LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Reigning Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) champion Colorado College, for the third consecutive year, was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the SCAC championship in 2012 in the annual vote of the league's head coaches.
Colorado College garnered three of six possible first-place votes and tallied 33 total points to narrowly headline the poll. The Tigers, ranked 14th in the AVCA preseason poll, posted a 13-1 mark in SCAC play while finishing 33-7 overall last year and won the program's second consecutive SCAC championship. The Tigers lost a 3-1 decision to California Lutheran in the West regional championshp match of the NCAA Division III championship.
Trinity University closely followed Colorado College and checked in at No. 2 in the preseason poll. The Tigers garnered 32 points and three of six first place votes. Trinity, who is 24th in the 2012 AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 preseason poll, finished last season 22-16 overall and 8-6 in SCAC play. The Tigers dropped a 3-1 decision to Colorado College in the SCAC championship match.
Southwestern University was third in the preseason poll. The Pirates garnered 24 points. Southwestern, who is tied for 19th in the 2012 AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 preseason poll, finished the season 30-4 overall and 14-0 in league play. The second seeded Pirates were upset by Chapman University in the first round of the Division III championship at the West regional, with a 3-1 loss.
Austin College checked into the preseason coaches poll in fourth. The Kangaroos garnered 17 points and are among others receiving votes (34th) in the 2012 AVCA preseason poll. Austin College is coming off a 25-13 overall (9-5 SCAC) record from a year ago.
The University of Dallas begins its second season in the SCAC as the coaches No. 5 pick. The Crusaders enter 2012 off the heals of an 18-21 (4-10 SCAC) campaign and an 8th place finish at the SCAC tournament.
Centenary College of Louisiana begins its first season as an SCAC member and rounded out the coaches poll in sixth place. The Ladies enter their third year of NCAA Division III provisional membership and tallied eight points in the poll. Centenary was 14-14 overall and 9-10 in American Southwest Conference play last season.
| 2012 SCAC Predicted Order of Finish | ||||
| 2011 Record Conf. / Overall |
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| No. of votes | ||||
| 1 | Colorado College Tigers | 33 (3) | 13-1 | 33-7 |
| 2 | Trinity University Tigers | 32 (3) | 8-6 | 22-16 |
| 3 | Southwestern University Pirates |
24 |
14-0 | 30-4 |
| 4 | Austin College Kangaroos |
17 |
9-5 | 25-13 |
| 5 | University of Dallas Crusaders |
12 | 4-10 | 18-21 |
| 6 | *Centenary College (La.) Ladies |
8 | 9-10 | 14-14 |
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