TranSouth Sports Weekly Update
December 8, 2004

This Release in PDF Format

VOLLEYBALL - In TranSouth Conference Volleyball, Union University advanced to the NAIA National Championship after winning the Region XI Title. Union’s recorded a 2-2 record in the pool play fi rst round of the national tournament and finished third in their pool of five teams. However, only the top two teams in each pool advanced to the quarterfinals, thus ending Union’s historic season with a 31-5 overall record and tie for ninth place in the volleyball national tournament.

The NAIA Region XI honored several TranSouth volleyball players as Union’s Gladys Wandera was named the Region XI Player of the Year. Joining Wandera on the All-Region Team was Karina Souza (Freed-Hardeman), Fabiola Nepomuceno (Martin Methodist), Phylis Anyango (Union), Fabiana Lima (Martin Methodist), and Renata Pedreira (Freed-Hardeman). Union’s Brian Dunn was named the region Coach of the Year.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL - The non-conference part of basketball season is in full swing.

For schedules and results: men’s standings women’s standings.

As always, the TranSouth is well represented in the NAIA National Rankings as the first regular season poll was released on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The Union University Lady Bulldogs (13-0) are ranked the No. 1 team in the nation as they earned all 12 first place votes. Currently, the TranSouth Conference has two teams ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in their respective rankings (Cumberland University - Baseball, Union University - Women’s Basketball). Also, moving up in the polls was Freed-Hardeman University (12-2). The Lady Lions jumped one spot to No. 5. Trevecca Nazarene University (6-4) fell one spot to No. 21, while the up and coming Cumberland University Lady Bulldogs (9-2) entered the polls at the No. 26 spot.

Union and Freed-Hardeman rank first and sixth in the nation in scoring offense and also in three pointers made. Both are ranked in the top 10 in scoring margin as well.

The TranSouth Conference season will begin on Thursday, January 13.

MEN’S BASKETBALL - Three TranSouth men’s basketball teams fi nd themselves ranked by the NAIA with Trevecca Nazarene University making the biggest jump. Trevecca Nazarene (11-1) went from not being ranked at all in the preseason polls to the No. 6 spot. Union University (9-2) dropped one spot to No. 17, while Cumberland University (4-2) fell to No. 30.

In the national stats, Trevecca Nazarene is ranked third in the nation in fi eld goal percentage.

The fi rst games of the men’s TranSouth regular season games will begin on Thursday, January 13.

BASEBALL - For the second time in four seasons, the NAIA Baseball National Champion hails from the TranSouth Conference (Birmingham-Southern 2001, Cumberland 2004). And as expected, Cumberland is returning in 2005 as the preseason No. 1 team in the TranSouth Conference and also the No. 1 team in the NAIA preseason polls. Currently, the TranSouth Conference has two teams ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in their respective rankings (Cumberland University - Baseball, Union University - Women’s Basketball).

As voted on by the TranSouth coaches, Cumberland University was fi rst with fi ve fi rst place votes. Cumberland fi nished the regular season in third place in the conference standings, but closed out the season by winning 19 straight games including the conference tournament, region tournament, super regional, and eventually, the NAIA World Series.

Trevecca Nazarene University was the second choice voted by the coaches as they came in second place in the TranSouth preseason baseball poll while earning one fi rst place vote. Trevecca Nazarene fi nished second place in the TranSouth regular season standings in 2004 which earned them the two seed in the conference tournament. Trevecca Nazarene is ranked No. 26 in the NAIA Preseason Baseball Polls.

GOLF - The NAIA Preseason Golf Rankings are out with Trevecca Nazarene University receiving votes in the women’s polls and Union University receiving votes in the men’s polls.