MSOE favored in NAC Golf

WAUKESHA

MSOE is the favorite to win the 2009 Northern Athletics Conference title, according to the preseason coaches' poll. Winners of the last two NAC titles, the Raiders received 76 poll points and four of the nine first place votes. MSOE became the conference's first team to appear in the NCAA Division III men's golf championship last season by virtue of winning the NAC's automatic bid. MSOE finished 24th at the championship and was just one stroke shy of making the 23-team final cut.

Benedictine University received 74 poll points and the remaining five first place votes for second. The Eagles took second at last year's NAC championship, losing to MSOE by a mere five strokes. Aurora University received 61 points and was picked third, Edgewood College received 58 for fourth and Lakeland College received 38 for fifth. Marian University was picked sixth with 36 points, Wisconsin Lutheran College seventh with 35, Rockford eighth with 14 and CUW last with 13.

The combination of the NAC Championship in the fall and the NAC AQ Meet in the spring determines which team receives conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.