From the Sooner Athletic Conference
WOMEN
Lubbock Christian is the preseason pick of the Sooner Athletic Conference women’s basketball coaches to win the 2012-13 league title in their final season as an NAIA school.
The Lady Chaps return three starters from last season’s NAIA Fab Four team.
“As each coach in the conference knows, every year is an adventure and I hope that whether we are picked at the top, the middle, or the bottom, that our approach to each day to practice and compete will not change.,” said LCU Coach Steve Gomez. “We enter each year with high standards for the program, both on the court and in the community, and with a number of players returning from last years’ team, we expect them to continue the tradition that has been created before them. It is an honor, but hopefully not a curse, to be given this preseason consideration in such an outstanding conference.”
Lubbock Christian received seven of a possible eight first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to rank their own team) and 63 points. Rogers State is ranked second with one first-place vote and 54 points, while Oklahoma City is ranked third with 51 points and the remaining first-place vote.
Oklahoma Baptist is ranked fourth with 39 points and John Brown holds down the middle position in the nine-team league with 35 points.
St. Gregory’s is ranked sixth with 34 points, followed by Wayland Baptist with 25, Mid-American Christian with 15 and USAO with eight.
The regular season tips off Oct. 30.
2012-13 SAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Lubbock Christian (7) 63
2. Rogers State (1) 54
3. Oklahoma City (1) 51
4. Oklahoma Baptist 39
5. John Brown 35
6. St. Gregory’s 34
7. Wayland Baptist 25
8. Mid-America Christian 15
9. Science & Arts Oklahoma 8
MEN
Oklahoma Baptist is picked to finish atop the Sooner Athletic Conference in men’s basketball for 2012-13, according to the SAC Coaches’ Poll released Thursday.
The Bison have no starters returning from last year’s NAIA runner-up squad.
“It just shows how wide open the league really is this year,” said OBU Head Coach Doug Tolin. “Every game is going to be difficult and every game is more important this year because there are so few conference games. We would be very happy to be there at the end.”
OBU received seven of nine first-place votes and coaches were not permitted to include their teams in the ranking. The Bison had 63 points in the poll. Rogers State had the other two first-place votes and 56 points.
John Brown is third in the poll with 50 points and Lubbock Christian fourth at 40. Oklahoma City, with 39 points, is the middle team in the nine-team ranking at fifth.
USAO is ranked sixth with 28 points, followed by Wayland Baptist with 22, Mid-America Christian with 14 and St. Gregory’s with 12.
The first games of the season are Oct. 30.
2012-13 SAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Oklahoma Baptist (7) 63
2. Rogers State (2) 56
3. John Brown 50
4. Lubbock Christian 40
5. Oklahoma City 39
6. Science & Arts Oklahoma 28
7. Wayland Baptist 22
8. Mid-America Christian 14
9. St. Gregory’s 12
Ray Fink is the Information Director for the Sooner Athletic Conference.