Region 11 very well may have the best basketball conference from top to bottom in the country.
In Division I, three teams compete for the Region 11 crown - and a route to an automatic bid to the NJCAA Tournament. Last season, both Southeastern and Indian Hills made their way to the 24-team tournament.
Southeastern was the automatic bid after mounting a big comeback in the regional title game, then beating NDSCS in the District Championship. They went 1-1 at the national tournament before a second round exit.
Indian Hills earned an at-large bid after their success versus a tough non-conference schedule. Their furthest tournament run in recent memory was capped off by a Final Four appearance.
Marshalltown rounds out the group --- with the Tigers looking to find a breakthrough season in 2023-24.
Division II annually sees four or five teams that have the talent to advance to the National Tournament. This season is no different.
The league adds Western Iowa Tech to the mix to make for an 18 conference game schedule. At the top of the coaches poll, you can find three teams that have been to the national tournament in the last five years. DMACC, Iowa Lakes and Kirkwood are the favorites once again to battle for an automatic bid to Danville, Ill. The nice thing is, in 2023-24, there are now four at-large bids available. Surely one would think Region 11 would garner one of those.
Ellsworth is a team to watch again this season. The Panthers reload with talent, and will take their experience from last year's success to learn and grow this season.
Iowa Western and Iowa Central were voted in the middle of the pack. Each team has finished there over the past few seasons. They'll try to move up the ladder.
Northeast, NIACC and Southwestern all have inexperienced head coaches, with one season combined of head coaching experience in the ICCAC between the three.
Western Iowa Tech will participate in the schedule, but they are ineligible for postseason play in their first year of NJCAA competition. The other nine teams will meet in Creston for the Region 11 Tournament in March.
Division I:
ICCAC Division I Men's Basketball Preview
Division II:
ICCAC Division II Men's Basketball Preview