The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat football team, receiving 45 of a combined 51 first place votes, have been ranked first in the both the MIAA preseason Coaches and Media polls, announced on Monday morning in Kansas City.
Northwest won the Division 2 national championship last December, finishing off an unbeaten season underneath a snowy backdrop at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Heading into the 2017 season under first-year Head Coach Rich Wright, Northwest received 9 of 12 first-place votes in the coaches poll, good for 118 points. The Bearcats opening night opponent (August 31st), Emporia State, received two first-place votes and 108 total points, followed by the Central Missouri Mules, with the remaining first-place vote at 106 points, residing in the #3 spot. The Bearcats will play the Mules in this fall’s annual MIAA game at Arrowhead Stadium.
In the coaches poll, the Pitt State Gorillas are 4th, followed by Fort Hays State and Washburn. Missouri Western is 7th, trailed by, in order, Central Oklahoma, Lindenwood, Northeastern State, Missouri Southern, and Nebraska-Kearney.
In the media poll, the Bearcats have 36 of a possible 39 first-place votes and 464 points, with the other three first-place tallies and 421 points to runner-up Emporia State. The rest of the poll has Central Missouri, Pitt State, Fort Hays State, Washburn, and Central Oklahoma, with the Missouri Western Griffons picked 8th. Lindenwood is 9th, with Missouri Southern, Northeastern State, and Nebraska-Kearney wrapping up the bottom of the poll.
Also on Monday, Northwest Missouri State announced its six captains for the 2017 football season. Receiving the honor are quarterback Jonathan Baker, defensive lineman Bobby Gruenloh, running back Jordan Grove, receiver Shane Williams, defensive back Edward Richey, and linebacker Cole Forney.
New to the MIAA this season will be the MIAA Network, featuring content directly from the conference office in Kansas City and all 14 league schools. Fans, as of this week, can find all the action on www.themiaanetwork.com and on the MIAA Network apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku.
Some MIAA sports will be offered as free-to-view, with the new MIAA Network working to develop programming focused on highlighting community service, and athletic and academic success stories from across the conference’s footprint.
