BEAVERTON, OR (10.5.10) - Coming off its second straight trip to the NCAA Division III "Sweet Sixtenn", UT Dallas men's basketball team has bee ranked nationally in the first preseason poll of the new season. The Comets are tabbed No. 17 in the poll issued by DIII News.

The Comets, who posted a 24-6 record last season, are the only team from the American Southwest Conference to appear in the publication's ranking. In fact, UTD is only team from the league consider a "Team to Watch" by the DIII News.

Reigning national champion Wisconsin-Stevens Points sits atop the poll while Illinois Wesleyan is second, Eastern Mennonite third, Carthage fourth and Williams fifth. The complete poll is listed below.

1. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2. Illinois-Wesleyan
3. Eastern Mennonite
4. Carthage
5. Williams
6. Randolph-Macon
7. Franklin & Marshall
8. Wooster
9. St. Thomas
10. Washington (Mo.)
11. Rhode Island College
12. St. Mary's (Md.)
13. Guilford
14. Hope
15. Whitworth
16. St. Norbert
17. Texas-Dallas
18. MIT
19. SUNYIT
20. John Carroll
21. Plattsburgh State
22. Anderson
23. SUNY Purchase
24. Middlebury
25. Merchant Marine

Others to watch: Wis. Whitewater, Rch. Stockton, Brandeis, Albertus Magnus, St. John Fisher, Cabrini, Maryville, Birmingham Southern, Albright, Occidental, DePauw, Claremont, DeSales, Chapman, Medaille.

DIII News is published by GSR Communications, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary season of covering small college basketball. More information can be found at www.smallcollegehoops.com <http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/> .