The Midwest Conference released its 2022-23 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Friday and Lake Forest College was tied-for-seventh 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.
Defending league champion Ripon College was atop the poll and earned the maximum 64 points with all eight of the other coaches' first place votes. Cornell College was second with 50 points while Illinois College and Knox College tied for third with 46 apiece. Grinnell College earned 31 points, Monmouth College 29, and the Foresters matched Lawrence University at 24.
The Foresters have nine returning players on the team, including guard Katie Neher, who ranked among the top three on the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots in 2021-22.
Lake Forest's 15th season with Tamlyn Tills as head coach will begin with four home games, the first against Martin Luther College on Saturday, November 12. That run also includes the team's MWC opener against Grinnell College a week later. The top four teams in the conference will qualify for the MWC Tournament, which will be hosted by the league champion February 24-25.
The Foresters are looking to reach the MWC Tournament for the third time in the last five full seasons.
| PLACE | TEAM (First Place Votes) | POINTS |
| 1 | Ripon College (8) | 64 |
| 2 | Cornell College | 50 |
| 3t | Illinois College | 46 |
| 3t | Knox College | 46 |
| 5 | Grinnell College | 31 |
| 6 | Monmouth College | 29 |
| 7t | Lake Forest College | 24 |
| 7t | Lawrence University | 21 |
| 9 | Beloit College | 10 |