As this year’s season starts, we will be looking at more than just the champions from 16 districts across the nation, but also for 8 additional teams chosen to participate in this year’s tournament. You see, this year is the start of a 24-team, single elimination tournament in Hutchinson, as opposed to the 16-team double elimination format they have been using for the last few decades.

Because of this format, any district could have between 1 and 3 representatives, depending on who is chosen. We will get into this format in detail on another day.

The pre-season poll released on October 25 has a lot of familiar faces in it (which is typical of pre-season polls in the NJCAA).

1. South Plains College – ‏@spctexans

2. Northwest Florida State College – @NWFSC

3. Howard College – @hchawks

4. Chipola College – @ChipolaCollege

5. Indian Hills Community College – Ottumwa – @indianhills

6. Vincennes University – @VincennesU

7. College of Southern Idaho – @CSIEagles

8. East Mississippi Community College – @EMCCathletics

9. Seward County Community College – @Scccsaintssid

10. Navarro College – @NavarroCollege

11. Casper College – @CasperCollege

12. Monroe College – @monroe_college

13. Hutchinson Community College – @bluedragonsport

14. Trinity Valley Community College – @TVCCnews

15. Palm Beach State College – @PBStateCollege

16. Spartanburg Methodist College – @GOSMCPIONEERS

17. Shelton State Community College – @sheltonstate

18. Gordon State College – @GordonState

19. Coffeyville Community College – @cccravens

20. Iowa Western Community College – @IowaWesternCC

21. Otero Junior College – @OteroJrCollege

22. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – @MGCCCBulldogs

23. Odessa College – @odessacollege

24. North Idaho College – @NorthIdaho

25. Highland Community College – Illinois – @HighlandCollege