Four MIAA Squads Ranked in AFCA Preseason Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Northwest Missouri, fresh off of its third national championship in 2009, opens up 2010 as the preseason favorite to win the national championship, the American Football Coaches Association announced Monday.
 
This is the second time since the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll started in 2000 that the Bearcats have begun the season ranked No. 1. Northwest Missouri received 22 first place votes and totaled 645 points in the poll.
 
Washburn will kick off the season ranked No. 10 after receiving 339 points. Nebraska-Omaha was voted No. 15 with 232 points, and Missouri Western was selected as No. 20 with 160 points to give the MIAA four schools in the top 25. Central Missouri was listed in "others receiving votes" with 11 points.

2010 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll
(August 9, 2010)
1. Northwest Missouri (22) – 645
2. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (3) – 621
3. North Alabama (1) – 580
4. Minnesota-Duluth – 549
5. Central Washington – 499       
6. California (Pa.) – 489
7. Abilene Christian (Texas) – 435
8. West Liberty (W.Va.) – 420
9. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) – 400
10. Washburn – 339
11. West Texas A&M – 337
12. West Alabama – 313
13. Nebraska-Kearney – 296
14. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) – 235
15. Nebraska-Omaha – 232
16. Texas A&M-Kingsville – 216
17. Tuskegee (Ala.) – 210
18. Hillsdale (Mich.) – 188
19. Midwestern St. (Texas) – 163
20. Missouri Western – 160
21. Minnesota St.-Mankato – 127
22. West Chester (Pa.) – 122
23. North Carolina-Pembroke – 115
24. Delta St. (Miss.) – 93
25. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) – 74
 
Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M-Commerce, 73; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 59; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 56; Wingate (N.C.), 49; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 34; Tarleton St. (Texas), 32; Albany St. (Ga.), 30; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 28; Colorado School of Mines, 27; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 17; Benedict (S.C.), 16; Morehouse (Ga.), 15; Indiana (Pa.), 14; Shaw (N.C.), 14; Augustana (S.D.), 13; Findlay (Ohio), 13; Winona St. (Minn.), 13; Central Missouri, 11; Charleston (W.Va.), 11; Shippensburg (Pa.), 11; Angelo St. (Texas), 9; Shepherd (W.Va.), 9; Bentley (Mass.), 8; Chadron St. (Neb.), 6; Southern Connecticut St., 6; Arkansas Tech, 4; Southeastern Oklahoma St., 4; Edinboro (Pa.), 3; C.W. Post (N.Y.), 2; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 1; Henderson St. (Ark.), 1; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 1; Western Oregon, 1.
  
For more information on the AFCA and its programs, log on to the AFCA's website at www.afca.com.