VBall netters have 5 matches this week
Lady Lions visit OKC to begin season
NAIA Pre-Season Poll announced
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Riding an impressive string of seven successive regular seasons in which they produced a winning record, the women’s volleyball team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University is no stranger to competing.
Behind head coach Hank Moore, the Lady Lions will begin a new campaign with plans to stretch the streak to eight in a row.
SAGU will get a jump-start this coming week with five matches in three days, all in Oklahoma City. They will face Mid-America Christian University on Thursday night, before entering the Oklahoma City University Tournament the next two days.
Moore, who is activating his 12th year as Head Coach, will take the Purple Pride to a second tournament next month in Northwest Arkansas. SAGU will play 11 matches, all away, in the first three weeks of their schedule. A preview article of this year’s team will be posted on-line later this week.
Overall, this week's busy itinerary is full even they cross the Red River.
The team will announce their player captains, then, Wednesday (August 22) is the annual Media Day. It is primarily for photo and video shoots.
Steve Patterson, of Red Oak’s Moving Pictures, will be taking an array of photos. They will be available to view and/or purchase on-line for family and fans.
SAGU TV will broadcast five home volleyball matches this fall, all in high definition. Southwestern remains the only school in the NAIA to air their games in HD. They can be viewed on computers, iPhones and many other on-line apps. There is no charge to access the live feed.
New this year LiveStats will be offered for all home matches. The digital play-by-play webcast will show the score and description of the events, along with team and player statistics in real time. The free service may be available at some road matches as well.
Also: National Poll, SAGU home debut
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 2012 Tachikara (the official ball of the NAIA) Volleyball 
Coaches Pre-Season Top 25 Poll was published on Tuesday.
The University of Texas at Brownsville, who are in the same Red River Athletic Conference as SAGU, is ranked #1.
UTB won the national championship last fall when they went 32-2. They have been atop the poll for 10 of the past 13 weeks (dating back to 2011) according to Travis Rae, the NAIA’s Communications and Sports Information Intern.
Texas-Brownsville brings clout to the RRAC and the teams they compete against. Lady Scorpions are 104-7 overall, 39-0 in conference action, and 31-0 at home over the past three years.
The Lady Lions will travel to the border to play Texas-Brownsville on Friday, October 19.
SAGU’s home debut will be on Tuesday, September 18. Jarvis Christian College, from Hawkins, Texas, will tip-off the first of 10 home matches.
SAGU rival, Texas Wesleyan University, visits the Sheaffer Center the following Tuesday, Sept. 25. Southwestern enjoys great fan support.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.
2012 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Pre-Season Top 25 Poll
| Rank | School (State) | 2011 Record | Total Poll Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas at Brownsville | 32-2 | 621 |
| 2 | Concordia (CA) | 38-2 | 603 |
| 3 | Lee University (TN) | 34-3 | 569 |
| 4 | Columbia College (MO) | 38-4 | 569 |
| 5 | Biola (CA) | 27-13 | 545 |
| 6 | Embry-Riddle (FL) | 30-6 | 526 |
| 7 | Rocky Mountain (MT) | 30-5 | 503 |
| 8 | Lewis-Clark State (ID) | 23-6 | 483 |
| 9 | Indiana Wesleyan | 36-6 | 457 |
| 10 | Vanguard University (CA) | 23-14 | 439 |
| 11 | Taylor University (IN) | 31-9 | 417 |
| 12 | Spring Hill (AL) | 40-3 | 386 |
| 13 | Grand View (IA) | 39-10 | 369 |
| 14 | Missouri Baptist | 36-7 | 362 |
| 15 | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 30-9 | 310 |
| 16 | Madonna University (MI) | 30-10 | 306 |
| 17 | Kansas Wesleyan | 27-11 | 292 |
| 18 | Freed-Hardeman (TN) | 28-11 | 290 |
| 19 | Bellevue (NE) | 29-7 | 257 |
| 20 | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | 31-3 | 215 |
| 21 | Carroll College (MT) | 18-8 | 181 |
| 22 | Cornerstone (MI) | 31-5 | 161 |
| 23 | Cal State - San Marcos | 29-8 | 140 |
| 24 | Westmont (CA) | 10-16 | 128 |
| 25 | Indiana East | 37-9 | 123 |
Others receiving votes: Park (Mo) 93; Indiana Tech 89; College of the Ozarks (Mo) 89; Georgetown (Ky) 87; Baker (Kan) 59; Viterbo (Wis) 59; Point Park (Pa) 57; Campbellsville (Ky) 26; Grace (Ind) 22; Robert Morris (Ill) 13; Great Falls (Mont) 12; The Master’s College (Calif) 9; Evangel University (Mo) 8; Tabor College (Kan) 6; Asbury (Ky) 5; La Sierra (Calif) 5; Davenport (Mich) 4.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and Independents. The first regular-season poll will be announced on Sept. 4.
