POLL SLATES TWU 5th
October 17 , 2006

FORT WORTH, TX:  According to Street & Smith’s Sports Annuals, the defending NAIA Division I National Champion Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team is the fifth best team in the country.  The publication has announced its preseason top-10, and the Rams check in at number five.

Texas Wesleyan began last season 15th in the NAIA’s preseason poll.  They entered the National Tournament as the 27th seed, then defeated five higher ranked teams in six days to take the program’s first national championship.

Street & Smith also listed its preseason All-American selections.  Evan Patterson and Nino Etienne, the team’s two returning starters, both made the list.  Patterson, who earned MVP honors at last year’s National Tournament, was a 2nd-team selection, while Etienne received Honorable Mention honors.

Head Coach Terry Waldrop says that Rams fans can expect a more athletic and more physical style of play this season.  Waldrop says that the team possesses, “an overall strength factor that we haven’t had maybe since I’ve been here.  We plan to use the speed and quickness of our athletes to the best of our advantage.”

Although the Rams lost ten players from last year’s senior laden squad, they expect to be able to look to Patterson and Etienne along with fourth-year senior CJ Higginbotham for leadership.

Waldrop and his coaching staff have also brought in a tremendous recruiting class that is highlighted by Kelvin Williams and Justin Loewe.  Williams is a 6’4” forward from Sam Houston State University while Loewe, a 6’4” guard, transferred from Fresno State after playing his first two seasons at Texas A&M University.  In addition the Rams expect significant contributions from Dane Dmitrovic, a 6’10” freshman from Vrhnika, Slovenia.