KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod football team was picked to finish in a tie for seventh by the MIAA coaches and eighth by the MIAA media in the two preseason polls released Tuesday by the MIAA as part of the conference's football media day at Sporting KC Park, the site of the NCAA Division II Championship game. The Ichabods will open the 2015 season on Sept. 4 at Lindenwood and will report for the start of fall practice on Aug. 6. Washburn's media day will be on Aug. 8 at Yager Stadium starting at 3:30 p.m. for team pictures and interviews.
Washburn, who finished the 2014 season with a 4-7 record, was picked to finish in a tie with Emporia State with 59 points each. Defending champion Northwest Missouri received eight of 12 first-place votes tallying 118 points while the Gorillas recorded four first-place votes totalling 114 points. Central Missouri was picked third with 92 points edging out Central Oklahoma in fourth with 91 points.
Missouri Western had 82 points and was fifth and Fort Hays State was in sixth with 71 points followed by WashburnR and Emporia State. Nebraska-Kearney was ninth with 39 points followed by Lindenwood in 10th with 34 points with Missouri Southern in 11th with 17 points and Northeastern State was 12th with 16 points.
The preseason media poll also picked Northwest Missouri to repeat as league champions with Pittsburg State coming in second. The two polls varied with Central Oklahoma in third followed by Missouri Western and Central Missouri in fourth and fifth respectively. Fort Hays State was in sixth with Emporia State in seventh and Washburn in eighth. Nebraska-Kearney was in ninth with Missouri Southern, Lindenwood and Northeastern State rounding out the poll.
2015 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll1. Northwest Missouri (8) 118
2. Pittsburg State (4) 114
3. Central Missouri 92
4. Central Oklahoma 91
5. Missouri Western 82
6. Fort Hays State 71
T7. Emporia State 59
T7. Washburn 59
9. Nebraska-Kearney 39
10. Lindenwood 34
11. Missouri Southern 17
12. Northeastern State 16
2015 MIAA Preseason Media Poll1. Northwest Missouri (28) 478
2. Pittsburg State (13) 455
3. Central Oklahoma 382
4. Missouri Western 350
5. Central Missouri 344
6. Fort Hays State 284
7. Emporia State 226
8. Washburn 213
9. Nebraska-Kearney 153
10. Missouri Southern 144
11. Lindenwood 122
12. Northeastern State 47
