WONDER BOYS RECEIVE THREE VOTES IN LATEST
NABC/DIVISION II COACHES' POLL

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Basketball team received three votes in this week’s final NABC/Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll that was released on Tuesday.

The Wonder Boys, who won its first-ever Gulf South Conference title with its 79-66 win over Valdosta State in the finals of the GSC Basketball Tournament on Sunday, is seventh among teams receiving votes and is one of two GSC teams mentioned in the final poll. In addition to Tech, Christian Brothers (22-6 on the season) is ranked 15th after falling in the quarterfinals of the GSC Tournament to Harding.

Tech, who is 22-8 overall on the season, will open the 2009 NCAA Division II South Regional on Saturday against 14th-ranked Benedict (24-5 on the season). Along with Christian Brothers and Benedict, the South Regional in Lakeland, Fla., also will feature 10th-ranked Claflin (24-3 on the season) and 11th-ranked Florida Southern (27-6 on the season).

Findlay [OH] (30-0 on the season) continues to sit atop the poll as they earned 200 points and all eight first-place votes. Following Findlay is C.W. Post [NY] (27-0 on the season) at No. 2 and BYU-Hawai’i (25-1 on the season) is ranked third. Augusta State (26-4 on the season) jumps one spot to No. 4 and Gannon [PA] (27-3 on the season) is ranked fifth.

The next five begins with Central Missouri (26-4 on the season) at No. 6 and they are followed by Southwest Baptist (24-4 on the season) at No. 7 and Metro State (27-3 on the season) moves up three spots to No. 8. Northern Kentucky (24-6 on the season) moves up six spots to No. 9 and Claflin rounds out the Top 10.

Florida Southern (27-6 on the season) jumps nine spots to No. 11 and is followed by Southwest Minnesota State (25-6 on the season) falls three spots to No. 12 and Central Oklahoma (24-5 on the season) falls to three spots to No. 13. Benedict is at No. 14, while Christian Brothers is at No. 15 and South Carolina-Aiken (23-7 on the season) is ranked 16th. Alderson-Broaddus (26-5 on the season) is at No. 17, while Bellarmine [KY] (24-6 on the season) at No. 18, Southern Indiana (26-6 on the season) falls six spots to No. 19 and Kutztown [PA] (26-4 on the season) climbs one spot to No. 20.

The final five in this week’s poll begins with Midwestern State (24-6 on the season) at No. 21, St. Cloud State (22-8 on the season) is at No. 22 and Western Washington (21-5 on the season) at No. 23. Bentley (24-6 on the season) falls five spots to No. 24 and Armstrong Atlantic State (23-6 on the season) rounds out this week’s poll at No. 25.

Tech will return to action on Saturday, March 14, when they open the 2009 NCAA Division II South Regional in Lakeland, Fla., against Benedict. Tech is the fourth seed in the South Regional, while Benedict is seeded fifth. Tip-off for Saturday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m. CST at Jenkins Fieldhouse on the Florida Southern campus.

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (March 10, 2009 – Final poll)

                                                                                                 Record                   Points               Pvs

     1.        Findlay, Ohio (8 first place votes)                         30-0                        200                   1

     2.        LIU-C.W. Post, N.Y.                                                 27-0                        192                   2

     3.        BYU-Hawaii                                                              25-1                        184                   3

     4.        Augusta State, Ga.                                                  26-4                        176                   5

     5.        Gannon, Pa.                                                             27-3                        168                   6

     6.        Central Missouri                                                      26-4                        160                   8

     7.        Southwest Baptist, Mo.                                           24-4                        148                   4

     8.        Metropolitan State, Colo.                                        27-3                        144                  11

     9.        Northern Kentucky                                                   24-6                        132                  15

    10.       Claflin, S.C.                                                               24-3                        122                   7

    11.       Florida Southern                                                      27-6                        118                  20

    12.       Southwest Minnesota State                                  25-6                         99                     9

    13.       Central Oklahoma                                                   24-5                         88                   10

    14.       Benedict, S.C.                                                          24-5                         83                   14

    15.       Christian Brothers, Tenn.                                      22-6                         79                   12

    16.       South Carolina Aiken                                              23-7                         74                   17

    17.       Alderson-Broaddus, W.Va.                                    26-5                         71                   16

    18.       Bellarmine, Ky.                                                         24-6                         68                   18

    19.       Southern Indiana                                                     26-6                         59                   13

    20.       Kutztown, Pa.                                                            26-4                         50                   21

    21.       Midwestern State, Texas                                        24-6                         41                   NR

    22.       St. Cloud State, Minn.                                             22-8                         31                   NR

    23.       Western Washington                                              21-5                         25                   NR

    24.       Bentley, Mass.                                                          24-6                         22                   19

    25.       Armstrong Atlantic State, Ga.                                23-6                         17                   23

Dropped out: West Virginia State (22), Georgia College & State (24), Winona State (25).

Others receiving votes: Barton (N.C.) 14, Georgia College & State 8, West Virginia State 7, Assumption (Mass.) 5, Incarnate Word (Texas) 5, Virginia Union 4, Arkansas Tech 3, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 2, Massachusetts-Lowell 1. 

Records are through games of March 8, 2009. 

-- Tech Athletics --