Press Release
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Aug. 25, 2010
D2Football.com Gives Top Ranking, High Honors
MARYVILLE, Mo.-The D2Football.com Web site released its preseason top 25 poll and its preseason All-America team Tuesday and Northwest Missouri State's program was regarded highly in both. The Bearcats earned the top ranking from the site and had six preseason All-Americans.
Northwest senior quarterback Blake Bolles and junior wide receiver Jake Soy, first-team All-Americans in 2009, are first-team preseason All-Americans for 2010. So is senior offensive lineman Brett Grozinger, a 2009 finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, and senior cornerback Ryan Jones.
Junior linebacker Chad Kilgore, the Bearcats' leading tackler in 2009, and senior offensive lineman Jason Wiseman were second-team selections.
Four teams from the MIAA and 10 teams from Super Region 4 received preseason rankings from the site. In addition to Northwest, Washburn (No. 9), Missouri Western (No. 14) and Nebraska-Omaha (No. 20).
The Lone Star Conference has Abilene Christian (No. 4), West Texas A&M (No. 11), Texas A&M-Kingsville (No. 13), Midwestern State (No. 17) and Tarleton State (No. 18) in the rankings. Central Washington (No. 5) is also represented in the region.
A complete listing of the top 25 poll and preseason All-America teams can be found below:
| Rk. | Team | 2009 Record |
| 1. | Northwest Missouri State | 14-1 |
| 2. | Grand Valley State | 13-2 |
| 3. | North Alabama | 11-2 |
| 4. | Abilene Christian | 9-4 |
| 5. | Central Washington | 12-1 |
| 6. | Minnesota-Duluth | 11-2 |
| 7. | California (Pa.) | 11-4 |
| 8. | West Liberty State | 11-2 |
| 9. | Washburn | 8-3 |
| 10. | Nebraska-Kearney | 11-2 |
| 11. | West Texas A&M | 7-5 |
| 12. | Saginaw Valley State | 9-3 |
| 13. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 9-3 |
| 14. | Missouri Western | 9-3 |
| 15. | Carson-Newman | 11-3 |
| 16. | East Stroudsburg | 8-4 |
| 17. | Midwestern State | 9-3 |
| 18. | Tarleton State | 10-3 |
| 19. | Tuskegee | 10-2 |
| 20. | Nebraska-Omaha | 7-5 |
| 21. | Delta State | 5-5 |
| 22. | Hillsdale | 10-3 |
| 23. | Valdosta State | 6-4 |
| 24. | UNC-Pembroke | 9-2 |
| 25. | West Alabama | 8-5 |
| First Team Offense | |||
| QB | Blake Bolles | Northwest Missouri State | Sr. |
| RB | Isaac Odim | Minnesota-Duluth | Sr. |
| RB | Jonas Randolph | Mars Hill | Jr. |
| WR | Jake Soy | Northwest Missouri State | Jr. |
| WR | Thomas Mayo | Concord | Jr. |
| TE | Ryan Travis | West Liberty State | Sr. |
| OL | David Mims | Virginia Union | Sr. |
| OL | Cameron Bradfield | Grand Valley State | Sr. |
| OL | Trevis Turner | Abilene Christian | Sr. |
| OL | Brett Grozinger | Northwest Missouri State | Sr. |
| OL | Brandon Fusco | Slippery Rock | Sr. |
| First Team Defense | |||
| DL | Cedric Thornton | Southern Arkansas | Sr. |
| DL | Danny Richard | Grand Valley State | Sr. |
| DL | Xavier Brown | C.W. Post | Sr. |
| DL | Aston Whiteside | Abilene Christian | Jr. |
| LB | Justin Victor | Grand Valley State | Sr. |
| LB | Robbie Aurich | Minnesota-Duluth | Sr. |
| LB | Matt Freed | East Stroudsburg | Sr. |
| DB | Pierre Desir | Washburn | So. |
| DB | Ron Parker | Newberry | Sr. |
| DB | Mario Russell | Carson-Newman | Sr. |
| DB | Ryan Jones | Northwest Missouri State | Sr. |
| First Team Specialists | |||
| AP | Deante Steel | Shepherd | Sr. |
| K | Greg Zuerlein | Nebraska-Omaha | Sr. |
| P | Kevin Berg | Chadron State | Sr. |
| Second Team Offense | |||
| QB | Zach Amedro | West Liberty State | Sr. |
| RB | Levi Terrell | Nebraska-Omaha | So. |
| RB | Alfonso Hoggard | Clarion | Sr. |
| WR | Andre Holmes | Hillsdale | Sr. |
| WR | Terrance Moore | California (Pa.) | Sr. |
| TE | Mike Higgins | Nebraska-Omaha | Sr. |
| OL | Jason Wiseman | Northwest Missouri State | Sr. |
| OL | Nick Madia | West Liberty State | Sr. |
| OL | Harrison Lingenfelter | Nebraska-Omaha | Sr. |
| OL | Michael Tribue | Carson-Newman | Sr. |
| OL | Dan Jordan | California (Pa.) | Sr. |
| Second Team Defense | |||
| DL | Marc Schiechl | Colorado Mines | Sr. |
| DL | Bryan Braman | West Texas A&M | Sr. |
| DL | Malcolm Jenkins | Elizabeth City | Sr. |
| DL | Alex Cook | Fort Valley | Sr. |
| LB | Chad Kilgore | Northwest Missouri State | Jr. |
| LB | Nick Thomas | Wayne State (Mich.) | Jr. |
| LB | Clay Beeler | West Liberty State | Sr. |
| DB | Branden Williams | Edinboro | Jr. |
| DB | Rodney Mitchell | Eastern New Mexico | Sr. |
| DB | Jesse Hamilton | Minnesota State | Jr. |
| DB | Curtis Jefferson | West Texas A&M | Sr. |
| Second Team Specialists | |||
| AP | Trevar Deed | Delta State | Sr. |
| K | David Van Voris | Adams State | So. |
| P | Justin Hinson | UNC-Pembroke | Sr. |
For more information, please contact:
Phillip Dowden, Media Relations/Sports Information
sid@nwmissouri.edu | 660.562.1118 | Fax: 660.562.1582
Northwest Athletics
Lamkin Activity Center | 800 University Drive | Maryville, MO 64468
