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Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 via CollegeInsider.com

Less than one week after being ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Poll, Butler earns the top spot in the preseason Mid-Major Top 25.

The Bulldogs, who finished last season with a 26-6 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final Mid-Major poll of the season, received 28 of the 31 first place votes. No. 2 ranked Gonzaga received two first place votes and No. 3 ranked Siena received the other. Rounding out the top five are Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.

Old Dominion, which won the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, headlines the next five, followed by Creighton, Akron, Wright State and Niagara.

The Horizon League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Missouri Valley Conference each boast two teams among the top 10, while the Colonial Athletic Association leads all conferences with four teams ranked in the first Top 25 of the season.


The MAAC, Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference have three teams in the rankings.

"I'm excited to be a part of the top 25 panel and want to ensure that all the deserving teams are recognized as the season unfolds," says Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating. "With a number of teams already considered among the country's best heading in, this promises to be a great year for teams across the country."

Keating has been named as the chairman of the voting panel, which includes eight new voters. Rick Byrd (Belmont), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), Wayne Tinkle (Montana) and Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan) will each cast a weekly vote during the 2009-10 season.

Teams considered for the Mid-Major Top 25 come from 23 conferences or leagues including the Great West Conference and the Independents.

Record

Points

Previous

1. Butler (28) 0-0 770 -
2. Gonzaga (2) 0-0 699 -
3. Siena (1) 0-0 699 -
4. Northern Iowa 0-0 612 -
5. Western Kentucky 0-0 585 -
6. Old Dominion 0-0 580 -
7. Creighton 0-0 568 -
8. Akron 0-0 444 -
9. Wright State 0-0 377 -
10. Niagara 0-0 366 -
11. VCU 0-0 313 -
12. George Mason 0-0 304 -
13. Northeastern 0-0 298 -
14. Oakland 0-0 288 -
15. Portland 0-0 285 -
16. Illinois State 0-0 236 -
17. College of Charleston 0-0 230 -
18. Cornell 0-0 215 -
19. Rider 0-0 190 -
20. Long Beach State 0-0 171 -
21. South Alabama 0-0 166 -
22. Boston University 0-0 114 -
23. St. Mary's 0-0 105 -
24. Davidson 0-0 102 -
25. Radford 0-0 99 -
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: North Texas 84, Cleveland State 82, Troy 77, Kent State 76, Jacksonville 72, UC Santa Barbara 69, Southern Illinois 64, Morehead State 61, Wichita State 58, Sam Houston State 57, Holy Cross 50, Weber State 50, Buffalo 44, Vermont 44, Morgan State 38, Mount St Mary's 38, Wisconsin Milwaukee 36, Bradley 24, Stephen F Austin 15, American 14, East Tennessee State 14, Denver 13, Murray State 13, North Dakota State 14, Middle Tennessee State 11, UW-Milwaukee 10, Miami 9, Montana State 9, Portland State 9, San Diego 9, UNC Asheville 9, Western Carolina 9, Wisconsin Green-Bay 8, Appalachian State 7, Norfolk State 7, Cal State Northridge 6, Indiana State 6, South Dakota 6, South Carolina State 5, Montana 4, St Peters 4, Belmont 3, Lehigh 3, Arkansas Little Rock 2, Chicago State 2, Princeton 2, Santa Clara 2, SE Louisiana 2, Central Michigan 1, Detroit 1, Jackson State 1, Longwood 1, Quinnipiac 1, Texas A&M CC 1, Texas San Antonio 1, Wofford 1.
VOTING PANEL: Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Will Brown (Albany), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Dave Calloway (Monmouth), Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee), Steve Donahue (Cornell), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), James Fox (Davidson), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara) *, Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Tod Kowalczyk (UW-Green Bay), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Jim Les (Bradley), Mike Lonergan (Vermont), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jimmy Patsos (Loyola MD), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), John Shulman (Chattanooga), Brad Stevens (Butler), Gary Stewart (UC Davis), Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts), Wayne Tinkle (Montana), Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan)

* Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2008-09 season.