MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Wolves will start the season right where they finished it last year, as they have been picked to place second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings, according to the coaches preseason poll.
Western Oregon, which went 5-5 last season, including a 3-3 mark in conference play, received 19 points and four second place votes. This is the third straight year WOU has been picked second in the coaches poll.
Central Washington was tabbed as the favorite in the GNAC, as it received all five first place votes. Western Oregon was followed in the standings by Dixie State, Humboldt State and Simon Fraser.
Western Oregon returns a league-best 51 letterwinners including seven all-conference selections from its 2009 squad. Headlining WOU on the defensive side of the ball will be two-time All-GNAC performer Caleb Singleton (Sr., S, Salem, Ore./West Salem HS). He will be joined by all-conference linemen Kalani Zoller (Marysville, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck HS), Levi Smith (Hermiston/Hermiston HS) and Sitani Tupou (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova HS).
On the offensive side of the ball, the Wolves will bring back wide receiver Justin Ore (Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS) to go along with offensive linemen Chester Anonson (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS) and Jason Slowey (Medford, Ore./North Medford HS).
Great Northwest Coaches Pre-Season Poll
2009 Record Pts
1. Central Washington (5) 12-1 (6-0) 25
2. Western Oregon 5-5 (3-3) 19
3. Dixie State 4-7 (2-4) 14
4. Humboldt State 5-5 (1-5) 12
5. Simon Fraser 3-5 (3-5) 5
(Note: First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis).
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