B-W: The Baldwin-Wallace College Men's Basketball Team Listed Among "Others

Receiving Votes" in d3hoops.com Presason Poll

BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College men's basketball team enters the 2005-2006 season ranked among the "Others Receiving Votes" in the d3hoops.com Internet Web site preseason poll. d3hoops.com is one of the best sources for information regarding Division III men's and women's basketball.

The Yellow Jackets, under the direction of veteran Head Coach Steve Bankson, return eight lettermen and three starters from last season's team that finished 20-9 overall, won the prestigious Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

The Yellow Jackets will be led by returning first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward Tori Davis (Elyria/ Open Door Christian School) who is expected to be one of the top players in the OAC, Great Lakes Region and all of Division III in 2005-2006. A year ago, Davis averaged 19.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and blocked a school-record 64 shots.

B-W receives stiff challenges in its first two weeks of play. The Yellow Jackets open the season on November 18-19 at the Westminster (Pa.) College Tournament and face seventh-ranked St. John Fisher (N.Y.) College in its first game on Nov. 18 at 6:00 p.m. St. John Fisher was 28-1 a year ago. After travelling to Oberlin College on Nov. 22 for a 7:30 p.m. contest, B-W will play at the Allegheny (Pa.) College Tournament on Nov. 26-27 and play Allegheny in the first round at 8:00 p.m. Also at the Allegheny tourney will be eighth-ranked Albion (Mich.) College.

"We look forward to the challenge of playing both a very competitive nonleague schedule and our annual rugged Ohio Athletic Conference schedule," said Bankson, the winningest coach in B-W history with 365 wins. "Our players know the demands of playing great teams like St. John Fisher, Allegheny, Albion and those in the OAC. We know that we have to come ready to play every game at a high level. We are excited to start the season."

FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please call Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple at 440-826-2327, FAX him at 440-826-2329 or e-mail him at kruple@bw.edu. We also invite you to visit our athletics web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.