The Midwest Conference released its 2021-22 Women's Basketball Coaches Poll on Thursday and Lake Forest College was listed fourth in the rankings.
Voting is done by the MWC head women's basketball coaches. Each coach votes for the other eight schools in the league in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (eight points for first, seven for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.
Ripon College was atop the poll and earned the maximum 64 points with all eight of the other coaches' first place votes. Illinois College was second with 50 points and the next five teams were separated by just five points. Cornell College (40) was third, Lake Forest (38) fourth, and Monmouth College (33) fifth. Sixth place was shared by Grinnell College and Knox College with 31 points apiece.
The Foresters have a dozen returning players on the team, including guard Katie Neher, who led the squad in assists and ranked second in scoring and steals during an abbreviated season last spring.
Lake Forest's 14th season with Tamlyn Tills as head coach will begin at Milwaukee School of Engineering next Tuesday night. The Foresters begin league competition at Grinnell College on November 20 and will finally play its first home game of the year against Monmouth College 10 days later. The top four teams in the conference will qualify for the MWC Tournament, which will be hosted by the league champion February 25-26.
Based on the preseason coaches poll, the Foresters are predicted to reach the MWC Tournament for the third time in the last four full seasons.
| PLACE | TEAM (First Place Votes) | POINTS |
| 1 | Ripon College (8) | 64 |
| 2 | Illinois College | 50 |
| 3 | Cornell College | 40 |
| 4 | Lake Forest College | 38 |
| 5 | Monmouth College | 33 |
| 6t | Grinnell College | 31 |
| 6t | Knox College | 31 |
| 8 | Lawrence University | 21 |
| 9 | Beloit College (1) | 16 |