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BYU-Hawaii ranked third in the NABC/Division II Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
KANSAS CITY, MO - BYU-Hawaii enters the season ranked
third in the NABC/Division II Men's Basketball Preaseason Coaches
Poll.
Defending national champion Bellarmine, who returns two
All-America performers from a team that captured its first NCAA
Division II title last March, comes into the upcoming 2011-12
season as the nation's top-ranked team in the NABC/Division II
men's basketball pre-season coaches poll.
The Knights, who posted a 33-2 record and knocked off BYU-Hawaii in
a thrilling championship game a year ago, were a unanimous pick for
the No. 1 spot in the poll as they return All-America guards Jeremy
Kendle and Braydon Hobbs.
Bellarmine was followed in the pre-season rankings by two other
teams that played in the Elite Eight a year ago, Alabama-Huntsville
and BYU-Hawaii, which returns the Elite Eight's Most Outstanding
Player in Jet Chang.
Two defending conference champions, Missouri Southern and Lincoln
Memorial, took the next two spots in the pre-season poll, followed
by last year's final No. 1-ranked team, West Liberty. The
Hilltoppers will have to replace a talented starting lineup, but
still figures to be a force with their fast-paced style of
play.
Findlay is ranked seventh in the pre-season poll, followed by
Tarleton State, Bowie State and Metropolitan State.
Central Oklahoma, who is playing as an NCAA Division II independent
this season, begins the second 10 at No. 11, meaning that the first
11 spots in the poll are occupied by teams from 10 different
conferences and the independent ranks.
Southern Indiana broke that run as the second team from the
Great Lakes Valley Conference in the poll as the Screaming Eagles
are ranked No. 12, with the next three spots being held by
Benedict, Humboldt State and Kentucky Wesleyan.
Augustana is ranked No. 16 in the pre-season poll, followed by
Alaska-Anchorage, Colorado School of Mines, Indiana (Pa.) and Saint
Rose.
The last five spots are held by Georgia Southwestern, Seattle Pacific, Massachusetts-Lowell, Arkansas Tech and Queens (N.C.). The 2011-12 season gets underway this weekend with the Disney/Division II Classic in Anaheim, Calif., featuring UC San Diego, Chestnut Hill, Dominican (Calif.) and Western Washington.
NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Nov. 1, 2011 - Pre-Season Poll)
Record Points Pvs
1. Bellarmine, Ky. (8 first place votes) 33-2 200 2
2. Alabama-Huntsville 29-5 187 7
3. BYU-Hawaii 22-9 179 NR
4. Missouri Southern 26-5 166 9
5. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 27-3 153 10
6. West Liberty, W.Va. 33-1 142 1
7. Findlay, Ohio 24-4 130 NR
8. Tarleton State, Texas 24-6 124 17
9. Bowie State, Md. 23-6 121 19
10. Metropolitan State, Colo. 22-8 118 NR
11. Central Oklahoma 30-4 112 4
12. Southern Indiana 24-6 105 12
13. Benedict, S.C. 21-8 100 24
14. Humboldt State, Calif. 26-4 73 6
15. Kentucky Wesleyan 19-10 72 NR
16. Augustana, S.D. 18-9 69 NR
17. Alaska-Anchorage 24-10 68 NR
18. Colorado School of Mines 25-6 61 20
19. Indiana, Pa. 26-6 57 21
20. Saint Rose, N.Y. 22-9 50 NR
21. Georgia Southwestern 20-9 48 NR
22. Seattle Pacific, Wash. 20-10 40 NR
23. Massachusetts-Lowell 20-10 28 NR
24. Arkansas Tech 25-6 22 14
25. Queens, N.C. 21-8 20 NR
Others receiving votes: Winona State (Minn.) 18, LIU-C.W. Post
(N.Y.) 17, Limestone (S.C.) 15, Hillsdale (Mich.) 11, Central
Missouri 10, Montevallo (Ala.) 10, Rollins (Fla.) 10, Christian
Brothers (Tenn.) 8, Bentley (Mass.) 7, Cal Poly Pomona 7, Grand
Valley State (Mich.) 7, West Texas A&M 7, Clayton State (Ga.),
Florida Southern 5, Northern Kentucky 5, Drury (Mo.) 4, Harding
(Ark.) 4, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 3, Bloomfield (N.J.) 2.
Records and previous rankings are final from the 2010-11
season. The first regular season poll will be released on
Tuesday, Nov. 29.
