2023 Frontier Conference Basketball Preview

The new year is here and with it, a new season of Frontier Conference men's and women's basketball. While league play officially started early in December with each team playing two games, this weekend marks the beginning of nothing but Frontier basketball for the next two months.

It should be an exciting winter in the Frontier as both leagues are loaded with nationally-ranked teams. Currently, three women's teams and two men's teams are ranked in the NAIA Top 25 as league play resumes.

It will also be exciting because there's a race to the new Frontier Tournament. For the first time in more than a decade, the league will play a postseason tournament, which will be held in February in Great Falls. The Frontier had been playing a playoff format prior to this season.

So, with so many talented teams and so many great players and coaches, the next two months are going to be a lot of fun. Here's a look at both the men's and women's upcoming Frontier seasons.

Frontier Women

Carroll College begins the Frontier season at 2-0 in league play and ranked No. 11 overall. The defending champion Saints, despite graduating so many good players from last season, are heavy favorites to win the league due to the return of All-Americans like Jamie Pickens and Sienna Swannack, as well as star transfer Kyndall Keller. Add to that experienced returners like Maddie Geritz, Kamden Hillborn and Genesis Wilkinson and the Saints are loaded for a big run. Of course, Montana Western is one of many teams who will have a say in that. The Bulldogs are 1-1 in league play, ranked No. 18 and are also a talented group, led by All-American Brynley Fitzgerald, who averages 18 points per game. Mesa King and Shainy Mack also return for the Dawgs, who have been on a great run ever since winning the national championship several years ago.

Rocky Mountain College was picked to finish third in the Frontier, but the Battlin' Bears are off to a 2-0 start behind the mergence of Morgan Baird and the experience of returning All-American Kloie Thatcher. At 1-1 so far, the Providence Argos are another team to watch. The Argos graduated two All-Americans last year, but returners like Reed Hazard, Kennedy Cartwright and Brooklyn Harn, joined by high-scoring Maddy Dixon, make the Argos a potent offensive threat, and a team that can still contend for the Frontier crown.

Montana Tech and Montana State University-Northern were picked to finish fifth and sixth, respectively, but both teams have loftier goals.

In Butte, Tech is now under the direction of longtime Belt head coach Jeff Graham. The Orediggers are 0-2 in league play, but, with they do have All-American Tavia Rooney back, as well as veteran Dani Urick, so expect Tech to be a tough out this season. So too will Northern. Under longtime head coach Chris Mouat, the Skylights will lean heavily on veteran forward Ryley Kehr, while transfer guard Brianna McCullough and sophomore forward Shyan Krass will also have a huge impact on the Skylight's season.

Frontier Men

Picked to win the Frontier Conference and return to the national tournament, Carroll College begins the new year at 1-1, like every other team in the league. The Fighting Saints lost some key pieces from last year's great team, but Andrew Cook is averaging 17 points per game, and seniors Jonny Hillman and Brenden Temple are leading the way, while freshman Isaiah Moore and Brayden Koch are having an immediate impact. Montana Tech, at 1-1 is a legit contender too. The No. 12 Orediggers did lose some firepower from last year's squad, but star junior Caleb Belch is back, while Michael Ure, Asa Williams and transfer Chrishon Dixon bolster a star-studded lineup in Butte.

MSU-Northern is off to a great start this winter, too. At 1-1, the Lights already have a win over Carroll. Northern also has a great mix of veteran returners like Jesse Keltner, Tanner Mccliment-Call and C.J. Nelson, while newcomers like Myles Dalton, Zackary Martinez and DaeKwon Watson give Northern great balance, and a chance to contend for the Frontier title. RMC will also be in that mix. At 1-1 in the league, the high-scoring Bears have four players in double figures, including All-American Maxim Stephens, as well as veteran point guard Jesse Owens.

Providence is another high-scoring team sitting at 1-1. The Argos have a returning All-American in Marcus Stephens who led the league in scoring a year ago. Add to that Kenny Curitis and a great supporting cast and the Argos will be a team to be reckoned with this season. As will Montana Western. The Dawgs may be picked to finish last in the Frontier, but, at 1-1, and with Jamal Stephenson and Ky Kouba combining to score over 20 points per game, Western will be a solid contender in the balanced Frontier all season long.