McKendree gets a vote in Division II football poll

The McKendree University football team garnered a vote in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II pre-season poll that was released this week.

The Bearcats collected their vote based on the team's performance during the 2015 season. McKendree went 8-2 overall and finished in second place in the final Great Lakes Valley Conference standings at 6-2. The Bearcats have 20 returning starters back from last year's squad. Late last month, McKendree was picked second in the 2016 GLVC pre-season ranking.

This is the first time that McKendree has appeared in the AFCA pre-season poll since becoming NCAA Division II members in 2013. The Bearcats did receive a vote late in the regular-season rankings last year.

McKendree is one of two GLVC teams to appear in the 2016 AFCA Division II pre-season poll. The University of Indianapolis, the four-time defending league champions, grabbed the No. 16 slot in the ranking. The Bearcats and Greyhounds will meet on Oct. 8 in Indianapolis.

McKendree will kick off its 2016 season at home on Thursday, Sept. 1 against another school that received votes in the AFCA pre-season poll, Angelo State University. Game time for the non-conference contest is set for 6 p.m. The Bearcats will open the GLVC portion of its schedule on Sept. 24 at Leemon Field versus William Jewell College.

News-Democrat

This story was originally published August 20, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "McKendree gets a vote in Division II football poll."