Oklahoma City, Okla. -- The Mid-America Christian Lady Evangels have been chosen to finish ninth in the Sooner Athletic Conference Women's Basketball preseason poll, the league released today. 

Oklahoma City was picked to win their third-straight SAC regular season title after picking up nine of the 12 first-place votes. 

The remaining three first-place tallies were collected by Southern Nazarene, who finished second in the poll. 

Rounding out the top five were Lubbock Christian and Rogers State, with John Brown and Wayland Baptist finishing in a tie for fifth.   Oklahoma Baptist and Oklahoma Christian followed in the seventh and eighth spots, respectively.

MACU, USAO, Northwestern Oklahoma State and St. Gregory's concluded the 12 team poll. 

The Lady Evangels won their most conference games (8) under first-year head coach Roman Owen after being picked 10th in the preseason poll last year.  They also celebrated their 12th National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Central Regional championship last season. 

To continue climbing the ladder toward the upper tier of the SAC, the Lady Evangels will be relying heavily on seven newcomers to complement the three returning veterans this season. 

MACU will open the 2011-12 season at Paul Quinn College on Nov. 3 in Dallas, Texas at 6 p.m.