Jan. 24, 2005

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons has been picked to finish third in the preseason American southwest Conference West Division as voted on by the league's coaches. Defending champion McMurry and Texas Lutheran were the top two teams in the poll. Mississippi College is picked to win in the East Division.

Winners of last season's ASC title and the West Division co-champion, McMurry posted a 29-15 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division III Regional Championship Tournament. The Indians received 10 of 18 first-place votes and totaled 132 points, two more than Texas Lutheran who collected six first-place votes and 130 points.

HSU, who earned one first-place vote, was picked third (104 pts.) in the ASC West, followed by defending division co-champion Concordia-Austin in fourth (94 pts.). Mary Hardin-Baylor at fifth (59 pts.), Howard Payne at sixth (56 pts.), Schreiner at seventh (39 pts., one first-place vote) and Sul Ross State at eighth (34 pts.) complete the ASC West Division picks.

The 2005 ASC Baseball Championship Tournament field doubles in size, going from four to eight teams. The top four seeded teams in each division will earn conference playoff berths. The ASC Baseball Championship Tournament begins first round play April 29-30 with a best-of-three series (1 East/4 West, 1 West/4 East, 2 West/3 East, 2 East/3 West), and continues into championship double-elimination play May 6-7-8.