LSC Scoop Afternoon Update 4-6

Mustangs move to No. 2 in NFCA Division II Top 25 - MSU Softball
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State received its highest national ranking in program history Wednesday morning when the Mustangs moved to No. 2 in the latest National Fast-pitch Coaches' Association Top 25.

MSU also kept Alabama-Huntsville from a unanimous No. 1 selection by claiming its first ever No. 1 vote.

The Mustangs (35-4) are one of seven teams from the South Central Region to receive mention in the national poll after claiming its second consecutive Lone Star Conference Crossover championship by rolling to a 5-1 mark last weekend in San Angelo.

Other ranked teams in the region include No. 10 Angelo State (30-5), No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha (29-5), No. 18 Emporia State (24-7) and No. 23 West Texas A&M while St. Mary's (Texas) and Southeastern Oklahoma are receiving votes.

The Mustangs previously reached as high as No. 3 in the rankings which is where they stood each of the last two weeks after first gaining the position in the final regular season poll of 2010.

Midwestern State returns to LSC North Division play with a three-game series at Southwestern Oklahoma this weekend. The Mustangs and Bulldogs meet for one game Friday at 3 p.m. before completing the set with a twin bill Saturday beginning at 1 p.m

NFCA Division II Poll
April 6, 2011
Rank	School	Record																										Points	Previous
1	Alabama-Huntsville	28-1-1																										399	1
2	Midwestern State (Texas)	35-4																										369	3
3	North Georgia	36-8																										359	4
4	Valdosta State (Ga.)	20-4																										350	5
5	Minnesota State-Mankato	27-4																										298	8
6	Rollins (Fla.)	34-2																										282	7
7	Bloomsburg (Pa.)	23-3																										269	14
8	Winona State (Minn.)	20-3																										261	11
9	UC-San Diego	26-7																										229	17
10	Angelo State (Texas)	30-5																										226	2
11	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)	27-7																										222	10
12	Indiana (Pa.)	22-3																										210	9
13	Nebraska-Omaha	29-5																										205	21
14	Dowling (N.Y.)	20-2																										200	19
15	Indianapolis (Ind.)	23-8-1																										192	13
16	Tampa (Fla.)	30-6																										168	12
17	Augustana (S.D.)	23-4																										135	20
18	Emporia State (Kan.)	24-7																										132	16
19	Western Washington	26-5																										123	6
20	Arkansas-Monticello	26-6																										115	18
21	Hawaii Pacific	26-9																										91	22
22	Armstrong Atlantic (Ga.)	23-7																										56	23
23	West Texas A&M	27-11																										53	15
24	California (Pa.)	19-7																										42	RV
25	Chico State (Calif.)	20-8																										38	NR
Others Receving Votes: C.W. Post (N.Y.) 35; Lewis (Ill.) 24; Shippensburg (Pa.) 21; Columbus State (Ga.) 19; Kutztown (Pa.) 15; St. Mary's (Texas) 15; Tiffin (Ohio) 14; West Virginia Wesleyan11; Wayne State (Neb.) 9; Molloy (N.Y.) 7; Sonoma State (Calif.) 3; Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) 2; Southeastern Oklahoma 1.
Dropped out: No. 24 Shippensburg (Pa.), No. 25 Kutztown (Pa.) Mustangs top South Central Region Rankings - MSU Softball WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State claimed the top ranking in the South Central Regional Wednesday afternoon as released by the NCAA Division II Softball Committee. The Mustangs (35-4) claimed their second consecutive Lone Star Conference Crossover title including wins over then-No. 2 Angelo State and No. 15 West Texas A&M last weekend in San Angelo to 5-1 at the tournament. Midwestern leads a strong contingent from the LSC as the league laid claim to five of the top eight post in the ranking. Angelo State (31-5) slipped one spot to No. 2 followed by No. 3 Emporia State (24-7), No. 4 Nebraska-Omaha (29-5), No. 5 West Texas A&M (27-11), No. 6 St. Mary's (27-14), No. 7 Central Oklahoma (20-15), No. 8 Southeastern Oklahoma (28-16), No. 9 Missouri Western (25-8) and No. 10 East Central (22-9). The top eight teams advance to the 2011 NCAA Division II South Central Regional which will be played in two four-team, double elimination tournaments at campus sites during the weekend of May 13-15. The advancing teams in a best 2-of-3 super regional at the site of the highest remaining seed on May 11-12 for the right to payin the 2011 NCAA Division II Softball Championships to be held from May 26-30 at Moyer Complex in Salem, Va. Midwestern State returns to LSC North Division play with a three-game series against Southwestern Oklahoma. The teams play a single Friday at 3 p.m. before locking up for a twin bill Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. NCAA II South Central Region Rankings April 6, 2011 Rank School D2 Record In-Region Record 1 Midwestern State (Texas) 35-4 31-4 2 Angelo State (Texas) 31-5 31-5 3 Emporia State (Kan.) 24-7 24-7 4 Nebraska-Omaha 29-5 29-5 5 West Texas A&M 27-11 27-11 6 St. Mary's (Texas) 27-14 27-14 7 Central Oklahoma 20-15 20-15 8 Southeastern Oklahoma 28-16 28-16 9 Missouri Western 25-8 25-8 10 East Central 22-9 22-9

Poku Evaluated by National Football League with Draft Looming - ENMU Football
PORTALES, N.M. — Jessie Poku (Murphy, Richardson HS), a standout wide receiver for the Eastern New Mexico University football team received an opportunity to work out on his former home field last week, in front of national scouts, prior to the National Football League entry draft. The pro day afforded to Poku is a clear sign that he concluded his career at ENMU, among the elite at his position.

“Jessie (Poku) is one of the greatest receivers to play here at Eastern,” said head coach Mark Ribaudo. “He helped get our offense to where it is now. We are hoping and praying that he gets the opportunity to play at the next level.”

The tests administered to Poku included height and weight, which saw him stand at 6’-2”, with a weight 215.1 pounds. He also registered a vertical jump of 32.5”, after a posting a 10’-2” performance in the broad jump.

Once the measurable testing was complete, Poku crossed over to the field where he completed a series of cone and running drills. Running drills included 10-yard start, 20 yd sprint and a pair of 40-yard sprints. Poku timed at 4.54 and 4.49 in the 40-yard dash. The cone drill included the “L drill”, pro agility and 60-yardd shuttle. The scouts were impressed with Poku’s speed on the field and his ability to change direction and accelerate.

“I was extremely proud of Jessie today,” said Greyhound assistant coach, Draco Miller. “Today was a great day for Jessie and the Greyhound Football Program. Now our kids can see that it doesn’t matter that they are at a (NCAA) Division II school, if they have the talent the NFL will find them.”

“It’s great to see the fruits of his labor paying off,” said Miller. “He has trained hard for this moment in time. He spent six to eight weeks in California training with NFL style trainers and prior to leaving spent numerous hours with our own strength and conditioning coordinator, Coach Larry Varnado.”

Poku set ENMU records in career receiving touchdowns, receiving yardage, receptions and single-season receptions. He is a three-time All-Lone Star Conference North/South selection, with a pair of first team honors. As a senior, he participated in the Cactus Bowl and garnered Honorable Mention D2Football.com All-American and Third Team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region 4 Honors.