Sept. 4, 2009
NEW YORK - Defending NCAA champion Texas A&M is ranked No. 7 in Golf World's preseason coaches' poll.
Golf World's annual College Preview will be featured in the September 7 issue of the magazine and can be viewed online at www.golfworld.com.
Oklahoma State is ranked No. 1 after receiving 12 of 26 first-place votes. Rounding out the top 10 are Washington, Georgia, Alabama, Stanford, Arizona State, A&M, Arkansas, Florida and USC. The Aggies received three first-place votes, the third most of any school. Washington got nine votes and Georgia and USC each received one.
Other Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25 are No. 23 Texas and No. 24 Texas Tech. A&M returns three starters from last year's national championship team - senior Andrea Pavan and juniors Conrad Shindler and John Hurley. Shindler was an honorable mention All-American and Pavan earned All-Big 12 honors. Junior Nacho Elvira, an All-America selection in 2008, also returns.
Incoming freshman Cameron Peck is one of just four freshmen ranked among the nation's top 50 college players. Peck was the nation's top-ranked junior golfer in 2008 after winning the U.S. Junior Amateur.
The Aggies open their season at the Tucker Intercollegiate Sept. 11-12 in Albuquerque.
GOLF WORLD/NIKE GOLF COACHES' POLL
1. Oklahoma State (12), 2. Washington (9), 3.Georgia (1), 4. Alabama, 5. Stanford, 6. Arizona State, 7. Texas A&M (3), 8. Arkansas, 9. Florida, 10. Southern California, 11. Georgia Tech, 12. Illinois, 13. N.C. State, 14. TCU, 15. South Carolina , 16. UCLA, 17. LSU, 18. Tennessee, 19. Clemson, 20. Duke, 21. Michigan, 22. Oregon, 23. Texas, 24. Texas Tech, 25. Florida State
First place votes in parenthesis
Also receiving votes: Augusta State, 85; Wake Forest, 64; San Diego State, 45; San Diego, 40; Iowa, 39; Arizona, 37; UCF, 37; UNLV, 37; Ohio State, 33; California, 28; Colorado State, 25; Indiana, 23; Northwestern, 16; East Tennessee State, 14; Virginia, 13; Chattanooga, 10; North Carolina, 10; UT-Arlington, 9; Auburn, 8; Denver, 8; Oklahoma, 8; Mississippi, 5; Oregon State, 5; BYU, 3; Kent State, 2; UC Irvine, 2; Charlotte, 1; North Florida, 1; Washington State, 1.