British Columbia enters the 2013 season as the top ranked team in the NAIA Women's Golf Coaches' Preseason Poll, the national office announced over the weekend. The Thunderbirds received 10-of-16 first-place votes for 430 points for the top spot. Lee is ranked 8
th.
British Columbia won the 2012 NAIA Women's Golf National Championships defeating SCAD Savannah (Ga.) by two strokes to capture its second title since 2010. The Thunderbirds return two First-Team All-Americans from last year in Kylie Barros and Stephanie Wong, who were both top ten finishers at last year's national championships.
SCAD Savannah comes in at No.
2 after notching five first-place votes and 422 points. Collecting the last first-place vote and earning 413 points was No. 3 Lubbock Christian (Texas). Oklahoma City comes in at No. 4 with 382 points, while No. 5 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) rounds out the top five collecting 376 points.
No. 14 Victoria (B.C.) returns NAIA Individual Champion and First-Team All-American Megan Woodland. Woodland shot even par (292) over the four rounds to win the individual championship by one stroke.
“I think starting the spring out ranked #8 is a great position for the Lady Flames, because I think our best golf is ahead of us this season,” said coach John Maupin. “I believe we have a chance to improve as we head into the spring and work our way up into the top 5.”
The Lady Flames closed out the fall season on a great note by winning their last two tournaments. “This team has a lot of winning experience, and it’s important that we use that to our advantage,” Maupin added. “The team’s focus over the last month of the season is what really stuck out to me. We need to carry that over to the off-season, and show up prepared for what lies ahead.”
Eight teams who were not in the postseason poll last year join the Coaches' Preseason Poll: No. 10 Cumberland (Tenn.), No. 15 Northwood (Texas), No. 18 Bellevue (Neb.), No. 20 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 22 Coastal Georgia, No. 23 Texas at Brownsville, No. 24 William Penn (Iowa) and No. 25 Spring Hill (Ala.). Bellevue and Coastal Georgia make their first ever appearance in the Top 25.
On the other end of the spectrum, Westminster (Utah) (No. 18), College of Idaho (No. 22), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (No. 23) and Grand View (Iowa) (No. 24) all fell out of the poll.
2013 NAIA Women's Golf Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll
| RANK |
LAST |
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) |
TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 |
1 |
British Columbia (10) |
430 |
| 2 |
2 |
SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (5) |
422 |
| 3 |
7 |
Lubbock Christian (Texas) |
413 |
| 4 |
5 |
Oklahoma City |
382 |
| 5 |
3 |
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) |
376 |
| 6 |
4 |
William Woods (Mo.) |
372 |
| 7 |
17 |
Cal State San Marcos |
359 |
| 8 |
8 |
Lee (Tenn.) |
339 |
| 9 |
9 |
Northwood (Fla.) |
320 |
| 10 |
RV |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
299 |
| 11 |
15 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
276 |
| 12 |
14 |
South Carolina Beaufort |
270 |
| 13 |
11 |
Wayland Baptist (Texas) |
262 |
| 14 |
16 |
Victoria (B.C.) |
261 |
| 15 |
NR |
Northwood (Texas) |
243 |
| 16 |
12 |
Bethel (Ind.) |
239 |
| 17 |
25 |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
216 |
| 18 |
NR |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
202 |
| 19 |
13 |
Concordia (Ore.) |
180 |
| 20 |
RV |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
161 |
| 21 |
21 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
149 |
| 22 |
NR |
Coastal Georgia |
126 |
| 23 |
NR |
Texas at Brownsville |
97 |
| 24 |
RV |
William Penn (Iowa) |
91 |
| 25 |
NR |
Spring Hill (Ala.) |
84 |
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma Baptist 64; Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 58; Biola (Calif.) 56; Westminster (Utah) 48; Houston-Victoria (Texas) 46; St. Francis (Ill.) 42; Mobile (Ala.) 35; Grand View (Iowa) 25; College of Idaho 22; Rogers State (Okla.) 8; Texas Wesleyan 7.