By: Brandon Stinson: Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BILLINGS, Mont.- Following a banner 2025–26 campaign, expectations remain high for Rocky Men's Basketball as the Battlin' Bears were picked as the preseason favorites in the 2026–27 Frontier Conference Men's Basketball Coaches Poll, announced Monday.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own programs. Rocky accumulated 119 total points and secured 10 of the 12 first-place votes to claim the top spot in the expanded 12-team league. The Battlin' Bears finished 19 points clear of Bellevue University (Neb.) and Montana Tech, who tied for second place with 100 points and one first-place vote apiece.
Below is the full 2026-27 Frontier Conference Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll.
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Points
|
|
1
|
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) (10)
|
119
|
|
T-2
|
Bellevue (Neb.) (1)
|
100
|
|
T-2
|
Montana Tech (1)
|
100
|
|
4
|
Carroll (Mont.)
|
93
|
|
5
|
MSU-Northern
|
85
|
|
6
|
Dakota State (S.D.)
|
76
|
|
7
|
Montana Western
|
58
|
|
8
|
Dickinson State (N.D.)
|
51
|
|
9
|
Mayville State (N.D.)
|
43
|
|
10
|
Valley City State (N.D.)
|
32
|
|
11
|
Providence (Mont.)
|
20
|
|
12
|
Bismarck State (N.D.)
|
15
|
The 2025–26 season was a landmark year for Rocky Men's Basketball in its first year under Head Coach Danny Neville. The Battlin' Bears established new program single-season records in total wins (31), conference victories (20), and longest winning streak (21). Along the way, Rocky captured its first regular-season and conference tournament titles since 2014, clinching its first NAIA National Tournament berth since 2019.
Rocky returns three starters from last year's championship squad, headlined by NAIA All-Tournament Team, First Team All-Frontier, and All-Defensive Team standout Royce Robinson. Joining Robinson is fellow All-Defensive Team honoree Mekhi Jourdan, along with redshirt senior forward Jacob Bilodeau. Six additional returners with key rotational experience add depth to a roster that also welcomes a talented incoming class of collegiate transfers and high school recruits.
The Battlin' Bears have assembled a challenging non-conference schedule. Rocky opens play on Oct. 31 with an exhibition match against Black Hills State. After tests against two NCAA Division II programs and a pair of 2026 NAIA National Tournament qualifiers, highlighted by a marquee road contest against the defending NAIA National Champions, Rocky will play its home opener on Dec. 3 against the University of Providence.
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