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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kansas City, Mo. -- Fresh of their third consecutive 11 win season, the Missouri Southern Lions have been picked sixth in the MIAA preseason poll, as announced by the league office today. The conference newcomer and perennial national contender Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are the preseason favorite with 60 points and four first-place votes. UNO made their sixth straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance last year. Last season's defending co-champions Central Missouri and Truman are next, with UCM garnering three first-place votes and 54 points to come in second. TSU is third after receiving a pair of first-place votes and 53 points. Washburn was picked fourth with 47 points, with Southwest Baptist rounding out the top five with 34 points. MSSU had 31 points to come in sixth, followed by Northwest Missouri State (20 points), Missouri Western (17 points) and Emporia State (eight points). The Lions, 46-35-18 under sixth-year head coach Trevor Wachsman, will have a nice balance of youth and veterans this year. Southern will feature 13 true freshmen and 16 underclassmen while also returning nine letterwinners, led by all-time leading scorer Nikki Llewellyn.
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