A year after doubling their conference win total from the previous two seasons to jump to seventh in the conference regular season standings, the Mid-America Christian Evangels have been picked ninth in the Sooner Athletic Conference preseason poll, announced today by the league office.
The poll was voted on by the league coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm, 27-8 a year ago, are the preseason favorite, followed by last year's regular season champion Oklahoma Baptist.
SNU received nine first-place votes and OBU got the other three first-place tallies.
John Brown and Oklahoma City rounded out the top five, with Lubbock Christian, Rogers State, Northwestern Oklahoma State, MACU and Wayland Baptist finishing out the top 10.
The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and St. Gregory's wound down the 12-team poll.
MACU head coach
Willie Holley doesn't believe that preseason polls can be validated until the season plays out.
"Pre-season Polls are like blind dates, you never know if you made the right decision until she opens the front door," Holley said. "We're just glad to be going to the dance."
The Evangels, coming off a 19-18 overall record and an National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Central Regional championship last season, begin the 2010-11 campaign at home against Sterling College on Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
