SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Omaha men's basketball team was tabbed ninth in the 2022-23 Summit League Preseason Poll, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.
Frankie Fidler represents the Mavericks as a Preseason All-Summit First Team selection.
The preseason poll and awards were tallied in a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information staff, and media.
Oral Roberts was tabbed the preseason favorite this season collecting 28 first-place votes, while defending Summit League champion South Dakota State was selected second with 11 first-place votes.
South Dakota and North Dakota State round out the top-four. The Coyotes tallied the remaining first-place vote.
In the fifth through eighth spots falls Denver, Kansas City, Western Illinois, and St. Thomas, respectively. Below the Mavericks in 10
th is North Dakota.
Omaha finished its 2021-22 campaign at the 5-25 mark. A 4-14 finish in the Summit League earned them a trip to the championship as the No. 8 seed where the Mavericks fell in the opening round to South Dakota State.
Fidler takes home a preseason all-league nod following a stellar freshman season. He led the Mavericks in scoring with 12.9 points per game on 48.6 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three-point range, and 82.4 percent from the foul line.
The Bellevue, Nebraska native scored double-figures 19 times last season including two 30-point performances. Fidler dropped a career-high 37 points at North Dakota which was the most points scored in a game last year by a freshman. His 35 points vs. SDSU in the league quarterfinals was the second most by a freshman in tournament history.
Head coach
Chris Crutchfield enters his first season at the helm of the Mavericks. Joining him on staff are associate head coach
Kyan Brown and assistants
Kenya Crandell and
Warren Niles.
The 2022-23 season tips-off at Kansas on Nov. 7. Omaha will host Mid-America Christian on Nov. 1 for an exhibition game slated for 7 p.m.
Poll (1st) | Total Points
1. Oral Roberts (28) | 731
2. South Dakota State (11) | 668
3. South Dakota (1) | 602
4. North Dakota State | 549
5. Denver | 432
6. Kansas City | 310
7. Western Illinois | 294
8. St. Thomas | 289
9. Omaha | 279
10. North Dakota | 174
Preseason Player of the Year
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
First Team
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Luke Appel, South Dakota State
Frankie Fidler, Omaha
Trenton Massner, Western Illinois
Zeke Mayo, South Dakota State
Grant Nelson, North Dakota State
Second Team
Mason Archambault, South Dakota
Issac McBride, Oral Roberts
Kruz Perrott-Hunt, South Dakota
A.J. Plitzuweit, South Dakota
Tevin Smith, Denver
