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For Immediate Release: November 11, 2008

WACO, TEX.- Grand Valley State started the 2008 season No. 2 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll, but finished the regular season at No. 1. The Lakers beat then-No. 25 Wayne State (Mich.), 24-10, giving them a 10-0 record heading into the playoffs.

Abilene Christian sits solidly at No. 2 after the Wildcats earned is first outright Lone Star Conference title since 1973 with a 47-17 victory over Midwestern State. No. 3 Northwest Missouri State claimed its 22nd MIAA title following a 48-24 win over Missouri Southern State. No. 4 Delta State demolished West Georgia, 68-10, and claimed its second straight Gulf South Conference title, while No. 5 North Alabama handed West Alabama a 41-9 loss.

No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth beat Winona State, 38-7, and won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title with an 11-0 mark. No. 7 California handed then-No. 17 West Chester a 47-36 loss in the first PSAC title game since 1987. No. 8 Central Washington claimed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title after a 49-21 win over Western Washington. No. 9 West Texas A&M blanked then-No. 19 Tarleton State, 51-0, while No. 10 Pittsburg State had no trouble with Emporia State in a 52-7 victory.

No. 11 Tuskegee extended its consecutive wins streak to 26 games after a 55-21 win over Lane. No. 12 Chadron State beat Western State, 39-7, and finished the regular season at 10-1. No. 13 Valdosta State downed Southern Arkansas, 38-16, and will begin defense of its national title against No. 21 Carson-Newman. No. 14 Bloomsburg is 10-1 on the season and has a first round bye in the playoffs following a 38-10 victory over Gannon. No. 15 Indiana (Pa.) ended its season on a high note, beating Kutztown, 34-7.

Edinboro jumped four spots to No. 16 following its season-ending victory over Millersville, 38-13, while Ashland vaulted seven places to No. 17 after a 45-38 win over Findlay. No. 18 Fayetteville State was idle and finishes 2008 with a 8-2 mark. American International fell three spots to No. 19 after its 27-17 loss to Southern Connecticut State, but the Yellow Jackets will still be making its first-ever trip to the playoffs against Seton Hill. No. 20 West Chester dropped three places following its loss to No. 7 California.

No. 21 Carson-Newman tumbled six spots after losing to then-unranked Tusculum, 45-44. Wayne State (Neb.) is one of two teams this week to enter the Coaches' Poll for the first time. The Wildcats are No. 22 with a 9-2 mark following a 31-16 win over Mary. Tusculum enters the poll at No. 23 for the first time since September 21, 2004, thanks to its win over Carson-Newman. Nebraska-Omaha re-enters the poll at No. 24 after a 34-14 victory over Washburn, while Minnesota State-Mankato joins Wayne State (Neb.) as the other newcomer to the Coaches' Poll. The Mavericks beat St. Cloud State, 16-7, and sit No. 25 with a 9-2 record.

Conference Breakdown: PSAC-5 (California {Pa.}, Bloomsburg, Indiana {Pa.}, Edinboro, West Chester); Gulf South-3 (Delta St., North Alabama, Valdosta St.); MIAA-3 (Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St., Nebraska-Omaha); NSIC-3 (Minnesota-Duluth, Wayne St. {Neb.}, Minnesota St.-Mankato); GLIAC-2 (Grand Valley St., Ashland); Lone Star-2 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M); South Atlantic-2 (Carson-Newman, Tusculum); CIAA-1 (Fayetteville St.); GNAC-1 (Central Washington); Northeast 10-1 (American International); RMAC-1 (Chadron St.); SIAC-1 (Tuskegee).

Head-to-Head
Five games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll highlight this weekend's first round playoff games. The first Top 25 match-up has No. 9 West Texas A&M playing host to No. 8 Central Washington. This will be the first meeting between the two schools. Both schools beat two common opponents this year in Mesa State and Azusa Pacific.

The second match-up has MIAA rivals facing off as No. 24 Nebraska-Omaha travels to No. 10 Pittsburg State. The Gorillas beat UNO earlier this season, 35-28. This will be the third meeting between the schools in the playoffs with each team scoring a victory in the series. In the third match-up, No. 12 Chadron State will host No. 22 Wayne State (Neb.). The Wildcats are making their first trip to the Division II playoffs, while Chadron State is making its third straight appearance. Chadron State owns the series lead over Wayne State (Neb.), 36-28-1, including a 55-14 win to open the season last year.

The fourth match-up has No. 21 Carson-Newman traveling to No. 13 Valdosta State. The two teams have met four times in the postseason, splitting the meetings at two wins apiece. Carson-Newman beat Valdosta State in 1996 and 2003, while the Blazers took their wins in 2002 and 2004. In the final Top 25 match-up during the first round of the playoffs, No. 17 Ashland plays host to No. 25 Minnesota State-Mankato. The Mavericks are making its fist postseason appearance since 1993 while the Eagles are making its second straight. This will be the first meeting between the schools.

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Dropped Out: Tarleton St. (Texas) (19), Seton Hill (Pa.) (21), Wingate (N.C.) (22), Wayne St. (Mich.) (25).

Others Receiving Votes: North Carolina-Pembroke, 58; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 57; Seton Hill (Pa.), 53; Tarleton St. (Texas), 34; Southern Connecticut St., 25; Wayne St. (Mich.), 25; Wingate (N.C.), 19; Shaw (N.C.), 18; Colorado School of Mines, 9; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 9; Central Missouri, 6; Newberry (S.C.), 6; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 4; Mars Hill (N.C.), 4; Michigan Tech, 4; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 3; Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 2.
 
For more information on the AFCA and its programs, log on to the AFCA's website at www.afca.com.