TAMIU Sports Round Up

Volleyball Ranked 21st in NAIA Poll

The Texas A&M International University volleyball team is ranked 21st in this week's NAIA Top-25 poll. The ranking marks the first time a TAMIU team sport has been ranked in a NAIA national poll in the three-year history of Dustdevil Athletics.

TAMIU will take a 9-2 record into Saturday's home contest against UT-Pan American. The Dustdevils have won seven straight matches, including a three-game sweep against NCAA Division I foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Link to NAIA Top-25 poll:

http://www.naia.org/volleyball/ratings/2004/2.html

Hermosillo Off to Another Hot Start

It should surprise no one that Daniel Hermosillo is off to another solid start for the TAMIU men's soccer team. A two-time first-team All-Red River Athletic Conference selection and conference Offensive Player of the Year, Hermosillo has contributed a team leading four goals and 10 points as the Dustdevils have raced off to a 3-0 start. He was named RRAC Player of the Week after contributing three goals and two assists in road wins over St. Gregory's and Oklahoma Christian over the weekend. Only three games into his junior season, Hermosillo has career totals of 45 goals and 23 assists.

Men's Soccer Notes

TAMIU played its first two regular season games ever against Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) competition over the weekend in Oklahoma, recording wins over St. Gregory's and Oklahoma Christian. SAC and the Red River Athletic Conference institutions compete against each other for Region VI berths in NAIA national tournaments. The Dustdevils get one more shot at a SAC school with a neutral site game against Sciences & Arts of Oklahoma on Oct. 8 at Dallas Baptist ... After playing Schreiner at home on Tuesday, Texas A&M International will open Red River Athletic Conference play on the road on Saturday at Southwestern Assemblies. TAMIU defeated SAGU, 10-1, last season in Laredo and the Dustdevils hold a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series against the Lions ... TAMIU is ranked fifth in this week's NAIA Region VI rankings.

Volleyball Notes

Texas A&M International has won eight straight matches since losing a road match at Houston Baptist on Aug. 27. The Dustdevils have dropped only one game with seven three-game sweeps during the winning streak. TAMIU's longest winning streak in the three-year history of the program is 14 matches, accomplished during the team's inaugural season in 2002 ... NCAA Division I foe UT-Pan American will bring a 4-4 record into Saturday's match against TAMIU in Laredo. UTPA holds a 4-0 lead in the all-time series against the Dustdevils, winning three of those matches in three-game sweeps. Last year's match in Laredo was a tough one, however, with UTPA winning in five games ... TAMIU is ranked third in this week's NAIA Region VI rankings.

Women's Soccer Notes

Sophomore Heather Pace was named RRAC Player of the Week for games ending Sept. 12 after contributing one goal and one assist in TAMIU's first win of the season, a 4-2 decision over McMurry on Saturday ... TAMIU will travel to Southern California for three tough games this week. TAMIU will play at Cal Baptist on Wednesday, Vanguard on Friday and Christian Heritage on Saturday. Cal Baptist (3-0) is ranked in the top-10 in this week's NAIA poll while Vanguard has a 2-2-1 record and Christian Heritage stands at 4-0-1 entering play this week. Cal Baptist advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA National Championship tournament last season.

Cross Country Notes

TAMIU's men's and women's cross country teams return to action this Saturday when they compete at the Texas A&M Invitational in College Station. The men will run an 8K and the women a 5K race at the University Golf Course.