailed only seven-time defending regular-season champion Oklahoma Wesleyan University, who garnered 13 first-place votes.  Friends snagged the lone remaining first-place tally.

Kansas Wesleyan University, Tabor College and Evangel University made up the rest of the top five.

Last season, the Falcons finished as the conference runner-up at 10-1-2, with their only setback in the league coming to OKWU.  The two teams also squared off in the KCAC tournament title match, with the Eagles narrowly prevailing on penalty kicks following a scoreless 110 minutes.

It was the fourth time in the past 11 years that head coach Brent Hobson's Falcons have recorded a runner-up finish in the conference.  The program has also secured five NAIA National Tournament appearances in the past seven seasons.

The Falcons return five All-KCAC selections from last season in hopes of maintaining this sustained level of success for the 2026 campaign.

The new season begins with a tantalizing home matchup on Aug. 23 vs. NCAA D-I Oral Roberts University at Adair-Austin Stadium.