KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cal Poly Pomona earned its third preseason ranking for the 2009-2010 season when it was selected sixth in the NABC/Division II preseason coaches’ poll that was announced Wednesday.
Earlier this fall, the Broncos were ranked ninth in The Sporting News Preview and fourth in the Division II Bulletin. The Broncos were ranked first in the CCAA Coaches’ poll that was released last week.
Two teams that came within a point of advancing to the Elite Eight last year head the poll as the season gets underway this weekend in Anaheim with the first of the two Disney Tip-Off Classics.
BYU-Hawaii, which lost by a point to the eventual national runner-up Broncos in the West Regional final, was picked as No. 1 in the preseason. The Seasiders have one of the top players in the Division II ranks back in forward Lucas Alves, who averaged nearly 20 points a game in earning All-America honors as a junior.
The Seasiders are followed by Bellarmine, which dropped a one-point decision to NCAA Division II champion Findlay in the title game of the Midwest Regional.
Southwest Baptist is third in the pre-season poll followed by defending national champion Findlay and another team from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, defending regional champion Central Missouri.
The next five is headed by Cal Poly Pomona, Valdosta State, Florida Southern Bentley and Augusta State.
The 11-through-15 spots in the poll are held by St. Cloud State, Metropolitan State, Grand Valley State, Tusculum and Merrimack, while the next five are occupied by Kutztown, Central Oklahoma, Indiana (Pa.), Johnson C. Smith and Winona State. Humboldt State heads the group in the final five slots, followed by Southwest Minnesota State, Delta State, Rollins and Philadelphia.
NABC Preseason Poll
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NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Oct. 27, 2009)
Preseason poll
Record Pts Pvs*
1. BYU-Hawaii (6 1st place votes) 27-2 198 3
2. Bellarmine, Ky. (1 1st place vote) 26-7 189 18
3. Southwest Baptist, Mo. 26-5 162 7
4. Findlay 36-0 161 1
5. Central Missouri 30-5 156 6
6. Cal Poly Pomona 25-8 143 NR
7. Valdosta State 24-7 140 NR
8. Florida Southern 29-7 117 11
9. Bentley, Mass. 26-7 115 24
10. Augusta State 30-5 109 4
11. St. Cloud State 22-9 102 22
12. Metropolitan State 27-4 101 8
13. Grand Valley State 21-10 99 NR
14. Tusculum 20-11 84 NR
15. Merrimack 21-9 83 NR
16. Kutztown 28-5 79 20
17. Central Oklahoma 24-6 61 13
18. Indiana, Pa. 22-8 52 NR
19. Johnson C. Smith 23-8 51 NR
20. Winona State 24-9 50 NR
21. Humboldt State 20-12 46 NR
22. Southwest Minnesota State 28-7 45 12
23. Delta State 21-9 31 NR
24. Rollins 20-10 30 NR
25. Philadelphia 25-6 29 NR
* - Final ranking in 2008-09
Others receiving votes: Northern Kentucky 26, Benedict (S.C.) 19, Catawba (N.C.) 17, Barton (N.C.) 15, Virginia Union 15, West Virginia State 14, LIU-C.W. Post (N.Y.) 13, Georgia College & State 10, Incarnate Word (Texas) 10, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 7, Massachusetts-Lowell 6, Gannon (Pa.) 4, Arkansas Tech 3, South Carolina Aiken 3, Anderson (S.C.) 2, Fort Hays State 1, Western Washington 1.
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