HELENA — Dakota State (S.D.) has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2026-27 Frontier Conference women's basketball title, according to the league's coaches' preseason poll. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Trojans earned eight first-place votes and collected 117 points to claim the top spot in the 12-team conference poll. Dakota State enters the upcoming season following a successful 2025-26 campaign that featured a 30-6 overall record and an appearance in the NAIA semifinals.
Dakota State also captured the 2025-26 Frontier Conference regular-season title in the first year of the expanded league.
Rocky Mountain was picked second in the preseason poll with 110 points and two first-place votes, followed closely by Montana Tech in third place with 103 points and two first-place votes. The Orediggers won the Frontier Conference postseason tournament title last season.
Carroll secured the fourth spot with 89 points, while MSU-Northern rounded out the top five with 75 points.
Montana Western was selected sixth with 70 points, followed by Providence in seventh with 65 points and Valley City State (N.D.) in eighth with 60 points.
Bismarck State (N.D.) was picked ninth with 44 points, while Bellevue (Neb.) placed 10th with 31 points. Dickinson State (N.D.) was selected 11th with 25 points, followed by Mayville State (N.D.) in 12th with 13 points.
Four teams qualified for the NAIA national tournament last season, including Dakota State, Montana Tech, Rocky Mountain and Carroll.
The 22-game Frontier Conference schedule — 11 games at home and 11 games on the road — will begin in mid-November and run through February.
The Frontier Conference postseason tournament is scheduled for Feb. 26-March 1, 2027, in Butte at the Civic Center. The women’s basketball postseason tournament kicks off the quarterfinals round on Saturday, Feb. 27 (four games), followed by the semifinals on Sunday, Feb. 28, and the championship game on Monday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m.
The league awards two automatic bids to the NAIA national tournament, with the first automatic bid to the regular-season title winner. The second automatic berth will be awarded to Frontier Conference tournament champion. In the event the regular-season champion is the tournament champion, the second berth will be awarded to the tournament’s runner-up.
2026-27 Frontier Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
First-place votes are listed in parentheses
1. Dakota State — 117 points (8)
2. Rocky Mountain — 110 (2)
3. Montana Tech — 103 (2)
4. Carroll — 89
5. MSU-Northern — 75
6. Montana Western — 70
7. Providence — 65
8. Valley City State — 60
9. Bismarck State — 44
10. Bellevue — 31
11. Dickinson State — 25
12. Mayville State — 13
