Defending champions Barton men picked second nationally, first in KJCCC #GoBarton
Defending champions Barton men picked second nationally, first in KJCCC
The bullseye for the Barton men's basketball team entering the 2024-25 season has been lessened ever so slightly as the Cougars have been picked No. 2 in the NJCAA Division I preseason poll.
Coming off a prior season of completing the championship trifecta capped by the program's first ever national title, Barton's high expectations also include the defense of the KJCCC as voted on by member coaches.
The Cougars were voted first on eight of the thirteen first-place votes, followed by Hutchinson, ranked No. 15 in the national poll, in garnering two first-place votes and No. 19 preseason ranked Garden City picking up a pair of top votes for a third place prediction. Cowley received one top place vote in picked fourth and will start the season ranked No. 25 in the poll as Coffeyville rounds out the top five predictions and is receives national poll votes.
On the national scale, Barton follows South Plains College's top spot as Daytona State College, 2024 national runner-up Triton College, and Trinity Valley Community College follow the Cougars in rounding out the predicted top-five.
Replacing its starting five but returning highly touted players off the bench Keandre Kindell and Brent Moss, Barton looks to continue its 27-game win in its season opener Friday, November 8 against Labette Community College in the Hutchinson Classic. Concluding the Classic on Saturday against Southwest Christian College, Barton's home opener will be Tuesday, November 12 against North Platte Community College.
November 15-16 the Cougars host the Booster Club Classic taking on Northern Oklahoma College-Enid on Friday followed by Harry S Truman College out of Chicago on Saturday.
Barton opens conference play November 20 hosting Hutchinson, followed by road trips to Garden City and Cloud County before winding up November welcoming Cowley to the Barton Gym.
Just one home contest dots the December calendar coming on the 5th against Butler.
In a shake-the-holiday-rust-off contest slated January 4th hosting 21st ranked Mineral Area College, the Cougars return to conference play January 8 as Fort Hays Tech Northwest comes to town.
Special event night's planned to date are: January 29 or February 5 – Community Engagement Night, February 12 – Pink Out Night, and February 15 – Hall of Fame Day.
Tickets for reserved seating, as well as, parking passes, Booster Club memberships, and Cougar Den memberships are currently on sale with information found at BartonSports.com.