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Receives Pre-Season Recognition From NAIA Coaches
The 2009 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll has been released and the University of Houston-Victoria Jaguars baseball team is ranked 27th in the country. UHV just missed cracking the pre-season top 25 and received enough votes to be tied for 27th with William Penn University (Iowa).
“This is a sign that other coaches recognize what we did last year and what is also expected of us this coming season,” Head Coach Terry Puhl said. “Beginning in January we have to go out and take care of business.”
UHV will get an opportunity to face a couple of the teams this season with games scheduled against number 15 Louisiana State University – Shreveport and 17th ranked Texas Wesleyan University.
“We made a conscious effort for 2009 to try to schedule teams that were ranked in the top 25 at the end of last year or played in a regional tournament,” UHV Athletic Director Ashley Walyuchow said. “We felt we didn’t get the recognition we deserved last season after compiling a 29-5 record.”
Three time defending champion Lewis Clark State (Idaho) will begin the 2009 season as the top ranked team in the country.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the 24 conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The first regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Feb. 24, 2009.
The Jaguars will begin their season in late January. The final touches are still being put on the 2009 schedule, Walyuchow said.
2009 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll – (Nov. 11)
RANK LAST YEAR SCHOOL (1st PLACE VOTES) 2008 FINAL RECORD TOTAL POINTS
1 2 Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) (21) 58-7 591
2 3 Lee University (Tenn.) 63-10 572
3 6 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) 44-18 533
4 20 Biola University (Calif.) 35-18 498
5 19 Spring Arbor University (Mich.) 40-9 491
6 11 Bellevue University (Neb.) 55-17 479
7 14 Union College (Ky.) 48-18 478
8 4 Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) 46-12 446
9 8 University of Mobile (Ala.) 43-16 415
10 7 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 43-6 409
11 RV Cumberland University (Tenn.) 46-21 363
12 RV Southern Polytechnic State University (Ga.) 39-17 352
13 12 University of St. Francis (Ill.) 42-11 343
14 9 Tennessee Wesleyan College 44-16 340
15 18 Louisiana State University-Shreveport 47-16 328
16 10 Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) 36-14 319
17 25 Texas Wesleyan University 46-16 310
18 15 Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) 43-21 304
19 24 Missouri Baptist University 39-16 249
20 17 Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) 37-16 246
21 23 Warner University (Fla.) 35-24 211
22 NR Ohio Dominican University 40-16 172
23 NR Jamestown College (N.D.) 32-20 118
24 16 Madonna University (Mich.) 37-14 112
25 NR Belhaven College (Miss.) 41-17 88
Others receiving votes:
College of Idaho (Idaho) 83; William Penn University (Iowa) 73; University of Houston - Victoria (TX) 73; Montreat College (N.C.) 60; Malone University (Ohio) 51; Faulkner University (Ala.) 50; Kansas Wesleyan University 43; Saint Xavier University (Ill.) 32; Morningside College (Iowa) 20; Saint Thomas University (Fla.) 20; Park University (Mo.) 19; Union University (Tenn.) 18; Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) 13; California Baptist University 12; The Master's College (Calif.) 4; Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio) 3; Georgetown College (Ky.) 3; Berry College (Ga.) 1; King College (Tenn.) 1; Friends University (Kan.) 1; Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.) 1; Dickinson State University (N.D.) 1; Northwood University (Texas) 1; College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 1; Campbellsville University (Ky.) 1; York College (Neb.) 1; Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) 1; Southern Wesleyan University (S.C.) 1; University of British Columbia 1; Taylor University (Ind.) 1; William Carey University (Miss.) 1
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