The WVIAC 2010 regular-season champion and NCAA semifinalist Shepherd will begin the preseason ranked 11th in the country by the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll rankings, which were released Monday afternoon.
Shepherd wrapped up the 2010 campaign with a 12-2 mark and is the preseason WVIAC favorite to win the league’s championship. The squad picked up 377 points in the poll. The Rams begin the season Sept. 3 against Shippensburg.
West Liberty, which is coming off a 7-3 season and a 6-2 mark in WVIAC play, led the nation in scoring and total offense the last two seasons. The Hilltoppers were picked second in the WVIAC preseason poll. The team will begin its season Sept. 3 at Edinboro.
| School |
2010 Record |
Points | Last | |
| 1. | Minnesota-Duluth (28) | 15-0 | 724 | 1 |
| 2. | Delta State | 11-4 | 657 | 2 |
| 3. | NW Missouri State (1) | 12-2 | 624 | 3 |
| 4. | Abilene Christian | 11-1 | 607 | 8 |
| 5. | Grand Valley State | 11-2 | 579 | 10 |
| 6. | North Alabama | 9-4 | 468 | 22 |
| 7. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 10-2 | 437 | 9 |
| 8. | Augustana | 11-2 | 426 | 6 |
| 9t. | Albana State | 11-1 | 379 | 4 |
| 9t. | Bloomsburg | 10-3 | 379 | 15 |
| 11. | SHEPHERD | 12-2 | 377 | 7 |
| 12. | California (Pa.) | 10-2 | 369 | 14 |
| 13. | St. Cloud State | 10-3 | 346 | 12 |
| 14. | Wingate | 9-3 | 284 | 20 |
| 15. | Central Missouri | 11-3 | 270 | 5 |
| 16. | Nebraska-Kearney | 9-2 | 242 | 23 |
| 17. | Mercyhurst | 10-3 | 207 | 11 |
| 18. | Washburn | 8-4 | 201 | NR |
| 19. | West Texas A&M | 8-4 | 186 | 18 |
| 20. | Valdosta State | 8-3 | 184 | 17 |
| 21. | Wayne State | 9-2 | 177 | 21 |
| 22. | Central Washington | 8-3 | 164 | NR |
| 23. | Kutztown | 10-2 | 144 | 13 |
| 24. | Henderson State | 7-4 | 139 | NR |
| 25t. | Hillsville | 9-3 | 91 | 16 |
| 25t. | Shaw | 9-3 | 91 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Colorado School of Mines 87; Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 80; Missouri Western State 72; Tuskegee (Ala.) 68; WEST LIBERTY 60; Sioux Falls (S.D.) 48; Colorado State-Pueblo 31; Michigan Tech 31; New Haven (Conn.) 28; Ashland (Ohio) 24; Fort Valley State (Ga.) 24; Wayne State (Neb.) 17; Midwestern State (Texas) 15; Morehouse (Ga.) 14; Southern Connecticut State 14; Tusculum (Tenn.) 9; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 7; Lincoln (Pa.) 7; Pittsburg State (Kan.) 7; West Alabama 6; Central Oklahoma 5; Winona State (Minn.) 4; Winston-Salem State (N.C.) 4; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 3; St. Augustine’s (N.C.) 3; Chadron State (Neb.) 1; Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) 1; Harding (Ark.) 1; Merrimack (Mass.) 1; Minnesota St.-Mankato 1.