The Red River Athletic Conference today released the men’s basketball pre-season coaches’ poll, and Wesleyan starts the year at number four.

The Rams, entering their first season as a member of the RRAC, return only one starter from last season’s 20-9, USCAA elite eight squad - senior guard Aaron Whaley – but Wesleyan is far from a young team.

New to the Rams this year are Kenneth Johnson, a senior from Oklahoma Baptist, and his brother David, a junior two-time all-conference selection from Weatherford JC. Marcus Johnson (no relation) is a senior transfer from Southwest Texas State, and junior James Whitfield, a two-time all Red River Conference selection, transferred from Southwestern Adventist after they discontinued their athletic program this past Summer.

Other new faces include senior David Peoples, a transfer from Emporia State where he received second-team all-conference honors, senior Chris Campbell from TCU, and freshman Brad Schilder from Burleson.

The season begins for Wesleyan on the road November 7, when the Rams travel to Oklahoma City to face Mid-America Bible College. The first home game of the season is on Monday November 11, against Southwest Oklahoma Christian. Tip-off for that game is at 7:30 PM.

RRAC Pre-Season Coaches Poll

Huston-Tillotson College, winner of last year’s conference tournament and a member of the 2001-2002 NAIA elite eight, begins the new season in the top spot, receiving 8 of 11 first-place votes. Returning from last year’s 25-7 squad are second-team all-conference and honorable mention all-American guard Sean Wade and honorable mention all-conference guard Tyrus Davis. The Rams, who have lost all-American center Randy Williams, led the nation last year in field goal percentage.

In the second spot is Houston Baptist, co-conference champions from a year ago. That 26-9 squad advanced to their fifth consecutive NAIA national championship tournament, and finished the season ranked 14th in the country. This season, the Huskies have lost a pair of two-time NAIA all-Americans, and will return only one of their top six scorers – senior forward Josh Brian. HBU will also return 2000-2001 all-conference point guard Ben Karam, who sat out last season with an injury.

Langston University in Oklahoma grabs the third spot, on the strength of a 10-6 conference record a year ago. The Lions, who had an overall record of 13-19, return senior Nate Jones, a first-team all-conference selection at forward from last season.

Jarvis Christian College (13-21, 8-8 in conference) is fifth. The Bulldogs return first-team all conference guard/forward Eric Tatum, who will be a junior this season.

Wiley College (11-19, 8-8) holds the sixth spot. They return second-team all-conference forward Ray Willis.

Bacone College, Texas College, Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Paul Quinn College, and UT-Permian Basin round out the eleven-team conference.