Kearney, Neb. – The MIAA has released the preseason coaches and media polls for the upcoming 2024 football season. The polls were revealed Tuesday morning (July 23) as a part of MIAA Media Day in Kansas City. Note head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team in the coaches’ rankings.
Head coach Ryan Held, along with quarterback Reagan Jones (Wichita) and All-MIAA end Quillan Felton (Lithonia, Ga.), represented the Lopers. Coach Held spoke this morning with KRVN’s Jayson Jorgensen.
The Lopers tallied 15 points in the coaches’ poll, just one point behind the Washburn Ichabods. UNK downed WU last fall, 27-21. Right ahead of this pair is Missouri Southern with 24 points. On the media side, the Lopers tallied 53 points, Washburn was at 61 and MSSU garnered 81.
In both rankings, the two teams that tied for the 2023 league title – Central Missouri and Pittsburg State – were one and two in the rankings by a wide margin. On July 1, Lincoln (Mo.) University left the league in all sports with Northeastern State now being an “independent” in football for the foreseeable future. NSU remains in the MIAA in all other sports with Arkansas-Ft. Smith replacing LU as the league’s 14th member.
Held and his staff have 34 letterwinners returning from a 3-8 squad including 13 starters (six defense, four offense and three special teams). Returning veterans include left tackle Kooper Reece (Valentine), running back Zane Schawang (Waverly), receiver Reggie Anderson (Gaithersburg, Md.), d-linemen Jack Johnson (Kearney) and Jack Nickolisen (Millard South), linebackers David Lilly (Wahoo) and Parker Wise (Kearney) and defensive backs Jabea Tilong (Aurora, Colo.) and CJ Kuehl (Indianola, Ia.).
Fall camp begins on Monday, Aug. 5, with the opener set for Thursday, Aug. 29, at Chadron State.
MIAA Coaches Poll (1st Place) – Points
1. Central Missouri [8] – 80 points
2. Pittsburg State [2] – 73 points
3. Northwest Missouri – 58 points
4. Emporia State – 56 points
5. Fort Hays State – 55 points
6. Missouri Western – 42 points
7. Central Oklahoma – 31 points
8. Missouri Southern – 24 points
9. Washburn – 16 points
10. UNK – 15 points
2024 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Central Missouri [20] – 254 points
2. Pittsburg State [6] – 231 points
3. Northwest Missouri – 199 points
4. Missouri Western – 158 points
5. Fort Hays State – 155 points
6. Emporia State – 145 points
7. Central Oklahoma – 94 points
8. Missouri Southern – 81 points
9. Washburn – 60 points
10. UNK – 53 points
