Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference is represented by #10 Bethany College and #17 McPherson in the preseason edition of the 2013 NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Postseason Top 25 Poll.  The National Office announced the poll on Tuesday, January 30.

Undefeated in conference play this in 2012, Bethany College went on to win the postseason KCAC conference tournament.  The Swedes defeated #19 Olivet Nazarene University in the first round of the NAIA National Championship. Bethany ended their season in the second round losing to the 2012 National Champions, Oklahoma Christian University. Bethany ranked #14 in the final poll of 2012

2012 ended for the Bulldogs with a second place finish in the KCAC regular season and a loss in the conference championship to Bethany, 9-0.  McPherson was receiving votes in the final coaches' poll of 2012.

Embry-Riddle (Fla.) has claimed the No. 1 ranking in the poll. The Eagles collected 8-of-11 first-place votes. Embry-Riddle is led by NAIA No. 1 ranked singles player Patrick Besch, according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) collected two first-place votes and comes in at No. 2. No. 3 belongs to Vanguard (Calif.), who tallied the last first-place vote.. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Concordia (Calif.) come in at Nos. 4 and 5.

No. 13 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) brings back the No. 4 doubles team of Diego Gonsalvez and Julian Kurz, according to ITA. The Tigers make the biggest movement up the poll, jumping seven spots from its final ranking of last season.

A total of seven teams are new to the poll after going unranked in the final rating: No. 16 Graceland (Iowa), No. 17 McPherson,  No. 18 Pikeville (Ky.), No. 22 Georgetown (Ky.), No. 23 Coastal Georgia, No. 24 Biola (Calif.) and No. 25 Lee (Tenn.).

Ten of the 13 conferences/independents/unaffiliated groupings are represented in the poll with the Mid-South Conference and Southern States Athletic Conference with five teams each in the Top 25.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independents/unaffiliated groupings.

The first regular-season poll will be announced on Feb. 19.

Notes: (All information as of the 2000 season) Auburn Montgomery's (Ala.) 27 top mentions are the most all-time, followed by former-NAIA members Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and Fresno Pacific (Calif.), who each have 23 ... Oklahoma City has appeared at No. 1 a total of 13 times, while SCAD Savannah (Ga.) has topped the poll twice ... Fresno Pacific became the sixth preseason top selection to go on to win the national title in 2011 ... Auburn Montgomery was the last to accomplish the feat prior to Fresno Pacific, as the Warhawks did so in 2008 ... This is the first time Embry-Riddle (Fla.) has been ranked No. 1.

2013 Men's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25

Others receiving votes: Indiana Wesleyan 55; Davenport (Mich.) 49; Missouri Valley 41; SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 23; St. Francis (Ill.) 14; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 13; Tennessee Wesleyan 6; Asbury (Ky.) 4; Hastings (Neb.) 3. 

^ Ranking from 2012 Postseason Coaches Poll

See Also:

Seventeen Named KCAC Men's Tennis Scholar-Athletes

Bethany Men's Tennis Ranked #14 in Postseason Poll

2012 Daktronics-NAIA Men's Tennis Scholar Athletes