The Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team is ranked No. 3 in the Division III preseaon rankings done by veteran writer Chuck Mistovich in 2013 Sporting News College Basketball Annual Magazine, available in stores Sept. 4.

In addition to the team ranking, junior guard Dylan Overstreet was named honorable mention on the Division III preseason All-American team, joining 31 other players to earn the distinction.

Only Williams (Mass.) and St. Mary's (Md.) are ranked ahead of IWU while two other College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin teams are among the top 10 - North Central at No. 5 and Wheaton at No. 7. In addition to the two CCIW schools on the schedule, future IWU opponent (Dec. 7) Washington U.-St. Louis was among schools listed among 29 "Possible Breakthroughs" by the magazine.

Of Illinois Wesleyan, Mistovich wrote:
"The New England Small College Conference has been a D3 leader in recent years, thanks to Amherst, Williams and Middlebury, but the league has to hand off that mantle to the Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin this season as Illinois Wesleyan headlines a trio of league teams in our preseason top 10 (including North Central and Wheaton).
Illinois Wesleyan, the national champion in 1997, returns four starters from a Sweet 16 team that finished 23-6. Coach Ron Rose's squad is deep in experience, led by 6-4 Andrew Ziemnik (11.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and 6-3 Dylan Overstreet (9.4 ppg, 4.5 apg). The other returning starters are 6-5 Victor Davis (8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and 6-3 Pat Sodemann (10.0, 3.2)."

In 2013, the Titans finished 23-6 overall, played three games in the NCAA Division III championships and won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin regular season championship for the first time since 2005.

The Titans play an exhibition game at Division II Winona State in Winona, Minn., on Nov. 2 and open the regular season with a home game against Manchester at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 in the IWU Tip-Off Tournament.