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Women's 1998-99 Pre-Season Coaches Poll

East Division | West Division
Men's Polls

Austin College picked to win women's East Division race
Choctaws Tina Herron selected pre-season player of the year

RICHARDSON, Texas -- Austin College has been picked to win the East Division in the women's 1998-99 basketball race in a poll taken by basketball Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Athletic Directors.

Austin College, with 92 total points, captured nine of the 15 first place votes cast in the poll. The Kangaroos have shared a piece of the ASC Championship each of the past two seasons. The Kangaroos finished with a 21-7 overall record, 11-3 in the ASC, and advanced to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16. They were eliminated by Wisconsin-Oshkosh 57-44.

Others who received first-place votes were Mississippi College (3) and East Texas Baptist (3). Mississippi College, who shared the ASC Championship with Austin College and Hardin-Simmons last season, is picked second with 87 points. East Texas Baptist, who joins the Conference this season along with LeTourneau, Schreiner College and University of Texas at Dallas, finished third in the poll with 67 points. The Tigers will be ineligible for the conference championship as they continue to phase out athletics scholarships through the end of the 1998-99 academic year.

University of the Ozarks (59 points) are picked fourth and are coming off a 12-13, 4-10 season. LeTourneau comes in at fifth with 51 points, and the University of Dallas and UT-Dallas round out the poll with 29 points each. (top of page)

Hardin-Simmons picked to win women's West Division race
Kathryn Otwell selected pre-season player of the year

RICHARDSON, Texas -- The Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls have been picked to win the West Division in the 1998-99 Women's Basketball Championship, according to a poll of ASC Athletic Directors, Sports Information Directors and Head Coaches.

Hardin-Simmons, with 61 total points, captured six of the 11 first-place votes cast in the poll. The Cowgirls shared the conference championship last season with Austin College and Mississippi College and finished with a 17-7 overall record, 11-3 in the ASC. Others who received first-place votes were Mary Hardin-Baylor (3) and Howard Payne (2). Mary Hardin-Baylor is picked second with 52 points year in their first season eligible for the conference championship. The Crusaders are coming off a 24-6 season that saw them advance to the NAIA Division II National Championship game before losing to Walsh (Ohio) 73-66.

Howard Payne (43 points) is picked third this season. The Yellow Jackets finished 10-15 overall, 6-8 in the ASC -- good enough for a 4^th place conference finish. McMurry comes in fourth with 37 points hoping to improve on their fourth-place finish from a year ago. The Indians ended the season 14-11, 7-7 in the ASC and shocked eventual tri-champions Mississippi College in their final game. Schreiner College and Sul Ross State round out the poll with 19 points each. Schreiner College is ineligible for the conference championship as it continues to phase out athletic scholarships through the end of the 1998-99 academic year. (top of page)