The conference does lose some very talented players such as Thomas, Driftmier, and Kilburg but does return some pretty good talent. I think this year it will be even more balanced than last. Here are my top 10 at the guard spot, wing spot, and post.
Guards:
1. Daugherty- Dubuque
2. Clark- Central
3. LaDew- Cornell
4. Franklin- Buena Vista
5. Ley- Central
6. Mason- Wartburg
7. Wagner- Buena Vista
8. Tierney- Cornell
9. Centella- Loras
10. Brungard- Coe
Wings
1. Nelson- Wartburg
2. Oeth- Loras
3. Stribe- Buena Vista
4. Kolze- Loras
5. Bildstein- Luther
6. Cody- Cornell
7. Hanna- Coe
8. Person- Buena Vista
9. Lang- Central
10. Schmidt- Wartburg
Posts
1. Kuenstling- Coe
2. White- Loras
3. Fogleman- Buena Vista
4. Brantner- Luther
5. Slater- Loras
6. Dunlavy- Simpson
7. Pedersen- Central
8. Cleveland- Buena Vista
9. Stark- Wartburg
10. Ferezy- Simpson

Nice to see someone bring up the Iowa Conference. I think this year will be a very balanced conference from what teams have coming back and what teams lost. Loras will be the favorite but just by a little bit. They return everyone and picked up some nice freshman and transfers. Buena Vista is very close behind. Great tradition up there in Storm Lake. Have basically everyone back and the most size in the league. I think Wartburg, Coe, and Central will all be in the mix for 3rd-5th with one of these teams possibly being higher or winning it all. Coe has maybe the best and most versatile bigman in Kuenstling but he will have to do it without Kilburg, but he has solid guards around him to help out. Wartburg brings back basically everyone from a disappointing season. Have lots of lanky athletic players and a new gym. Central loses their bigman in Driftmier but everyone is back. Will have one of the best backcourts and should be more athletic. Cornell is a team that I think can get in there as well with their guard play which will in the tops of the league and the post play will have a year of experience. Simpson, Luther, and Dubuque will be teams that will be completely new looking. Simpson may lose the most out of the league with basically all of their scoring leaving but will have some talented young guys. Luther is the same losing some key players but have Brantner to build around with some better than average guards. Dubuque loses Thomas and now their coach but have Daugherty back who may be the best guard in the league. Usually have athletes but can they play together and they will need to find another scorer or two. Here are my predictions but it could easily change.
Prediction
1. Loras
2. Buena Vista
3. Wartburg
4. Central
5. Coe
6. Cornell
7. Simpson
8. Luther
9. Dubuque
All-Conference
Daugherty- Dubuque
Kuenstling- Coe
Clark- Central
Fogleman- Buena Vista
LaDew- Cornell
Nelson- Wartburg
White- Loras
Brantner- Luther

What are everyone's thoughts on next year? Obviously the favorite has to be Loras with everyone coming back and some nice incoming players that will give them some more depth. Buena Vista and Wartburg I think will be next with lots of talent returning. After that it could be a big mess. Will Kuenstling and Daugherty be able to carry the whole load with the graduation of Kilburg and Thomas. Central without Driftmier will be a completely new team but lots of experience returns. Cornell has the guard play but can they sustain and inside prescense? Simpson loses the big three so they will be completely different and Luther loses some solid seniors. Lots of good players graduated so it will be interesting to see who steps up and makes a name for themselves. Here is my early prediction.
1. Loras
2. Buena Vista
3. Wartburg
4. Coe
5. Central
6. Cornell
7. Luther
8. Simpson
9. Dubuque

Also anyone know if Kilburg will be trying to go overseas for basketball? I know Thomas and Driftmier are.

Is the Reisor girl from Luther hurt or did she quit? From their season preview it sounded like she would be playing a lot, which would make their guard court really good.

I was looking through BV athletic website and noticed that Ryan Dupic from Emmetsburg plays baseball there now. He was quite the basketball player in high school and I wondered if the Coaches had talked to him about playing ball? That would be a good pick up.

What JUCO is he attending? Is he atleast staying in Iowa?

Any updates on the recruits coming in to the IIAC schools? I heard the Timmerman kid from Vinton is going to Coe? How about the Schulz kid from Carroll? Did BV get him? From what I have heard and know it looks like a pretty solid recruiting class for most of the schools.

I was a little shocked that Driftmier was the only player from the IIAC to get mentioned on the All-Region. I thought Steege and Kilburg would be some where in the mix and maybe Thomas but his injury may have hurt some. Driftmier to me was most likely the best post in the league, unfortunately he played on a young and still developing team. I think the league looks to much at  records to determine the conference MVP and not as much at the individual skills and leadership. The All-Region teams I think do a better job in evaluating the individual and what he accomplished not his team, that is why Driftmier made it most likely. He was ranked nationally in some categories and led or was in the top 5 in a lot of individual categories. I know you have to take a look at the teams they play on but they are "Individual" awards, and individuals that put up great numbers should not be penalized for being on a team that had a down year or is rebuilding. The all-conference teams showed that a little with two Dubuque and Luther guys making the teams.

I don't think Wartburg or Coe will make it. Coe needed to win the tourney and I think Wartburg had to atleast get to the finals. Congrats to BV! They got hot at the right time and hopefully they continue their play and make the IIAC look good. Very competitive year this year and I think it will be even more competitive next year with everyone having lots coming back. Howevere now that conference play is all done who do you think will be on the all-conference teams? I know I posted before but that might have been a tad early so I am posting again to get some discussion. Here are my predictions:
MVP- Steege- Wartburg
1st Team
Thomas- Dubuque
Hittenmiller- Simpson
Driftmier- Central
Kilburg- Coe
Kuenstling- Coe
Schmidt- Wartburg
2nd Team
White- Loras
Soppe- Simpson
Rump- Luther
Daugherty- Dubuque
Lappe- Luther
Fogleman- Buena Vista
Others that could contend....
Wittry- Buena Vista
Axdahl- Coe
Clark- Central
LaDew- Cornell
King- Loras
Slater- Loras
Parkinson- Simpson
Cartmill- Wartburg

Steege is the point guard, so I am not sure what that has to do with him playing other teams with average posts. It is not all about stats either. Steege runs the show for Wartburg and is the best guard in the league. Coe is good but besides their two big guys, I don't see them getting another candidate when most of the time the league tries to get one player from each team. This year there are a lot of good players and lots very solid players. Guard wise no one has really put up huge numbers, so it is hard to say who could make it.  I could see a Luther or Dubque getting two guys on the all-conference teams even with their record. It has been done before when Cornell had an average record with three very good players in Ditch, McClanahan, and Fox. Simpson could also maybe get three as well. The top three teams in the league seem to have their two studs and then a bunch of very solid players, while lower teams have some very good players but not as much to go around them. Probably why they are the top three teams. Very interesting season and still a lot of ball to still be played.

MVP- Steege-Wartburg
1st Team
Kuenstling-Coe
Thomas- Dubuque
Hittenmiller- Simpson
Driftmier- Central
Kilburg- Coe
Schmidt- Wartburg

2nd Team
Rump- Luther
Lappe- Luther
White- Loras
Soppe- Simpson
Daugherty- Dubuque
Fogleman- Buena Vista

Others...
LaDew- Cornell
Clark- Central
Parkinson- Simpson
Slater- Loras

Top Freshman (No Order)
Fogleman- Buena Vista
LaDew- Cornell
Tierney- Cornell
Wagner- Buena Vista
Stark- Wartburg
Oeth- Loras
Mangrich- Dubuque