For Immediate Release                                                     Oct. 29, 2004

Contact: Ray Fink, 405-878-2109

 

OBU Men, SNU Women Top SAC Poll

 

The defending NAIA champion Southern Nazarene University women and the NAIA powerhouse Oklahoma Baptist University men sit atop the Sooner Athletic Conference’s preseason coaches poll, released Wednesday.

 

The Crimson Storm, coached by Lori Carter, collected eight of 10 first place votes to finish nine points ahead of Oklahoma City University, who SNU beat in the last two NAIA championship games. Oklahoma City had one first place vote with the remaining first place vote going to John Brown University.

 

Following SNU and OCU were John Brown, Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma Christian, Wayland Baptist, USAO, Lubbock Christian, St. Gregory’s and Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

 

The Bison of OBU received five first place votes and narrowly edged Lubbock Christian University in points, 77-73. The two teams tied for the SAC regular season title last year. LCU had four first place votes.

 

Oklahoma Christian, which received the remaining first place vote, finished third in the poll, followed by John Brown, Oklahoma City, Wayland Baptist, USAO, Southern Nazarene, Northwestern and St. Gregory’s.

 

In the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll released Tuesday has the OBU men ranked fifth, Lubbock Christian ranked 12^th and Oklahoma Christian ranked 19^th, with John Brown getting votes. The SNU women are ranked first, followed by the OCU women in third, John Brown in 12^th, OBU in 16^th and Oklahoma Christian in 21^st. Wayland Baptist received votes.