Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team is ranked in the top ten in three Preseason Top 25 Polls released so far. The Cru is ranked as high as 6th nationally in those polls.
UMHB is ranked sixth in the nation by Sporting News Magazine. The Cru’s 2010 home opener against Hardin-Simmons University has also been named one of the seven national games to watch by the Sporting News. The magazine ranks defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater #1, following by national runner-up Mount Union. Linfield College is ranked third, St. John’s is ranked fourth, and Wesley College is ranked in fifth place, one spot ahead of UMHB.
The Cru is also ranked #6 in the country in the USA Today Division III Preseason Top 25 Poll. USA Today has Mount Union ranked #1, followed by Wisconsin-Whitewater at #2. Wesley College is ranked 3rd, St. Thomas (MN) is at #4 and Linfield College is one spot ahead of UMHB at #5.
The Cru is ranked 10th in the country by Lindy’s Sports. Lindy’s also picks the UMHB/Hardin-Simmons games as one of five big games across the country this season. Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mount Union are also #1 and #2 in the Lindy’s Preseason Top 25. The magazine has Wesley College at #3, Linfield College is 4th and Trine is ranked #5. Bethel (MN) College, Delaware Valley, St. John’s and Wittenberg hold down sports 6-9 in the Lindy’s poll.
The Cru expects to return 49 lettermen, six defensive starters and six offensive starters from a team that finished 10-2 overall last season. UMHB also posted a 7-1 league mark and won a share of the ASC Championship. The Cru advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Division III National Championships before falling to Linfield College 53-21. UMHB will kick off the 2010 season with a 1:00 PM start at Wisconsin-La Crosse on September 11th.