MARYVILLE, Mo.—Northwest Missouri State is ranked second behind Grand Valley State in the 2009 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll released Monday.

 Northwest is ranked in the preseason coaches’ poll for the 13^th consecutive season. It’s the 11^th time the Bearcats will start in the top 10 and seventh time the team is ranked in the top five. Northwest has been ranked every week in the AFCA poll since the start of the 2004 season.

 Defending champion Minnesota-Duluth is No. 3 and Delta State is No. 4. Northwest’s first opponent of 2009, Abilene Christian, is No. 5 making Aug. 27 in Abilene, Texas, the date and site of the nation’s first college football game between top five programs.

Pittsburg State (No. 7) and Central Missouri (No. 25) give the MIAA three teams in the rankings. Fellow league members Nebraska-Omaha, Washburn and Missouri Western are receiving votes.

2009 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll
(Aug. 17, 2009)

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (12) -- 11-1 -- 601
2. Northwest Missouri (4) -- 12-2 -- 575
3. Minnesota-Duluth (8) -- 15-0 -- 552
4. Delta St. (Miss.) -- 10-2 -- 538
5. Abilene Christian (Texas) (1) -- 11-1 -- 495
6. North Alabama -- 12-2 -- 480
7. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) -- 11-2 -- 420
8. California (Pa.) -- 12-2 -- 402
9. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) -- 7-4 -- 355
10. Chadron St. (Neb.) -- 11-2 -- 352
11. West Texas A&M -- 11-2 -- 345
12. Valdosta St. (Ga.) -- 9-3 -- 336
13. Bloomsburg (Pa.) -- 11-2 -- 325
14. Central Washington -- 10-2 -- 302
15. Ashland (Ohio) -- 9-4 -- 270
16. Central Oklahoma -- 7-4 --199
17. Minnesota St.-Mankato -- 9-3 -- 197
18. Tuskegee (Ala.) -- 10-1 -- 142
19. Albany St. (Ga.) -- 7-4 -- 110
20. West Chester (Pa.) -- 9-4 -- 105
21. Edinboro (Pa.) -- 9-2 -- 99
22. Glenville St. (W.Va.) -- 8-3 -- 82
23. Tusculum (Tenn.) -- 9-4 -- 80
24. Fayetteville St. (N.C.) -- 8-2 -- 78
25. Central Missouri -- 7-4 -- 72
 
Others Receiving Votes: Catawba (N.C.), 70; Southern Connecticut St., 49; Michigan Tech, 42; Wayne St. (Neb.), 41; Texas A&M-Commerce, 38; Tarleton St. (Texas), 37; Indiana (Pa.), 35; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 33; Augustana (S.D.), 30; Colorado School of Mines, 30; Nebraska-Omaha, 28; Washburn (Kan.), 22; Wayne St. (Mich.), 21; Nebraska-Kearney, 20; Missouri S&T, 19; Arkansas-Monticello, 17; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 15; Southeastern Oklahoma St., 12; Wingate (N.C.), 11; North Carolina-Pembroke, 10; Missouri Western, 6; Seton Hill (Pa.), 6; Charleston (W.Va.), 5; American International (Mass.), 4; Arkansas Tech, 4; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 4; Midwestern St. (Texas), 3; Western Oregon, 1.