Defending national champion Pittsburg State sits atop the AFCA DII preseason coaches poll. No suprise there.

In fact, looking through the poll, I don't see too many surprises at all. Some might wonder about UNK, coming off a 10-1 season, but realistically, I think the coaches got this one right. The Lopers have their hands full and this might be the only time all year you even see them getting votes (I could see them potentially losing their first five games).

Northwest Missouri, at No. 3, is right where they should be. Having Trevor Adams, a quarterback who saw ample time last year, coming back is a bonus not only in the MIAA but in all of D2.

I feel like Missouri Western and Washburn could both stand to be a bit higher, especially MoWest, who brings back some of the best returning players in the MIAA in Travis Partridge, Michael Hill and David Bass.

Central Missouri might be another team you don't see in this poll, or in the 'others' category, once the season begins. They open at Missouri Western, host Northwest and head to Lindenwood to open the season. If the Mules can come out of that 2-1, they might be in good shape, but the more likely 1-2 (or even 0-3?) scenario is going to put them in a tough spot.

Nationally, I'd like to see Saginaw Valley ranked, and yes, that's only because I went to school there. Grand Valley cracks the Top 10 on reputation only, depsite not even making the playoffs last year. I'll admit, their red-hot finish to 2011 should have everybody in D2 worried.

Wayne State at No. 5 is fine with me, though I question the coach who put them at No. 1.

Take a look at the poll below and let me know your thoughts. Leave a comment underneath this entry, hit me up on Twitter @miAARONd2, send me a message on Facebook.com/apheintz or shoot me an email to [email protected].




Rank School (1st votes) 2011 Rec. Pts. 2011 Rank* Season Opener Head Coach

1. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (21) 13-1 720 1 Aug. 30 at Northeastern St. (Okla.) Tim Beck
2. Minnesota-Duluth (5) 11-3 661 6 Aug. 30 at Southwest Minnesota St. Bob Nielson
3. Northwest Missouri St. (1) 11-3 613 5 Aug. 30 vs. East Central (Okla.) Adam Dorrel
4. Midwestern St. (Texas) (1) 10-1 582 7 Sept. 8 at Tarleton St. (Texas) Bill Maskill
5. Wayne St. (Mich.) (1) 12-4 502 2 Sept. 8 at Ashland (Ohio) Paul Winters
6. Colorado St.-Pueblo 11-1 481 9 Aug. 30 vs. No. 24 West Texas A&M John Wristen
7. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 8-3 473 NR Sept. 1 at Western Oregon Matt Mitchell
8. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 6-4 415 NR Sept. 1 at Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) David Dean
9. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (1) 13-1 386 3 Sept. 1 vs. North Carolina-Pembroke Connell Maynor
10. Abilene Christian (Texas) 8-3 367 16 Sept. 1 vs. McMurry (Texas) Ken Collums
11. California (Pa.) 10-3 347 15 Aug. 30 vs. No. 17 Hillsdale (Mich.) Mike Kellar
12. Kutztown (Pa.) 11-2 329 13 Aug. 30 vs. St. Anselm (N.H.) Raymond Monica
13. New Haven (Conn.) 11-2 322 8 Sept. 1 vs. Merrimack (Mass.) Peter Rossomando
14. Delta St. (Miss.) 11-3 290 4 Sept. 1 vs. Fort Valley St. (Ga.) Jamey Chadwell
15. West Alabama 8-4 274 23 Sept. 1 at Clark Atlanta (Ga.) Will Hall
16. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 9-3 266 17 Aug. 30 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) Scott Underwood
17. Hillsdale (Mich.) 8-3 228 NR Aug. 30 at No. 11 California (Pa.) Keith Otterbein
18. Missouri Western St. 9-3 218 18 Aug. 30 vs. Central Missouri Jerry Partridge
19. Shepherd (W.Va.) 9-2 199 22 Sept. 1 at Shippensburg (Pa.) Monte Cater
20. Washburn (Kan.) 10-3 187 11 Aug. 30 vs. Nebraska-Kearney Craig Schurig
21. Humboldt St. (Calif.) 9-1 183 20 Aug. 30 vs. Colorado Mesa Rob Smith
22. Albany St. (Ga.) 8-4 149 NR Sept. 1 vs. No. 23 North Greenville (S.C.) Mike White
23. North Greenville (S.C.) 11-3 139 12 Sept. 1 at No. 22 Albany St. (Ga.) Carroll McCray
24. West Texas A&M 8-3 132 25 Aug. 30 at No. 6 Colorado St.-Pueblo Don Carthel
25. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 9-2 129 21 Aug. 31 at Stonehill (Mass.) Danny Hale

Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 128; North Alabama, 128; Nebraska-Kearney, 122; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 100; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 96; Central Missouri, 72; Indianapolis (Ind.), 70; Mars Hill (N.C.), 57; Indiana (Pa.), 49; North Carolina-Pembroke, 47; Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 44; Minnesota St.-Mankato, 41; Colorado School of Mines, 40; East Central (Okla.), 33; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 32; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 18; Miles (Ala.), 15; Concord (W.Va.), 9; Tarleton St. (Texas), 9; West Georgia, 9; Morehouse (Ga.), 7; Ashland (Ohio), 6; Michigan Tech, 6; Southern Connecticut St., 6; Central Washington, 4; Henderson St. (Ark.), 3; Assumption (Mass.), 2; West Virginia Wesleyan, 2; Azusa Pacific, 1; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 1; Harding (Ark.), 1.

RELEASE: http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=2233