The University of Texas at Tyler volleyball team has been picked to finish in third place in the American Southwest Conference East Division, the league office announced Friday.

The poll, conducted among the head coaches of the 14 volleyball-playing schools in the ASC, put UT Tyler behind four-time ASC East champion Austin College and perennial power East Texas Baptist. The Patriots were picked ahead of UT Dallas, Mississippi College and LeTourneau.

UT Tyler will begin its third season of volleyball with new head coach Kristee Turpin at the helm. UT Tyler’s 30-game schedule begins Sept. 3 in Waxahachie, Texas with matches against Southwest Assemblies of God and St. Gregory’s. UT Tyler will open its 2005 home campaign on Sept. 9 in a 6 p.m. match against Division II Ouachita Baptist at the Herrington Patriot Center.

The Patriots will return three starters and six letterwinners from last year’s team which finished 17-15 overall and 12-6 in the ASC.

In the conference’s west division, NCAA Division III South Regional finalist Texas Lutheran claimed seven of eight first-place votes and 62 points to earn the coaches' nod to win a third straight division championship. The Bulldogs, ranked 23rd in last season's final AVCA Division III poll, compiled a 19-1 conference record while going 27-7 overall.

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
2005 PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL COACHES POLL

East Division
Team (1st place votes) Pts. 2004 Records
1. Austin College (5) ................ 41 ............. 32-4, 16-2 ASC
2. East Texas Baptist (1) ......... 31 ........... 21-11, 15-3 ASC
3. Texas-Tyler ......................... 23 ........... 17-15, 12-6 ASC
4. Texas-Dallas ........................ 18 ............. 14-17, 9-9 ASC
5. Mississippi College ............. 12 ............. 7-18, 5-13 ASC
6. LeTourneau ............................ 7 ............. 3-25, 2-16 ASC

West Division
Team (1st-place votes) Pts. 2004 Records
1. Texas Lutheran (7) ............... 62 ............. 27-7, 19-1 ASC
2. McMurry (1) ....................... 46 ........... 21-10, 13-7 ASC
3. Sul Ross State ....................... 45 ........... 21-12, 14-6 ASC
4. Hardin-Simmons .................. 43 ............. 9-17, 6-14 ASC
5. Concordia-Austin ................ 35 ........... 12-17, 7-13 ASC
6. Mary Hardin-Baylor ........... 21 ............. 8-23, 5-15 ASC
7. Howard Payne ..................... 19 ............. 8-20, 7-13 ASC
8. Schreiner ............................... 17 ............. 7-21, 4-16 ASC