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Preseason LSC polls released

RICHARDSON, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University’s football team has been picked for seventh place in the Lone Star Conference’s preseason poll in what is now a nine-team league for the sport.

Despite the relatively low projection, the Greyhounds received one first-place vote in balloting by LSC football coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives. Abilene Christian earned 17 of 23 first-place votes and led the poll with 201 points, while Texas A&M-Kingsville garnered the other five votes and came in second with 177 points.

With the departure after the 2010-11 school year of five Oklahoma schools to other Division II conferences, the LSC will not have division play in any sport this season.

In general, ENMU teams finished low in the balloting with the exception of cross country, where the men were picked a relatively close second to 20-time defending conference champion Abilene Christian and the women were chosen for fourth. Nine LSC schools sponsor the sport.

ACU’s men received 16 of 22 first place votes, but finished with 187 points to 181 for the Greyhounds, who had five first-place ballots.

Three-time defending women’s champion Midwestern State garnered 20 of 22 first-place votes, while Angelo State (166 points) and Abilene Christian (161) garnered one first-place vote apiece. The Zias were next with 123 points.

In volleyball, the Zias were ninth of 11 teams with 85 points. Five-time defending champion West Texas A&M received 24 of 27 first-place votes and finished with 293 points to 262 for runnerup Angelo State.

In men’s soccer, ENMU was tabbed for last in a four-team circuit with 11 points, while the Zias were picked last in an eight-team women’s league with 24 points.

Midwestern State’s, which went unbeaten in the regular season in 2010 and reached the NCAA Division II Final Four for the second time in four seasons, collected 39 points and had nine of 10 first-place votes. West Texas A&M, which had one first-place vote, and Incarnate Word tied with 25 points.

MSU was also the preseason favorite on the women’s side, garnering 11 first-place votes and 149 points to edge Abilene Christian. The Wildcats had 148 points and received the other nine first-place votes.

LSC preseason polls

Football

Team (1st-pl. votes)