Feb. 8, 2013

Dallas Baptist picked to win in new-look WAC

Dallas Baptist was selected as the favorite in the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, in voting by the league’s head coaches as released by the conference office.

The Patriots, under head coach Dan Heefner (left), picked up eight first-place votes and 80 points to outdistance second-place Texas State, with one first-place vote and 65 points. New Mexico State took third with 60 points, while Sacramento State came in fourth with one first-place vote and 54 points. CSU Bakersfield was fifth, followed by UT Arlington, Louisiana Tech, UTSA, San Jose State and Seattle.

This year’s version of the WAC is an interesting collection of teams. There are four holdovers from 2012: New Mexico State, Sacramento State, Louisiana Tech and San Jose State. There are three former Southland Conference members in Texas State, UT Arlington and UTSA. The remaining three (Dallas Baptist, CSU Bakersfield and Seattle) were independents a season ago.

DBU was 41-19 in 2012 and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. The Patriots reached the Super Regionals in 2011.

The 2013 campaign begins on Friday, Feb. 15, with all 10 teams in action. Conference play kicks off the weekend of March 22-24. Texas State travels to New Mexico State to highlight that weekend. The WAC Tournament will be held at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. The eight-team tournament will be played May 22-26.

2013 WAC Preseason Poll

Team, Points (First Place) (2012 WAC, Overall Records)

1. Dallas Baptist 80 (8) (independent, 41-19)

2. Texas State 65 (1) (19-14 SLC, 32-24)

3. New Mexico State 60 (11-7, 35-24)

4. Sacramento State 54 (1) (11-7, 31-28)

5. CSU Bakersfield 47 (independent, 25-30)

6. UT Arlington 45 (19-14 SLC, 36-25)

7. Louisiana Tech 41 (7-11, 27-28)

8. UTSA 24 (11-21 SLC, 22-32)

9. San Jose State 23 (5-13, 22-29)

10 Seattle 11 (independent, 23-30)

(photo courtesy of DBU Media Relations)