Entire MIAA Media Day On Demand | Washburn Podium Part 1 | Washburn Podium Part 2

Tweet #WeAreWU

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabod football team was picked sixth by the MIAA coaches and fifth by the league's media in preseason polls which were released today by the conference office prior to the start of the 2014 Media Day at Sporting KC Park. Washburn opens the season hosting Lindenwood on Sept. 4 in Yager Stadium.

The Washburn Ichabod offense returns seven players who started at least seven games during the 2013 season and finished ranked as the No. 3 scoring offense in the MIAA after averaging 40.9 points per game. Defensively the Washburn Ichabods will look to build on its fourth-ranked total defensive unit in the MIAA from last season after allowing 344 yards per game while having the third-ranked scoring defense in the conference allowing 21.4 points per game. The Ichabods will also look to keep their ranking in rush defense after allowing only 109 yards per game on the ground which led the MIAA and was 17th in the NCAA Division II. The Ichabods return only four starters, but have an additional 13 players who saw significant snaps in 2013. 

The Ichabods were tabbed sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll behind defending national champions Northwest Missouri who were unanimous picks by the coaches to repeat at MIAA champs with 121 points. Pittsburg State was second with 106 points and Central Missouri was third with 94 points. Emporia State was fourth with 88 points and Missouri Western was fifth with 82 points. The Ichabods had 79 points and MIssouri Southern was seventh with 67 points. Fort Hays State was eighth with 50 points followed by Lindenwood, Central Oklahoma, Nebraska-Kearney and Northeastern State.

In the media poll, the Ichabods were picked fifth with 306 points. Northwest Missouri was first followed by Pittsburg State, Emporia State and Missouri Western. Central Missouri was sixth followed by Missouri Southern, Fort Hays State, Lindenwood, Nebraska-Kearney, Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State.
 

1. Northwest Missouri (11) 121

2. Pittsburg State (1) 106

3. Central Missouri   94

4. Emporia State   88

5. Missouri Western   82

7. Missouri Southern   67

8. Fort Hays State   50 

9. Lindenwood   39

10. Central Oklahoma   26

11. Nebraska-Kearney   23

12. Northeastern State   17

1. Northwest Missouri (37) 466

2. Pittsburg State (1) 422

3. Emporia State (1) 353

4. Missouri Western 348

6. Central Missouri 285

7. Missouri Southern 258

8. Fort Hays State 191

9. Lindenwood 142

10. Nebraska-Kearney 109

11. Central Oklahoma   96

12. Northeastern State   66