WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Midwestern State Mustangs have been slated as a top five team in the ranking of a pair of preseason magazines.
Midwestern, coming off a 10-0 regular season before falling in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, is ranked fourth nationally by Lindy's Sports College Football Preview and fifth by USA Today 2012 College Football.
Lindy's has MSU behind defending national champion Pittsburg State in the top spot, with Minnesota-Duluth (the 2010 national champ) second and Northwest Missouri State third. Defending runner up Wayne State (Mich.) is fifth, followed by Delta State (Miss.), Winston-Salem (N.C.), Colorado State-Pueblo, Grand Valley State (Mich.) and New Haven (Conn.) in the top 10.
Lindy's, who picked a top 25, placed Lone Star Conference foe Abilene Christian 13th, with 2012 opponent West Alabama 14th.
USA Today placed the Mustangs fifth in their top 10 rankings, keeping Pitt State, Minnesota-Duluth and Northwest Missouri as the top three and moving Grand Valley to fourth. Colorado State-Pueblo is sixth, followed by Missouri Western, West Alabama, Abilene Christian and California (Pa.).
The magazines highlight returning senior quarterback
Brandon Kelsey, who finished fourth in the Harlon Hill Award voting as a junior, and junior running back
Keidrick Jackson, as a key reason the Mustangs are expected to have a great season.
Kelsey, who threw for 1,951 yards last season while rushing for 967, was the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2011. Jackson led the LSC in rushing with 1,044 yards or 94.9 per game.
Offensive tackle Ken Van Huele, a 6-4, 320 pound senior from Hurst/L.D. Bell, was chosen to Lindy's first team preseason All-America team. He helped anchor an offensive line that saw the Mustangs lead the LSC in scoring offense (48.6 points per game), total offense (531.9 yards a game), rushing offense (323.5 ypg) and pass efficiency offense (161.2 rating).
Kelsey and Jackson were both named second team preseason All-America by Lindy's.
The LSC was also represented on Lindy's list by ACU's Mitchell Gale, who was the first team quarterback and preseason MVP. Texas A&M-Kingsville's Jonathan Woodson who was tabbed second team all-purpose player and Tarleton State's Marquis Wadley was chosen second team linebacker.
Midwestern opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Tarleton State, with the Mustangs first game at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 29 against Incarnate Word.
USA TODAY COLLEGE SPORTS DIVISION II TOP 10
Rank |
Team |
2011 Record |
1. |
Pittsburg State |
13-1 |
2. |
Minnesota-Duluth |
11-3 |
3. |
Northwest Missouri State |
11-3 |
4. |
Grand Valley State |
8-3 |
5. |
Midwestern State |
10-1 |
6. |
Colorado State-Pueblo |
11-1 |
7. |
Missouri Western State |
9-3 |
8. |
West Alabama |
8-4 |
9. |
Abilene Christian |
8-3 |
10. |
California (Pa.) |
10-3 |
2012 Lindy's Sports Preseason Top 25
Rank |
Team |
2011 Record |
1 |
Pittsburg State (Kan.) |
13-1 |
2 |
Minnesota-Duluth |
11-3 |
3 |
Northwest Missouri |
11-3 |
4 |
Midwestern State |
10-1 |
5 |
Wayne State (Mich.) |
12-4 |
6 |
Delta State (Miss.) |
11-3 |
7 |
Winston-Salem State (N.C.) |
13-1 |
8 |
Colorado State-Pueblo |
11-1 |
9 |
Grand Valley State (Mich.) |
8-3 |
10 |
New Haven (Conn.) |
11-2 |
11 |
Valdosta State (Ga.) |
6-4 |
12 |
North Alabama |
9-3 |
13 |
Abilene Chrsitian (Texas) |
8-3 |
14 |
West Alabama |
8-4 |
15 |
Washburn (Kan.) |
10-3 |
16 |
North Greenville (N.C.) |
11-3 |
17 |
Nebraska-Kearney |
10-2 |
18 |
Elizabeth City State (N.C.) |
8-4 |
19 |
Kutztown (Pa.) |
11-2 |
20 |
Hillsdale (Mich.) |
8-3 |
21 |
California (Pa.) |
10-3 |
22 |
St. Cloud State (Minn.) |
9-3 |
23 |
Missouri Western |
9-3 |
24 |
Mars Hill (N.C.) |
8-3 |
25 |
Humboldt State (Calif.) |
9-1 |
2012 Lindy's Preseason All America Team
Most Valuable Player
Mitchell Gale, Abilene Christian
Offensive Player of the Year
Daronte McNeill, Elizabeth City State
Defensive Player of the Year
Nate Dreiling, Pittsburg State
Newcomer of the Year
Rod Woodson, North Alabama
First Team Offense
Pos. |
Player |
Class |
School |
QB |
Mitchell Gale |
Sr. |
Abilene Christian |
RB |
Joe Glendening |
Sr. |
Hillsdale |
RB |
Daronte McNeill |
Sr. |
Elizabeth City State |
WR |
Chris Bowden |
Sr. |
Wingate |
WR |
Charles Johnson |
Sr. |
Grand Valley State |
TE |
Joe Don Duncan |
Sr. |
Dixie State |
OL |
Macon Allan |
Sr. |
Missouri Western |
OL |
Garth Heikkinen |
Sr. |
Minnesota-Duluth |
OL |
Tim Lelito |
Sr. |
Grand Valley State |
OL |
Ken Van Heule |
Sr. |
Midwestern State |
OL |
Rod Williams |
Sr. |
Northwest Missouri |
AP |
John Brown |
Jr. |
Pittsburg State |
K |
Derek Koon |
Jr. |
Truman |
First Team Defense
Pos. |
Player |
Class |
School |
DL |
David Bass |
Sr. |
Missouri Western |
DL |
Jonas Celian |
Sr. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
DL |
Tim Green |
Sr. |
Lincoln (Pa.) |
DL |
Tom Herd |
Sr. |
New Haven |
LB |
Jordan Campbell |
Sr. |
N.M. Highlands |
LB |
Nate Dreiling |
Jr. |
Pittsburg State |
LB |
Cody Fleming |
Sr. |
Shippensburg |
DB |
Aaron Cornett |
Sr. |
Wayne State (Mich.) |
DB |
Alex Dinolfi |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
DB |
Rontez Miles |
Sr. |
California (Pa.) |
DB |
Richie Schumacher |
Sr. |
Truman |
P |
Taylor Accardi |
Sr. |
Colorado Mines |
Second Team Offense
Pos. |
Player |
Class |
School |
QB |
Brandon Kelsey |
Sr. |
Midwestern State |
RB |
James Franklin |
Jr. |
Northwest Missouri |
RB |
Keidrick Jackson |
Jr. |
Midwestern State |
WR |
DeJuan Beard |
Jr. |
Washburn |
WR |
Isaiah Voegeli |
Sr. |
Merrimack |
TE |
David Pawelek |
Sr. |
Colorado Mines |
OL |
Logan Freeman |
Sr. |
Central Missouri |
OL |
Brett Frydendahl |
Sr. |
Humboldt State |
OL |
Mike Nelson |
Jr. |
Central Washington |
OL |
Ryan Schraeder |
Sr. |
Valdosta State |
OL |
Lamar Young |
Sr. |
Delta State |
AP |
Jonathan Woodson |
Sr. |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
K |
Rockne Balmonte |
Sr. |
Northern Michigan |
Second Team Defense
Pos. |
Player |
Class |
School |
DL |
Brad Davis |
Sr. |
Elizabeth City State |
DL |
Vauchard Goodridge |
Jr. |
Clark Atlanta |
DL |
Howard Jones |
Jr. |
Shepherd |
DL |
Brandon Williams |
Sr. |
Missouri Southern |
LB |
Cody Bloom |
Jr. |
Ashland |
LB |
Jesse Robertson |
Sr. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
LB |
Marquis Wadley |
Jr. |
Tarleton State |
DB |
Derek Lohmann |
Sr. |
Emporia State |
DB |
Sam Kuck |
Sr. |
Nebraska-Kearney |
DB |
Marvin Matthews |
Sr. |
St. Cloud State |
DB |
Bryce Peila |
Sr. |
Western Oregon |
P |
Randy Weich |
Sr. |
Wayne State (Neb.) |
-- MSUMustangs.com --