#1. Anoka-Ramsey Community College  

In 2018-19, Head coach Ron Larson enters his 11 season at the helm of the Anoka-Ramsey men's basketball program.  Larson is 184-116 over that time span, and the Golden Rams captured the 2017-18 MCAC Southern Division regular season title last winter.  

ARCC will have to replace Chris Morgan, who has moved on to Valley City State University, but Larson has been impressed with newcomers Beau Nelson (F, Plainview, MN) and Nate Soto (F, Fridley, MN) so far this year. Anoka-Ramsey also returns several players from last season, including DeAndre Jones (G/F, Fridley, MN),  Justin Castro (Kissimmee, Florida),  Jackson Odegard (Blaine, MN) and Jalen Dunlap (Houston, TX). 

The Golden Rams will include Brady Larson, Rory Larson and George Ellis on their staff.  Coach Larson noted the following of the current edition of the Rams: "We will be good." 

#2. Rochester Community & Technical College   

Rochester Community & Technical College head coach Brian LaPlante enters 2018-19 just 13 wins away from the 450 mark, with 437-191 career record over the past 23 years.  Last year, the Yellowjackets went 24-6 overall and were 11-3 in the Southern Division, good for second place in the regular season. 

Several standouts from last year have moved on to four-year colleges, including Jumah'Ri Turner  (Emporia State),  Michael Cornelious (Valley City State University) and Tevin Killeen (St. Mary's KS). 

Eager to step into the roles open this year are returners Ray Adams. Guard, Rochester, MN: Naa'il Mahdi (G Cincinnati, OH), Ben Opshal (G/F Goodhue, MN) Roy Womack (C San Antonio, TX) DJ Pettigrew (G Milwaukee, WI).  Joining the RCTC veterans is a host of freshman, including Kong Kong (G/F Mankato, MN), Eddie Oyet (G Mankato, MN), Antonio Maddox (G, Minneapolis, MN) and Elijah Flenorl (G, Wauwautosa, WI).

The veteran coach notes: "I am expecting our team to have expectations on the pace and toughness in which we play especially on the Defensive end...We have a good group of people who have high expectations."

Jason Bonde and Matt Christensen take up assistant coaching roles for RCTC, who was selected second in the MCAC Southern Division preseason poll.       

#3. Riverland Community College 

Head coach Derek Hahn head into his fourth season, on the Riverland Community College bench, where he has accumulated a 51-34 mark over that time.  

In 2018, Riverland will look to replace former Blue Devils Robert Parker, who has moved on to NCAA Division II Quincy University and Jacob Persoon, suiting up for NAIA program Benedictine University - Mesa this winter. 

Deandre Raggs (F, Minneapolis, MN),  Kwantez Simmons  (F, Milwaukee, WI) DeAndre Smith (F, Inver Grove Heights, MN) all return from the 2017-18 Riverland team which went 19-9 overall and 10-4 in the MCAC Southern Division, good for a third-place finish.  They will be joined by Montrell Jacobs  (G, Milwaukee, WI), Deandre Anderson  (G, Milwaukee, WI) Jalen Smith (G, Ankeny, IA) Brian Robinson (G, Brooklyn Park, MN) in pursuit of a another strong MCAC campaign. 

Coach Hahn notes that Riverland is a "Solid mix of key returning pieces and new faces who will be relied upon heavily to contribute. For this team to be successful we will need to learn to value defense and rebound at a high level on both ends of the floor!"  Assisting Hahn this season will be Andrew Kaiser and Andrew Lau, serving as Blue Devil assistants this season. 

 #4. Minnesota West CTC

Taylor Lupton moves from an assistant role in 2017-18 to the head coaches chair for this season.  The BlueJays qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament last fall, as they swept through the MCAC State Championship and the Tournament championship. 

The MnWest squad was 19-14 overall and return Jeffery Hudson and Deshawn Pickford from last season.   Two newcomers from South Dakota have been highlighted by Coach Lupton; Christophe Bwanya and Emmanuel Akot will look to mesh with the rest of the BlueJay squad to return to the MCAC State tournament in 2018-19.

Brian Stoebner and Shane Hennen will serve as Minnesota West CTC assistant coaches this winter.

 #5. Ridgewater College 

Nathan Thooft head into his second year at Ridgewater with a strong recruiting class of 12 new faces.  Throoft also returns his assistant coach, Joel Wallace and adds student-assistant Ken Celedon to his staff this fall. 

The Warriors also have three key returners in Niko Oliver (G, Orlando FL),  Daiviante Ostrander (G, Columbia, MO) and Avery Palma  (G, Greely, CO).  Among the many new players looking to make an impact in Willmar, Thooft noted that Sam Olson, Wing (Rocori, MN), Travis Visser (F, Hinckley, MN) and Rodney Lubin (G, Orlando, FL) have impressed early on this fall. Ridgewater will look to replace Xavier Towne, who is playing at Mayville State University this season. 

Thooft had this to say on the 2018-19 Warrior season: "We add 12 freshmen to three really good returning sophomores. We are excited about this group, we believe that they will play hard and be fun to coach. We have good and bad things that we can build on or remove from last year. We hope to be a disciplined, tight knit group that comes to compete every night."

For timely information on Ridgewater's men's basketball team, be sure to follow them on Twitter at @RidgewaterMBB

T- #6. Western Technical College 

Western Technical College heads into the 2018-19 with Erik Wuensch entering his seventh year and he currently sits at 65-78 in that time. Last year, WTC finished 8-19 overall and had a MCAC Southern Divison record of 4-10.  Wuensch notes that WTC has "five returning players and some talented newcomers we will be competitive each night out". 

The Cavaliers will rely on returners Joshua Brownlee  (G, Michigan City IN),  Kadar Farah, (F, Rochester Minn),  Justen Kidd (G, Brookfield, WI), Andrew Scott (F, Prairie du chein, WI) and Kyle Wingert (F, Bangor, WI) to lean on their experience from last season.  They will be joined  on the floor by Mhalik Lindsey, (G, Wauwatosa WI), Jason Gurholt (F,  Lacrescent, MN) Derik Davis (F, Houston TX) and  Jarrell Tarr (G,  Springfield, IL) this winter. 

Assistant coach Matt Sullivan continues his role for Western Tech, as the Cavaliers look to climb the ranks of the MCAC Southern Division in 2018-19. 

T -#6. Minnesota State-Fergus Falls

The men's basketball team at M State-Fergus Falls was 11-16 overall in 2017-18, and second year head coach Shawn Sorenson and assistant coach Daniel Berge will look to lead a group of new faces and returners up the ranks of the MCAC Southern Division. 

Some key Spartan returners include Aaron Solberg, (P, Perham MN) Samuel Priem (G/W, Detroit Lakes MN) Austin Miller (G, Big Lake MN). They will welcome first-year student-athletes Kyler Newman (W, Fergus Falls MN)  Martin LaFond (G, Perham MN).  Former M State standout Isaiah Lemke suits up for the University of Minnesota-Morris this year. 

Coach Sorensen notes: "We expect to improve as a team throughout the season led by our returning sophomores who have great experience."

#7. St. Cloud Technical & Community College

St. Cloud Technical & Community College men's basketball coach Andrew Cone heads into his eigth year at the helm of the Cyclones, accumulating a 105-80 record over that time. 

In 2017-18, SCTCC finished 13-14 overall and 4-10 in the MCAC Southern Division.   The Cyclones return several key athletes from last season, including Jazz Boker (F, Brooklyn Park, MN),  Keshawn Sutton (G, Osseo, MN) and Jimmie McAfee (G, Milwaukee).  The returners will be joined by some new faces looking to make an impact on the team, including Dillon Haider (G, Melrose, MN), Paul Coleman (G, Sartell, MN) Taye Carter (F, St Paul, MN),  Max May (F, Burnsville, MN), and Eric Racine (G, Brooklyn Park, MN). 

Coach Cone had the following to say about the 2018-19 edition of the Cyclones: "We will hope to use our overall team quickness to our advantage on the court. We will have to push the tempo with the smaller lineup that we have. I am looking forward to seeing this team grow throughout the year." 

Two student-athletes from last year's team are currently playing in the NCAA Division III ranks;  Kyle Williams will take the court for UW-Stout and Izaiah Sanders will play at North Park (IL) University.