Feb. 10, 2012

TCU picked to win Mountain West again

TCU was the unanimous favorite to win its seventh straight Mountain West regular season crown in the MWC Preseason Poll in voting by the league’s head coaches and released by the conference office.

The Horned Frogs garnered all five first-place votes and 25 points. UNLV took second with 16 points to edge New Mexico with 15. San Diego State was fourth, followed by Air Force.

Under head coach Jim Schlossnagle, TCU returns 13 letterwinners from the 2011 championship squad. This will be the final year that the Horned Frogs compete in the Mountain West. TCU will move to the Big 12 next season.

The 2012 season starts on Friday, Feb. 17, with all five teams in action. Conference play begins the weekend of March 16-18. Each team will play a home-and-home series with each conference opponent. The MWC Championship will be May 24-27 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.

2012 Mountain West Preseason Coaches Poll

Team, Points (First Place) (2011 MWC, Overall Records)

1. TCU, 25 (5) (20-3, 43-19)

2. UNLV, 16 (10-13, 33-25)

3. New Mexico, 15 (10-14, 20-41)

4. San Diego State, 12 (11-13, 22-36)

5. Air Force, 7 (4-20, 19-36)