Release courtesy of Vince Thompson, AFCA Director of Media Relations
WACO, TEX.– Pittsburg State, fresh off of their second Division II national championship in 2011, opens up 2012 as the preseason favorite to win the national championship. This is the first time since the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll started in 2000 that the Gorillas have begun the season ranked No. 1. Minnesota-Duluth comes in at No. 2 with five first place votes, followed by Northwest Missouri State, Midwestern State (Texas) and last year’s national runner-up, Wayne State (Mich.), rounding out the Top 5.
There will be three Top 25 matchups in the first week of the 2012 season, highlighted by No. 6 Colorado State-Pueblo playing host to No. 24 West Texas A&M.
2012 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll – August 13, 2012
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2011 Rec. | Pts. | 2011 Rank* | Season Opener | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (21) | 13-1 | 720 | 1 | Aug. 30 at Northeastern St. (Okla.) | Tim Beck |
| 2. | Minnesota-Duluth (5) | 11-3 | 661 | 6 | Aug. 30 at Southwest Minnesota St. | Bob Nielson |
| 3. | Northwest Missouri St. (1) | 11-3 | 613 | 5 | Aug. 30 vs. East Central (Okla.) | Adam Dorrel |
| 4. | Midwestern St. (Texas) (1) | 10-1 | 582 | 7 | Sept. 8 at Tarleton St. (Texas) | Bill Maskill |
| 5. | Wayne St. (Mich.) (1) | 12-4 | 502 | 2 | Sept. 8 at Ashland (Ohio) | Paul Winters |
| 6. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 11-1 | 481 | 9 | Aug. 30 vs. No. 24 West Texas A&M | John Wristen |
| 7. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 8-3 | 473 | NR | Sept. 1 at Western Oregon | Matt Mitchell |
| 8. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 6-4 | 415 | NR | Sept. 1 at Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | David Dean |
| 9. | Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (1) | 13-1 | 386 | 3 | Sept. 1 vs. North Carolina-Pembroke | Connell Maynor |
| 10. | Abilene Christian (Texas) | 8-3 | 367 | 16 | Sept. 1 vs. McMurry (Texas) | Ken Collums |
| 11. | California (Pa.) | 10-3 | 347 | 15 | Aug. 30 vs. No. 17 Hillsdale (Mich.) | Mike Kellar |
| 12. | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-2 | 329 | 13 | Aug. 30 vs. St. Anselm (N.H.) | Raymond Monica |
| 13. | New Haven (Conn.) | 11-2 | 322 | 8 | Sept. 1 vs. Merrimack (Mass.) | Peter Rossomando |
| 14. | Delta St. (Miss.) | 11-3 | 290 | 4 | Sept. 1 vs. Fort Valley St. (Ga.) | Jamey Chadwell |
| 15. | West Alabama | 8-4 | 274 | 23 | Sept. 1 at Clark Atlanta (Ga.) | Will Hall |
| 16. | St. Cloud State (Minn.) | 9-3 | 266 | 17 | Aug. 30 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | Scott Underwood |
| 17. | Hillsdale (Mich.) | 8-3 | 228 | NR | Aug. 30 at No. 11 California (Pa.) | Keith Otterbein |
| 18. | Missouri Western St. | 9-3 | 218 | 18 | Aug. 30 vs. Central Missouri | Jerry Partridge |
| 19. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 9-2 | 199 | 22 | Sept. 1 at Shippensburg (Pa.) | Monte Cater |
| 20. | Washburn (Kan.) | 10-3 | 187 | 11 | Aug. 30 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | Craig Schurig |
| 21. | Humboldt St. (Calif.) | 9-1 | 183 | 20 | Aug. 30 vs. Colorado Mesa | Rob Smith |
| 22. | Albany St. (Ga.) | 8-4 | 149 | NR | Sept. 1 vs. No. 23 North Greenville (S.C.) | Mike White |
| 23. | North Greenville (S.C.) | 11-3 | 139 | 12 | Sept. 1 at No. 22 Albany St. (Ga.) | Carroll McCray |
| 24. | West Texas A&M | 8-3 | 132 | 25 | Aug. 30 at No. 6 Colorado St.-Pueblo | Don Carthel |
| 25. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 9-2 | 129 | 21 | Aug. 31 at Stonehill (Mass.) | Danny Hale |
*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2011
Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 128;
North Alabama, 128; Nebraska-Kearney, 122; Saginaw Valley
St. (Mich.), 100; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 96; Central
Missouri, 72; Indianapolis (Ind.), 70; Mars Hill (N.C.), 57;
Indiana (Pa.), 49; North Carolina-Pembroke, 47; Elizabeth City St.
(N.C.), 44; Minnesota St.-Mankato, 41; Colorado School of Mines,
40; East Central (Okla.), 33; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 32;
Slippery Rock (Pa.), 18; Miles (Ala.), 15; Concord (W.Va.), 9;
Tarleton St. (Texas), 9; West Georgia, 9; Morehouse (Ga.), 7;
Ashland (Ohio), 6; Michigan Tech,
6; Southern Connecticut St., 6; Central Washington, 4;
Henderson St. (Ark.), 3; Assumption (Mass.), 2; West Virginia
Wesleyan, 2; Azusa Pacific, 1; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 1; Harding
(Ark.), 1.
