New Orleans, La. (GCAConf.com) – Defending Gulf Coast Athletic Tournament Champion, Xavier University has been named as one of the top 20 teams in the nation by the coaches of the NAIA.
The Gold Nuggets are ranked No. 19 in the preseason coaches poll, released Tuesday. Xavier finished 18th in the final poll of the season conducted after a second round loss in the in NAIA Championships last season.
Coach Bo Browder brings back Preseason GCAC Player of the Year Whitney Gathright and a talented class of newcomers.
No other GCAC teams were ranked, however Southern University at New Orleans did receive votes from the panel.
Defending NAIA national champion Oklahoma City was selected as the best team in the nation with 8 first place votes and 249 points.
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Vanguard (Calif.), Westminster (Utah), and Campbellsville (Ky.) make up the rest of the top five.
2014-15 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll (Oct. 28)
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2013-14 Record | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Oklahoma City (8) | 27-4 | 249 |
| 2 | 2 | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (2) | 36-2 | 243 |
| 3 | 3 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 27-2 | 229 |
| 4 | 4 | Westminster (Utah) | 26-3 | 226 |
| 5 | 5 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 32-4 | 222 |
| 6 | 6 | Wiley (Texas) | 30-5 | 204 |
| 7 | 7 | John Brown (Ark.) | 28-8 | 194 |
| 8 | 9 | Oklahoma Baptist | 29-6 | 192 |
| 9 | 16 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 23-11 | 188 |
| 10 | 11 | Baker (Kan.) | 27-7 | 163 |
| T11 | 15 | Loyola (La.) | 23-12 | 162 |
| T11 | 8 | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | 27-5 | 162 |
| 13 | 18 | Westmont (Calif.) | 20-10 | 148 |
| 14 | 12 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 24-9 | 142 |
| 15 | 17 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 27-6 | 130 |
| 16 | 13 | MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 28-4 | 127 |
| 17 | 10 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 21-9 | 124 |
| 18 | 19 | Xavier (La.) | 24-10 | 123 |
| 19 | NR | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 19-12 | 109 |
| 20 | 14 | Columbia (Mo.) | 26-8 | 105 |
| 21 | 20 | Montana State-Northern | 22-10 | 94 |
| 22 | RV | Mobile (Ala.) | 23-9 | 64 |
| 23 | 22 | Hope International (Calif.) | 23-10 | 59 |
| 24 | RV | Langston (Okla.) | 20-13 | 58 |
| 25 | NR | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 22-9 | 46 |
Others receiving votes: Lyon (Ark.) 45; Cumberlands (Ky.) 35; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 34; Cumberland (Tenn.) 29; Shawnee State (Ohio) 28; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 11; William Woods (Mo.) 11; Concordia (Calif.) 10; Southern-New Orleans (La.) 9; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 4; Carroll (Mont.) 4.
Courtesy: GCAC
