(photo/bearcatssports.com)
Defending NCAA Division II National Champion Northwest Missouri received 49 of the total 51 first place votes between the coaches and media polls as both predicted the Bearcats to repeat a league champs. Central Missouri got one first place vote in the coaches poll and are second in each poll heading into the 2016 campaign.
Third place was where the media and coaches started to disagree as the in the coaches poll Pittsburg State and Emporia State were tied for third and in the media’s poll the Gorillas stood ahead of the Hornets for third place. In the coaches poll just one point behind the two way tie is Central Oklahoma coming in six points ahead of Fort Hays State. In the media poll the two teams are reversed, though the six point difference remains as the Tigers is picked fifth and Bronchos are sixth.
Missouri Western and Washburn st in seventh and eighth in both poll as they enter the season with the Griffons just six points ahead of the Ichabods in the coaches estimation. At the ninth spot in the coaches poll is Northeastern State while the media picked them in the tenth spot. Missouri Southern is 10th in the coaches poll and were selected 11th by the area media.
Nebraska-Kearney is picked 11th by the coaches and earned the 12th place spot from the media while Lindenwood was 12th in the coaches poll and ninth overall in the media poll.
The MIAA football season is scheduled to get underway on Thursday, Sept. 1 preseason coaches #1 Northwest Missouri travels to preseason coaches #3 Emporia State. The opening Thursday night will also feature #2 in the coaches poll Central Missouri on the road at #3 in the coaches poll Pittsburg State.
2016 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (10) 120
2. Central Missouri (1) 110
T3. Pittsburg State (1) 87
T3. Emporia State 87
5. Central Oklahoma 86
6. Fort Hays State 80
7. Missouri Western 62
8. Washburn 56
9. Northeastern State 31
10. Missouri Southern 27
11. Nebraska-Kearney 25
12. Lindenwood 21
2016 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (39) 468
2. Central Missouri 392
3. Pittsburg State 349
4. Emporia State 325
5. Fort Hays State 316
6. Central Oklahoma 310
7. Missouri Western 264
8. Washburn 217
9. Lindenwood 132
10. Northeastern State 117
11. Missouri Southern 84
12. Nebraska-Kearney 68
