Jan. 25, 2006

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons has been picked to finish fourth in the preseason American Southwest Conference West Division as voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors, and media.

Defending conference champion Texas Lutheran and McMurry were the top two teams in the poll. Texas-Tyler meanwhile is picked to win in the East Division.

Defending conference champion Texas Lutheran claimed 14 of 19 first-place votes and totaled 146 points to top the eight ASC West Division teams. The Bulldogs won the ASC title -- it's first league crown -- and advanced to the NCAA Division III West Region championship game a year ago, finishing the season 35-10.

Texas Lutheran led second-place McMurry (129 points, four first-place votes), third-place Concordia-Austin (106) and fourth-place Hardin-Simmons (103, one first-place vote) as ASC West upper-half finishers. Mary Hardin-Baylor (68), Howard Payne (58), Schreiner (45) and Sul Ross State (29) complete the ASC West picks.

Texas-Tyler claimed the favorite label in the eight-team ASC East Division after earning 11 of 17 first-place votes and 122 points. Mississippi College (102, one first-place vote), Texas-Dallas (96, two first-place votes), and Louisiana College (94, three first-place votes) rounded out the top four.

The Cowboys will open the 2006 season on Feb. 10th when they host College of the Southwest at noon. HSU opens with an eight-game home stand including three games against fellow conference foe Texas-Tyler.