Wildcats close second to Lady Buffs

Bernhardt tabbed as division's top player in pre-season poll

ABILENE -- If a team from the Lone Star Conference South Division were going to ever challenge West Texas A&M's run at the top of the division and the conference, this would certainly seem to be the year, and ACU seems to be the team.

At least that's the opinion of division coaches, sports information directors and media representatives, who made the Wildcats a close second to still-favored West Texas A&M in the annual pre-season poll, which was released Thursday.  West Texas A&M collected eight first-place votes and 92 total points, while the Wildcats grabbed nine first-place votes and 91 total points.

The difference between the Lady Buffs and Wildcats came in how second- and-third-place votes were distributed.  West Texas A&M was tagged with eight second-place votes and one third-place vote, while ACU received five second-place votes and three third-place votes.

ACU did receive one piece of good news from the poll, however, in that junior outside hitter Michelle Bernhardt of Hereford was named the LSC South Division Pre-Season Player of the Year.  Last year Bernhardt recorded 623 kills and 402 digs to earn first team all-LSC South Division  honors and help her team finish 25-11 overall and 7-3 and second in the LSC South Division.

West Texas A&M -- which has won five straight LSC titles and seven straight LSC South Division crowns -- has reached the NCAA Division II national tournament in 15 of the last 16 years and owns an impressive 75-1 record against LSC South Division foes since the LSC implemented a divisional format in 1997.  The Lady Buffs' lone loss came last season in a 3-2 setback at Angelo State.

ACU will counter West Texas A&M's legacy with five returning starters, including Bernhardt and Amanda Slate, both of whom were first team all-LSC South Division in 2003.  ACU's 25 wins last year marked the third time in the last five years that ACU has topped the 20-win plateau.

Eastern New Mexico was picked a distant third in the poll with 57 points, followed by Angelo State with 54 points, Tarleton State with 37 and Texas A&M-Kingsville with 26.

Three-time defending LSC North Division champion Central Oklahoma was picked to win its fourth straight division title, edging out second-place Cameron with 77 points to Cameron's 74.