KANSAS CITY, MO. (Dec. 6, 2011) – Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) made its debut this week in the first regular-season edition of the 2011-2012 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the NAIA announced yesterday. This is the first time in the team's short three-year history to be ranked among the best in the nation. In pre-season polls, the team received 22 votes, and this time around, the Saints received 74 votes -- enough to be ranked No. 24.

The No. 1 ranking is shared by Robert Morris (Ill.) and Concordia (Calif.). Both programs have sprinted out to undefeated records and brought home 306 total points in the ranking. Robert Morris earned six first-place votes, while the Eagles landed five first-place nods. No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist, who collected 292 total points, improved four positions. Georgetown (Ky.) finished with the remaining first-place votes and 284 points to take over the fourth spot. Leaping up seven spots, No. 5 Shorter (Ga.) tallied 269 points.

Red River Athletic Conference member LSU Shreveport (La.), which was picked to finish first in the conference, fell out of the Top 25 after starting the preseason with a No. 6 ranking. That was the farthest slide out of the poll this week.

The only other conference member to make the Top-25 poll was Texas Wesleyan University, which jumped to No. 7 after a No. 10 preseason rating.

Coach Russell Vanlandingham said of the announcement, "We had a very tough preseason schedule, but the games we played allowed us to be exposed to those coaches who are part of the rating group, so they were able to see how we play. I am proud of our men. They've earned it, and I know they will continue to work hard and advance up the poll as the season progresses."
 

Eleven of the 12 conference/independent/unaffiliated groups are mentioned in the poll. The Golden State Athletic Conference, Mid-South Conference and Sooner Athletic Conference each place four teams in the ranking. Five other leagues land a pair of programs.
 

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conference/independent/unaffiliated groups. The second regular-season Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll will be announced on Dec. 12.
 

For more information on Division I Men's Basketball, click here.

2011 – 12 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – (Dec. 5)

Others receiving votes: Xavier (La.) 54; Columbia (Mo.) 43; Voorhees (S.C.) 32; Baker (Kan.) 28; Montana Western 26; Cumberland (Tenn.) 22; William Carey (Miss.) 19; SAGU (Texas) 8; Oklahoma Christian 4; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 3; Lee (Tenn.) 1; Spring Hill (Ala.) 1; Northwestern Oklahoma State 1; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 1; Carroll (Mont.) 1; Westmont (Calif.) 1; St. Catharine (Ky.) 1.

^ Ranking is the 2011 – 12 Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Oct. 24, 2011)