Oct. 27, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Union University (Tenn.) women’s basketball team is the favorite in the 2008-09 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll.  The Lady Bulldogs received nine first place votes and 279 total points.

Union returns four starters led by the 2008 NAIA Player of the Year, Josephine Owino.  The Bulldogs posted a 35-1 record last season and advanced to the National Championship Tournament Final Four.

The 2007-08 National Champion, Vanguard (Calif.) received the other three first place votes and compiled 274 total points for the second spot.  Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.), the other two final-four teams from last year’s tournament, received 263 and 254 points respectively at No. 3 and No. 4.  Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) earned 238 points and came in at No. 5.  Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Lee (Tenn.), Carroll (Mont.), Lambuth (Tenn.) and Oklahoma Baptist rounded out the top-10.

The first regular season poll will be released on Monday, December 1.

2008-09 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Preseason Top 25 Poll – Oct. 27

RANK	LAST WEEK	SCHOOL	1ST PLACE VOTES	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	Union (Tenn.)	8	279
2	4	Vanguard (Calif.)	3	274
3	7	Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)		263
4	20	Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)		254
5	10	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)		238
6	9	Azusa Pacific (Calif.)		224
7	2	Lee (Tenn.)		221
8	13	Carroll (Mont.)		216
9	11	Lambuth (Tenn.)		215
10	8	Oklahoma Baptist		214
11	3	Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)		197
12	5	Oklahoma City		187
13	NR	California Baptist		160
13	14	Saint Xavier (Ill.)		160
15	17	Lubbock Christian (Texas)		158
16	16	The Master's (Calif.)		117
16	18	Westminster (Utah)		117
18	NR	Georgetown (Ky.)		114
19	T24	Xavier (La.)		112
20	NR	Columbia (Mo.)		97
21	T24	Cumberlands (Ky.)		89
22	12	Southern Nazarene (Okla.)		88
23	RV	Berry (Ga.)		87
24	15	Loyola (La.)		79
25	21	Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)		69

Others receiving votes: Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 55; Westmont (Calif.) 48; McKendree (Ill.) 42; William Jewell (Mo.) 42; Campbellsville (Ky.) 23; Bethel (Tenn.) 20; Oklahoma Christian 14; Emmanuel (Ga.) 6; Robert Morris (Ill.) 6; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 4; Benedictine (Kan.) 3; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 1; Montana State-Northern 1; Science and Arts of Oklahoma 1; Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 1; Park (Mo.) 1; William Carey (Miss.) 1.