(NEW YORK, NY) — The Golf World/Nike Golf Division I College Preseason Coaches’ Poll has been released, combining the resources of Golf World magazine, Nike Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The complete results, including results from Divisions II, III and the NAIA, will appear in the September 5, 2011 issue of Golf World. UCLA, with top-ranked amateur Patrick Cantlay returning for his sophomore season, begins the 2011-12 college season as the No. 1 team in the Golf World/Nike Golf Division I preseason coaches’ poll.
The Bruins earned eight of the 19 available first-place votes after reaching the match play portion of the 2011 NCAA Championship. This is the second time in four seasons that the Bruins have started the fall as the No. 1 ranked team, the other being at the beginning of the 2008-09 campaign.
Oklahoma State, the only school to advance to match play in each of the last three NCAA Championships, claimed the second spot. The Cowboys won eight tournaments in 2010-11 and return 2010 U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein for his senior season. They received nine first-place votes. It is the 30th straight time they have appeared in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches’ poll. It is also the sixth time in the last seven seasons that OSU has either been ranked first or second.
Alabama, Georgia Tech and Texas round out the top five, with the Longhorns receiving one first-place vote.
Two-time defending NCAA champion Augusta State is ranked No. 22. All five starters from the Jaguars roster have either graduated or turned professional.
The SEC is the conference with the most schools in the top 25, claiming six spots. The Pac-12 and Big 12 each had five, while the ACC had four and the Big Ten three.
Visit Golf World Senior Writer Ryan Herrington’s “Campus Insider” blog to find out the latest on collegiate golf: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/campusinsider.
Division I - August 31, 2011
Rank | University (First Place Votes) | Points | 2011 NCAA Finish |
1 | UCLA (8) | 461 | T5 |
2 | Oklahoma State (9) | 449 | T3 |
3 | Alabama | 433 | 14 |
4 | Georgia Tech (1) | 413 | T5 |
5 | Texas (1) | 395 | T12 |
6 | Texas A&M | 326 | 9 |
7 | Florida | 320 | 23 |
8 | Duke | 298 | T3 |
9 | Auburn | 271 | N/A |
10 | Arkansas | 256 | 15 |
11 | Southern California | 253 | T12 |
12 | Stanford | 248 | N/A |
13 | Illinois | 244 | T5 |
14 | San Diego State | 196 | T16 |
15 | Georgia | 188 | 2 |
16 | Clemson | 187 | N/A |
17 | Louisiana State | 176 | 21 |
18 | Washington | 141 | N/A |
19 | Iowa | 129 | T10 |
20 | Ohio State | 127 | T5 |
21 | Virginia | 99 | N/A |
22 | Augusta State (1) | 94 | 1 |
23 | Texas Tech | 74 | N/A |
24 | California | 72 | T19 |
25 | Oklahoma | 65 | 28 |
Others Receiving Votes: NC State, 62; Wake Forest, 61; Tennessee, 56; Oregon, 53; San Diego, 38; TCU, 37; Arizona State, 36; Kent State, 33; North Texas, 32; Michigan, 31; Liberty, 20; Arizona, 17; Kennesaw State, 17; North Florida, 17; East Carolina, 11; Central Florida, 10; Florida State, 9; Baylor, 8; South Carolina, 8; Northwestern, 7; Pepperdine, 7; East Tennessee State, 4; Colorado State, 3; Oregon State, 3; UNLV, 3. |