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.
—