CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — Central Arkansas has been picked to finish third in the Southland Conference for the 2012 season.
The league announced Tuesday that polls by league coaches and sports information directors chose Sam Houston State as the favorites to win. The Bearkats received seven first-place votes and 49 points total in each poll.
Stephen F. Austin received 39 points in both polls to come in second.
The Bears finished at 6-1 in Southland Conference play in 2011 and made their first NCAA Division I post-season appearance. Central Arkansas received 38 points from coaches and 37 from sports information directors.
The Bears will be without all-conference quarterback Nathan Dick but will return 15 starters and 45 letter-winners from last year's team.
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