The Barton Community College men's basketball team has been picked to finish third in Division I of the Jayhawk Conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season according to voting by the league's head coaches.
After a hot start gave way to a midseason rough patch, the Cougars closed last season with 10 consecutive conference victories to clinch a share of the KJCCC title at 17-7, marking the program's second league crown in three seasons.
The late-season surge propelled Barton to the top overall seed in the Region 6/Plains District Tournament, where the Cougars advanced to their fourth consecutive championship game. Despite falling to Butler in the title contest, Barton earned an at-large bid to its third straight NJCAA Division I National Tournament, eventually concluding the campaign at 24-10.
With six teams receiving at least one first-place vote, Coffeyville tops the preseason poll with three first-place votes and 140 total points. Butler, which shared last season's regular-season crown with Barton before defeating the Cougars in the Region 6 championship game, sits second with 135 points and three first-place votes. Barton follows closely in third with 129 points, also receiving three first-place votes.
Cowley garnered one first-place vote and 125 points for fourth, while Hutchinson rounds out the top five with 106 points and two first-place votes. Garden City sits sixth with 103 points, followed by Seward County with 100 points and the remaining first-place vote. The Saints are led by former Barton assistant coach Austin Downing.
Barton enters the new campaign with a largely revamped roster, welcoming a host of talented freshmen and transfers to join just two returning players in Mikey Williams and Blake Rucker.
The Cougars open the season at home Nov. 6-7 hosting the Cougar Kick-Off Classic, tipping off the campaign Friday at 7:30 p.m. against North Dakota State College of Science before returning Saturday to face Lee College.
The complete schedule, along with information on reserved seating tickets, parking passes, Booster Club memberships and Cougar Den memberships, is available at BartonSports.com.