CALIFORNIA (June 16) – With 19 returning starters from last year's NCAA Semifinal team, the California University of Pennsylvania football team is ranked in the pre-season Top 25 poll by both
Lindy's and the
Sporting News. The Vulcans are ranked fifth in the nation by
Lindy's and No. 13 by
Sporting News.
Lindy's poll features Northwest Missouri State as its pre-season No. 1 team while Grand Valley, Minnesota Duluth, Delta State and Cal U round out the top five.
Meanwhile, Grand Valley tops the
Sporting News poll followed by Northwest Missouri State, Minnesota Duluth, Delta State and Edinboro.
The complete pre-season polls are listed below and copies of both publications are available at local newsstands.
Both national magazines also selected one Vulcan on the pre-season All-America teams. Senior cornerback
Terrence Johnson (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) was an All-America First-Team selection by
Lindy's after leading the team with five interceptions and setting a career high in tackles last season. Junior offensive tackle
Nate Nurse (Teaneck, N.J./Don Bosco/Rutgers) was featured on the
Sporting News All-America Team after starting all 14 games last year and anchoring a line that allowed 1.21 sacks per game on 400 total passing attempts.
The upcoming Cal U schedule features four teams ranked in the pre-season Top 25 by
Lindy's and
Sporting News. With their tough schedule, the Vulcans have a pair of games highlighted in the magazines as key games. The first 'key game' is on Sept. 5 when Cal U hosts Bloomsburg (No. 7 in both polls) in a rematch of last season's NCAA regional championship game. The Vulcans are also highlighted as a 'key game' on Oct. 17 against Edinboro (No. 21
Lindy's; No. 5
Sporting News).
The Vulcans, who have won four-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West titles, open the season with a Thursday night game against Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) on Aug. 27 at Adamson Stadium.
| Ranking |
Lindy's |
Sporting News |
| 1. |
Northwest Missouri State |
Grand Valley |
| 2. |
Grand Valley |
Northwest Missouri State |
| 3. |
Minnesota Duluth |
Minnesota Duluth |
| 4. |
Delta State |
Delta State |
| 5. |
California (Pa.) |
Edinboro |
| 6. |
Pittsburg State |
Pittsburg State |
| 7. |
Bloomsburg |
Bloomsburg |
| 8. |
Abilene Christian |
Carson-Newman |
| 9. |
Carson-Newman |
Central Oklahoma |
| 10. |
Valdosta State |
Central Washington
|
| 11. |
Chadron State |
North Alabama |
| 12. |
West Texas A&M |
Tusculum |
| 13. |
Ashland |
California (Pa.) |
| 14. |
North Alabama |
Ashland |
| 15. |
Catawba |
Abilene Christian |
| 16. |
Tuskegee |
Tuskegee |
| 17. |
West Chester |
Chadron State |
| 18. |
Nebraska-Kearney |
Minnesota State Mankato |
| 19. |
Indiana (Pa.) |
Valdosta State |
| 20. |
Tusculum |
Nebraska-Kearney |
| 21. |
Edinboro |
Seton Hill |
| 22. |
Wayne State (Mich.) |
Indiana (Pa.) |
| 23. |
Seton Hill |
American International |
| 24. |
Mars Hill |
Arkansas Tech |
| 25. |
Central Washington |
Shaw |
06/16/09
