MBKS: NWC POLL - Bruins Picked to Tie for 7th in NWC Coaches’ Pre-Season Poll

NWC Pre-Season Coaches' Poll

NEWBERG, Ore. - After finishing in a tie for seventh in the Northwest Conference men's basketball standings last year, that is just where the George Fox University Bruins have been picked again in 2009-10, according to a pre-season poll of the league's nine coaches as recently announced by the conference office.

George Fox went 8-17 overall and 4-12 in the conference last season, tying with Pacific Lutheran University for seventh.  This time, the Bruins are deadlocked with Willamette University, each receiving 25 points in the poll.

The Bruins lost three starters but return two good ones in honorable mention All-Conference post Alex Stockner, who averaged 14.9 points and .562 from the field, and wing Evan Atwater, who averaged 12.3 points per game and needs 217 points to become the 34th player in Bruin history to reach 1,000 for a career.  Head coach Mark Sunquist enters his ninth season at George Fox with a 90-134 (.402) record.

Whitworth University has been established as a heavy favorite to regain the NWC's top spot which they held at the end of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, picking up eight first-place votes and 88 points in the poll.  The Pirates return three starters from last winter, including First Team All-NWC forward David Riley, one of only two non-seniors on last season's First Team.  Also back is senior post Nate Montgomery.

The defending champion University of Puget Sound and Linfield College are tied for second in the poll with 63 points apiece.  Puget Sound had the other first-place vote, but the Loggers will be looking to overcome the graduation of three First Team All-NWC honorees, including Player of the Year Jason Foster.  Linfield returns Cody Tesoro and K.C. Wiser, both Second Team All-NWC choices last year. 

Lewis & Clark College is fourth in the poll with 54 points.  The Pioneers welcome back Second Team All-NWC guard Josh Kollasch.

Pacific University and Whitman College are tied for fifth in the poll with 37 points apiece.  The Boxers will be led by Carson (G) and Ross (P) Bartlett.  The Missionaries lost the  NWC-leading scorer, Chris Faidley, to graduation, but return Brandon Shaw among a talented group of young players.

Willamette's Bearcats welcome back First Team All-NWC post Cameron Mitchell for his final season.  

Pacific Lutheran rounds out the poll with 22 points.  Junior wing Kyle McTaggert is the Lutes' leading returning scorer.

The Northwest Conference will use a conference tournament, comprised of the top four regular season teams, to decide the automatic (Pool A) bid to the NCAA tournament.

The season gets under way for the Bruins on Friday, Nov. 20, when they host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges at 8:00 p.m. following a George Fox women's game at 6:00 p.m. vs. Concordia University-Portland.