Oct. 26, 2004

Rams begin season ranked No. 4 in NAIA pre-season Top 25 Poll

MOBILE, Ala. -- The University of Mobile men’s basketball team, which will open their season next Tuesday night at home against Trinity Baptist College, begin the season ranked No. 4 in the NAIA National Top 25 pre-season poll after receiving 267 votes the NAIA announced on Tuesday.

The Rams, who finished last season with a 29-10 record and an appearance in the Final Four of the NAIA National Tournament, make the biggest jump in this year’s pre-season poll after finishing at No. 21 in last year’s final regular season poll.

Mobile returns all but one player from last year’s Final Four team and add 6-foot-6 point guard Steve Pellan from Nanterre, France and McDonald’s All-American nominee Justin Chapelle, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the mix.

Mountain State, who won the NAIA Division I championship last season, will open the 2004-05 season ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Lindsey Wilson College, who finished the 2003-04 season with a 33-4 overall record, will open at No. 2 and Azusa Pacific, who lost to Mobile in the Sweet Sixteen last year will open the season at No. 3.

Concordia College, who defeated Mobile last year in the Final Four but eventually lost in the championship game to Mountain State, will begin the year ranked No. 6.

Fellow Gulf Coast Athletic Conference members, Southern University New Orleans debuts at No. 13 and Xavier University, checks in at No. 26, just missing out on the top 25 with 20 votes.

Auburn University Montgomery received four votes to come in at No. 34 and GCAC member LSU-Shreveport received three votes taking over the No. 35 spot.

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