Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets

RICHARDSON, Texas –– Defending NCAA Division III women's basketball national champion Howard Payne University have been predicted to repeat their American Southwest Conference West Division title after a vote of each division’s head coaches, sports information directors and media members, the conference office announced on Tuesday.

Howard Payne, which went 33-0 overall and 21-0 in league play last season on its way to giving the ASC its first NCAA national team championship, totaled 177 points and picked up 16 of the possible 24 West Division first-place votes in the annual poll. The two-time defending ASC champion Lady Jackets are under the direction of new head coach Joshua Prock. He takes over for Chris Kielsmeier, who left HPU after eight seasons to take the head job at Division II Wayne State.

The 2008-09 season – the 13th in league history – begins as early as November 15. The three-day, eight-team conference tournament is slated for February 27-March 1 at the site of the West Division’s top seed and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship will be on the line.

2008-09 ASC PRESEASON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]

	Team (first-place votes)	Points	2007-08 Record
1.	Howard Payne (16)	177	33-0, 21-0 ASC
2.	Hardin-Simmons (7)	167	21-6, 17-4 ASC
3.	McMurry (1)	140	25-5, 19-2 ASC
4.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	129	15-12, 12-9 ASC
5.	Concordia Texas	93	14-11, 12-9 ASC
6.	Schreiner	70	7-18, 6-15 ASC
7.	Sul Ross State	59	7-17, 6-15 ASC
8.	Texas Lutheran	29	0-25, 0-21 ASC

	Team (first-place votes)	Points	2007-08 Record
1.	Texas-Tyler (14)	138	17-9, 14-6 ASC
2.	Louisiana College (3)	111	15-11, 11-9 ASC
3.	Mississippi College (3)	109	15-11, 12-8 ASC
4.	Texas-Dallas (1)	92	16-10, 12-8 ASC
5.	East Texas Baptist	71	8-16, 7-13 ASC
6.	LeTourneau	37	6-19, 4-16 ASC
7.	Ozarks	30	1-24, 1-19 ASC