FROM STAFF REPORTS

KANSAS CITY, MO. – The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team is ranked No. 11 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II preseason poll, which was released Nov. 2.

The Falcons are the only Peach Belt Conference team ranked in the top 25. Montevallo received 190 total votes in the poll. USC Aiken and Augusta State University are among teams in the others receiving votes category.

West Liberty University enters the season as the top-ranked team in the NABC Division II poll after receiving 394 total votes, including 12 first-place votes. UAH, Bellarmine and Western Washington, which defeated Montevallo 72-65 in the national championship game last season, also received first-place votes in the poll.

Montevallo was ranked No. 22 in the final NABC Division II poll released during the 2011-2012 season, which came out before the Falcons’ historic run to the NCAA Division II national championship game. The Falcons went on to claim the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship and the NCAA Division II Southeast Region tournament title on their way to the national championship game.

The NABC did not release a postseason NCAA Division II poll.

The NABC Division II poll is the second poll released in the past month that has Montevallo ranked in the top 25. The NCAA Division II Bulletin preseason poll, released Oct. 12, has the Falcons ranked No. 16 in its first poll of the season.

Montevallo was also selected as the Peach Belt Conference preseason favorite in a preseason poll among head coaches in the conference released Nov. 1.

The Falcons conclude the exhibition portion of their schedule Nov. 5 with a trip to Oxford, Miss. to face Southeastern Conference opponent Ole Miss at Tad Smith Coliseum. Montevallo will open the regular season Nov. 13 at home against Stillman College.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at BankTrust Arena.

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Nov. 2, 2012 – Pre-Season poll)

Record Points Pvs

1.  West Liberty, W.Va. (12 first place votes) 32-3 394 3

2.  Washburn, Kan. 25-8 365 19

3.  Alabama-Huntsville (1 first place vote) 29-4 341 2

4.  Bellarmine, Ky. (2 first place votes) 29-4 334 4

5.  Metropolitan State, Colo. 25-7 303 13

6.  Western Washington (1 first place vote) 31-5 278 12

7.  Winona State, Minn. 25-5 271 NR

8.  Findlay, Ohio 24-7 244 25

9.  Seattle Pacific, Wash. 23-8 231 NR

10.  Franklin Pierce, N.H. 22-8 209 NR

11.  Montevallo, Ala. 29-8 190 22

12.  Southern Indiana 24-7 170 6

13.  Colorado School of Mines 29-3 154 1

14.  Saint Leo, Fla. 18-12 150 NR

15.  Winston-Salem State, N.C. 21-9 140 NR

16.  Christian Brothers, Tenn. 25-7 129 8

17.  Tarleton State, Texas 27-6 123 9

18.  Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 26-6 117 24

19.  Arkansas Tech 26-6 110 15

20.  Chico State, Calif. 25-8 98 NR

21.  Bloomfield, N.J. 26-8 93 NR

22.  Stonehill, Mass. 25-9 79 NR

23.  Midwestern State, Texas 27-6 73 NR

24.  Barton, N.C. 20-10 68 NR

25.  Cal Poly Pomona 19-8 58 NR

Others receiving votes: Shaw (N.C.) 55, Florida Southern 47, Southwest Minnesota State 42, Indiana (Pa.) 36, Northwest Missouri State 33, St. Cloud State (Minn.) 28, Benedict (S.C.) 22, Bowie State (Md.) 21, Hillsdale (Mich.) 21, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 15, West Texas A&M 14, Wingate (N.C.) 14, Drury (Mo.) 13, LIU Post (N.Y.) 13, Charleston (W.Va.) 11, Indianapolis (Ind.) 11, Cal State-San Bernardino 9, South Carolina Aiken 9, Augusta State (Ga.) 8, Dixie State (Utah) 8, Michigan Tech 8, Massachusetts-Lowell 7, Central Missouri 6, Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 6, Missouri-St. Louis 6, Central Washington 4, Kentucky Wesleyan 4, Mount Olive (N.C.) 3, Wayne State (Mich.) 2.