A year ago, Doane College was predicted to finish at the bottom of the GPAC. However, the Tigers won 4-of-5 games at home and finished with a 4-6 record. The strong showing has influenced coaches to think the Tigers are heading on the right track as Doane was predicted to finish seventh this year and a close ballot for several finishes.
Doane Head Coach Matt Franzen was the first to speak of the coaches at the annual GPAC Football Media Day presented by VSN wear. He spoke about the speed he expects to have on the offensive side of the ball and the strenght in his front seven on defense. The event was carried for the second straight year by the Tiger Sports Network and the event will be archived and available to listen to later this week.
Sioux Falls is the preseason favorite with Morningside right on their tail. Sioux Falls collected seven first-place votes while Morningside collected the remaining five. Below is the GPAC release and the preseason poll.
(release from the GPAC office)
The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) held their ninth annual football media day on Monday, August 4, at the Cornhusker Marriott located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The day featured comments from all twelve of the league's football coaches in preparation for the 2008 season. Dordt College is set to enter their first season as a varsity team.
One of the highlights of the day was the release of the preseason coaches' poll. Sioux Falls is preseason pick to win the GPAC championship. The Cougars totaled 117 points and seven (7) first place votes. Morningside, after going 9-3 (8-2 GPAC) in 2007, was picked second with 115 points and five (5) first place votes. Northwestern was picked third with 99 points, while Nebraska Wesleyan was cited fourth with 91 points.
Here is the complete 2008 GPAC Preseason Football Coaches' Poll:
Place | School | Points | First Place Votes |
1. | Sioux Falls | 117 | 7 |
2. | Morningside | 115 | 5 |
3. | Northwestern | 99 | |
4. | Nebraska Wesleyan | 91 | |
5. | Hastings | 80 | |
6. | Concordia | 64 | |
7. | Doane | 61 | |
8. | Dakota Wesleyan | 52 | |
9. | Dana | 44 | |
10. | Midland Lutheran | 37 | |
11. | Briar Cliff | 18 | |
12. | Dordt | 14 | |
Sioux Falls, coached by Kalen De Boer, has won six GPAC titles since the league began in 2000. Last fall the Cougars went 13-1 and posted a 10-0 conference record. The Cougars ended as the NAIA National Runner-Up after losing to Carroll College, 17-9, in the National Title Game. Sioux Falls and Morningside advanced into the NAIA Championship Series last fall. The Mustangs won their first round game at Jamestown before ending their season in the quarterfinal round at Carroll. The 2007 GPAC football season kicks off on Saturday, August 30, with three non-conference games. The GPAC schedule will consist of ten games over eleven weeks. Each school will not play one opponent from the opposite half of the conference on a two year rotational basis. The conference standings will be based on all games played.
A complete GPAC Preseason Football Prospectus is available on the GPAC website at www.gpacsports.com