LIBERTY, Mo. – The West Liberty University football team picked up another Top 10 preseason ranking on Tuesday when the Hilltoppers came in at No. 8 in the NCAA Division II preseason chart compiled by the D2Football.com website.
The D2Football.com website has been providing coverage and insights about the NCAA Division II football scene for more than a decade and is the nation’s most popular site for Division II football information. The website attracted more than 3 million visitors during 2009.
The D2Football.com preseason rankings closely mirror the Top 25 poll released earlier this month by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Defending champion Northwest Missouri State is ranked No. 1 followed by 2009 national runner-up Grand Valley State (Mich.) and North Alabama in both polls. The Hilltoppers are ranked No. 8 by both groups.
Abilene Christian (Texas) and Central Washington round out the top five in the D2Football.com listing followed by Minnesota-Duluth, California (Pa.), West Liberty, Washburn (Kan.) and Nebraska-Kearney.
Minnesota-Duluth and Central Washington round out the top five in the AFCA poll followed by California (Pa.), Abilene Christian, West Liberty, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) and Washburn.
The defending West Virginia Conference champion Hilltoppers kick off the 2010 season on Saturday, Sept. 4 when they host Edinboro (Pa.) in a 1:30 p.m. game at Russek Field.
1 Northwest Missouri 14-1
2 Grand Valley 13-2
3 North Alabama 11-2
4 Abilene Christian 9-4
5 Central Washington 12-1
6 Minnesota-Duluth 11-2
7 California 11-4
8 WEST LIBERTY 11-2
9 Washburn 8-3
10 Nebraska-Kearney 11-2
