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Back-to-back LSC Champion Lions ranked ninth in AFCA Preseason Poll

 

 

lions

 

Josh Manck
Director of Athletics Communications| Texas A&M University- Commerce

The back-to-back Lone Star Conference champion Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions are ranked ninth in the nation in Division II according to the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll, which was released Monday.

The Lions are tied for the ninth position in the poll with Henderson State. A&M-Commerce went 8-4 in the 2015 campaign and bring back the defending Lone Star Conference Offensive Back of the Year and Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in running back Richard Cooper.

The ranking of ninth is the second-best ranking for A&M-Commerce since the AFCA Division II Poll began in 2000. The Lions were ranked eighth nationally on October 26, 2015, and have now been ranked in 14 straight polls, going back to the 2015 preseason poll.  This is A&M-Commerce’s 20th all-time appearance in the AFCA Top 25.

“It’s humbling to be considered a Top 10 program by the other coaches from across the country,” said A&M-Commerce head football coach Colby Carthel. “Our players have worked hard to earn that respect over the last three years and we hope to continue that momentum and take this thing to the top.”

The No. 9 Lions begin their quest for a third consecutive Lone Star Conference title on Thursday, September 1, against the University of Faith (Fla.) at Memorial Stadium.

2016 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll — August 15, 2016
Rank    School (1st votes)      2015 Rec.       Pts.    2015 Rank*
1.      Northwest Missouri St. (29)     15-0    749     1
2.      West Georgia (1)        12-2    676     3
3.      Grand Valley St. (Mich.)        12-3    658     4
4.      Shepherd (W.Va.)        13-1    638     2
5.      Colorado St.-Pueblo     12-2    581     5
6.      Ashland (Ohio)  10-1    523     10
7.      Minnesota St.   10-2    466     13
8.      Indiana (Pa.)   9-3     364     19
9t.     Henderson St. (Ark.)    11-2    363     12
9t.     Texas A&M-Commerce      8-4     363     23
11.     Slippery Rock (Pa.)     12-2    360     7
12.     Ferris St. (Mich.)      11-1    359     6
13.     Humboldt St. (Calif.)   10-2    353     16
14.     Midwestern St. (Texas)  10-2    344     9
15.     North Alabama   9-3     330     15
16.     Indianapolis (Ind.)     10-2    276     18
17.     Tuskegee (Ala.) 10-3    241     11
18.     Colorado School of Mines        8-3     228     NR
19.     Minnesota-Duluth        9-3     196     NR
20.     Central Missouri        8-3     184     NR
21.     Assumption (Mass.)      11-2    144     17
22.     Catawba (N.C.)  9-3     140     25
23.     Sioux Falls (S.D.)      9-3     125     21t
24.     Emporia St. (Kan.)      11-3    124     8
25.     Augustana (S.D.)        9-3     119     24
*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2015

Others Receiving Votes: Florida Tech, 107; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 99; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 88; West Chester (Pa.), 82; Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 74; Charleston (W.Va.), 60; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 53; Colorado Mesa, 50; Harding (Ark.), 40; Albany St. (Ga.), 34; Virginia Union, 29; California (Pa.), 25; Angelo St. (Texas), 19; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 13; Miles (Ala.), 11; Delta St. (Miss.), 9; Michigan Tech, 9; Western Oregon, 9; West Texas A&M, 8; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 6; Bowie St. (Md.), 4; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Central Oklahoma, 3; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 3; Ohio Dominican, 2; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 2; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 1; McKendree (Ill.), 1; Newberry (S.C.), 1.