WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State opens the 2019 campaign ranked 20th in the American Football Coaches' Association Division II Poll released Monday afternoon.
 
The Mustangs extended their run of winning seasons to 19 by closing the 2018 season with an 8-2 mark with the two losses coming by a single point to playoff qualifying opponents.
 
Midwestern has been the class of the Lone Star Conference over the past 19 seasons posting a 151-57 record since the beginning of the 2000 season. That total represents 18 more victories than any other conference foe during the stretch.
 
The Mustangs have carried an AFCA ranking for each of the last 50 reporting periods dating back to the 2015 season and has been ranked at some point in each of the last 14 seasons going back to 2006.
 
MSU Texas returns 43 letter winners including a total of nine starters including five on offense and four on defense while kicker Jaron Imbriani and punter Dylan Spears return to handle special teams duties.
 
Junior wide receiver Juwan Johnson headlines offensive returner after earning second-team All-America honors from the Hansen Football Gazette. The Lone Star Conference Receiver of the Year set a program single season record with 1,215 yards on 67 catches.
 
Johnson amassed 100 receiving yards in seven consecutive games and accounted for at least 90 yards in each of MSU Texas' 10 games to rank eighth nationally in receiving yards.
 
He is joined by fellow starting receivers Xavier Land and Anthony Tennison. Land accounted for a career best 57 receptions on 728 yards with five touchdowns as a junior, while Tennison made the adjustment from quarterback to receiver to account for 251 yards on 13 catches with six touchdowns as a redshirt freshman.
 
The Mustangs also return a pair of starters on the offensive line including junior Caleb Brown (tackle), while senior captain Austan Davis started all 10 games last season at left tackle.
 
Senior cornerbacks Damarcus Wilson and Jaydon Cunigan lead defensive incumbents. They are joined by senior defensive lineman Zach Edwards and linebacker Tristan Shearman.
 
Midwestern State is one of three Lone Star Conference programs receiving a preseason ranking as the Mustangs are joined by Tarleton State at No. 7 and Texas A&M-Commerce at No. 13.
 
MSU Texas competes with an 11-game schedule in 2019 with the season set for Sept. 7 against FCS Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La. The Mustangs welcome UT Permian Basin (Sept. 21), Eastern New Mexico (Oct. 5), Texas A&M-Kingsville (Oct. 19) and Western New Mexico (Nov. 9) to Memorial Stadium.
  
 

AFCA Division II Coaches Poll
2019 Preseason Poll
Rank	School (1st votes)	2018 Record	Points	Last
1	Valdosta State (Ga.) (29)	14-0	792	1
2	Ferris State (Mich.) (3)	15-1	768	2
3	Minnesota State	13-1	686	3
4	Notre Dame (Ohio)	13-1	623	4
5	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	12-1	585	6
6	Northwest Missouri State	10-3	580	10
7	Tarleton State (Texas)	12-1	549	5
8	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)	12-2	528	8
9	Colorado State-Pueblo	11-2	463	7
10	Slippery Rock (Pa.)	11-3	446	12
11	Fort Hays State (Kan.)	9-3	419	22
12	Grand Valley State (Mich.)	10-2	418	14
13	Texas A&M-Commerce	10-3	385	9
14	Minnesota-Duluth	11-1	342	13
15	West Georgia	10-2	330	16
16	Indianapolis (Ind.)	10-2	319	11
17	Colorado School of Mines	10-2	288	18
18	Harding (Ark.)	9-2	223	20
19	Hillsdale (Mich.)	10-3	220	15
20	Midwestern State	8-2	214	25
21	Wingate (N.C.)	9-4	175	24
22	West Chester (Pa.)	10-1	134	17
23	Ashland (Ohio)	6-4	129	NR
24	West Alabama	8-4	116	NR
25	Fairmont State (W. Va.)	9-2	78	NR
Others Receiving Votes: Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 71; Indiana (Pa.) 68; Bowie State (Md.) 66; New Haven (Conn.) 65; Pittsburg State (Kan.) 65; West Florida 42; Sioux Falls (S.D.) 25; Virginia Union 21; California (Pa.) 19; Fayetteville State (N.C.) 19; Central Missouri 15; Albany State (Ga.) 14; Southern Arkansas 14; Augustana (S.D.) 12; Emporia State (Kan.) 11; Florida Tech 10; Central Oklahoma 9; Chadron State (Neb.) 8; Central Washington 7; Ohio Dominican 7; Winona State (Minn.) 6; Assumption (Mass.) 5; Saginaw State (Mich.) 5; Angelo State (Texas) 2; Kutztown (Pa.) 2; Colorado Mesa 1; Findlay (Ohio) 1; Lindenwood (Mo.) 1; Missouri S&T 1.