ODESSA, Texas — Midwestern State is ticketed to finish second in the Lone Star Conference race as released Thursday afternoon at the league's media day at the MCM Elegante'.

The Mustangs are coming off of three straight runner-up finishes after marking an 8-3 record in 2016 advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the seventh time.

MSU received two of the 26 first-place votes to earn 192 total points behind conference favorite Texas A&M-Commerce which earned 21 top votes for 229 points.

Texas A&M-Kingsville (177 points, 1 first-place vote) is placed to finish third followed by Eastern New Mexico (136), Tarleton State (135, 1 first-place vote), Angelo State (114) and West Texas A&M (97) while Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin (45) tied for eighth. UTPB received the other first-place vote.

Eastern New Mexico senior running back Kamal Cass and Texas A&M-Commerce senior quarterback Luis Perez were named the league's preseason co-offensive players of the year. Kass led the LSC with 1,191 rushing yards while Perez threw for a league-best 3,326 yards last season. Texas A&M-Kingsville junior defensive end Brandon Jones earned top defensive honors making 49 tackles with 9.5 sacks in 2016.

MSU IN PRESEASON POLLS: The Mustangs won LSC titles in 2009, 2011 and 2012. In those seasons, MSU was ticketed to place fifth, fourth and first, respectively. Midwestern went in to one season as the favorite — 2012 — after rolling to a 10-1 record in 2011. The Mustangs have been picked to finsh second in each of the last three LSC polls.

MUSTANGS BLISTERING LEAGUE IN 2000s: Midwestern State has won 133 games since the start of the 2000 season. That's 13 more than West Texas A&M as only three schools have won 100 games since the turn of the century — MSU (133), WTAMU (120) and Tarleton State (115).

A NEW ALIGNMENT: The Lone Star Conference remains in Super Region Four in the lastest football realignment but is now paired with the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). The LSC was aligned with the RMAC, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Confernece (GLIAC) and Great Lakes Valley Conference from 2012-16.

MASTERFUL AT MEMORIAL: Midwestern State has won more than 81-percent of its games at Memorial Stadium since the start of the Bill Maskill era (2002) boasting a 64-15 record. The Mustangs play a six-game slate at home including the season opener against Quincy (Ill.) (8/31), Texas A&M-KIngsville (9/16), a Family Day matchup with Western New Mexico (9/30), host rival Texas A&M-Commerce (10/7), Homecoming versus West Texas A&M (10/21) and Military Day against Tarleton State (11/4).

WELCOME BACK DINNER: The 11th Annual Midwestern State Athletics Welcome Back Dinner featuring former Dallas Cowboy Jay Novacek is set for Sunday, Aug. 20 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Reserve your seat for $75 at the MSU Athletic Offices. A limited number of complete tables accommodating six people with sponsor acknowledgement remain available and can be purchased for $350. Please RSVP by Aug. 18. For more information, contact Sheri Mummert at (940) 397-4779.

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