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 |
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Kyle Stevens -- all-HCAC
safety in 2008. |
TERRE HAUTE, IND. --
Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology has been selected to finish third in the Heartland
Collegiate Athletic Conference this season, in a preseason poll
of league football coaches released today.
Franklin College was
selected as the preseason favorite after reaching the NCAA
Division III Playoff Quarterfinals last year in a season
featuring its second straight conference championship.
Mount St. Joseph, which
had qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs for four
consecutive years until 2008, was picked to finish second in the
poll.
Rose-Hulman recorded its
best conference finish since 1988 with a 7-3 mark and a 5-2
league record last fall. The Fightin' Engineers won their
first five conference games to set up a title matchup at
Franklin College during the ninth week of the season.
The Fightin' Engineers
return 35 letter winners, including seven starters on both
offense and defense. Returning all-conference players from
last season include running back Calvin Bueltel,
quarterback Derek Eitel, receiver Reed Eason,
linebacker Scott Eaton, offensive tackle Jeff Ketchum,
receiver Thomas Reives and safety Kyle Stevens.
Rose-Hulman's
schedule features five home and five away games, beginning with the
Battle of the Borders Game at Earlham College on Sept. 5.
The Engineers host North Park in the home opener on Sept. 12 and
will host the top two poll selections in Franklin (Oct. 31) and Mount St.
Joseph (Sept. 26 for Homecoming).
|
2009 HCAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL |
| RANK |
SCHOOL |
PTS. (1st) |
2008
RECORD |
2008 LEAGUE |
| 1) |
Franklin |
61.5 (5.5) |
11-2 |
7-0 |
| 2) |
Mount St. Joseph |
50 (1) |
5-5 |
3-4 |
| 3) |
Rose-Hulman |
47.5 (1.5) |
7-3 |
5-2 |
| 4) |
Anderson |
39 |
5-5 |
4-3 |
| 5) |
Manchester |
30 |
5-5 |
3-4 |
| 6) |
Defiance |
28 |
4-6 |
4-3 |
| 7) |
Hanover |
19 |
2-7 |
2-5 |
| 8) |
Bluffton |
13 |
1-9 |
0-7 |
