DALLAS, TX:  The Red River Athletic Conference released today the results of the 2005-06 RRAC women’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll.  Houston Baptist is ranked at the top of the conference while the Lady Rams of Texas Wesleyan University were slated second.

Texas Wesleyan received two first place votes in the poll and received 110 points.  Houston Baptist, who reached the national semifinals last season, received nine first place votes and 119 points to top the poll. 

The Lady Rams are coming off a banner year in which they made their first trip to the NAIA National Tournament.  Eighth-seeded Texas Wesleyan pushed top-seeded Freed-Hardeman to the brink before falling 73-64 in the first round.  The Lady Rams finished the year with a 23-11 mark overall and a sparkling 18-4 record in conference play.

The 2005-06 Lady Rams return eight players from last year’s squad including senior forward Shawndrika Courtney who led last year’s team with 10.5 points per game.  Courtney scored in double-figures in 17 of 30 games last season and enters her senior campaign with 1,022 career points.

The 2005-06 season will tip-off for Texas Wesleyan when they travel to Little Rock, AR, to take on Arkansas Baptist on Monday, November 7.

2005-06 RRAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll

School                                                          (1st) Total

1. Houston Baptist University                         (9) 119

2. Texas Wesleyan University                         (2) 110

3. Texas A&M International University           90

4. UT-Permian Basin                                      87

5. Huston-Tillotson University                         78

6. Jarvis Christian College                               71

7. Wiley College                                             46

8. Bacone College                                           41

9. Texas College                                             38

10. Soutwestern Assemblies of God                24

11. Paul Quinn College                                   22