WONDER BOYS EARN 21 VOTES IN LATEST AFCA D-II COACHES' POLL

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Thanks to its 35-23 win this past Saturday at home over Delta State, Arkansas Tech Football earned 21 votes in this week’s latest American Football Coaches’ Association (AFCA) Division II Poll, which was released on Monday. The 21 votes puts Tech second among the six schools that received votes.

The poll is voted on by 25 AFCA-member head coaches from NCAA Division II schools from around the country. The coaches will vote every Sunday during the regular season and the poll will be distributed on Mondays.

Tech, who improved to 7-2 overall on the season and 5-2 in the Gulf South Conference with its win over Delta State, is one of two GSC schools mentioned in this week’s 10th poll of the regular season. North Alabama remains the No. 1 ranked team in Division II as the Lions received all 25 first place votes and 625 points following its 27-13 win on Saturday at Arkansas-Monticello that clinched the Lions first GSC title since 2006.

Following UNA (9-0) in this week’s poll is Central Washington (10-0) at No. 2, while Northwest Missouri State (9-1) remained third and the Bearcats are followed by Minnesota State-Mankato (109-0) at No. 4 and Grand Valley State (9-1) at No. 5.

The next five in the poll begins with Minnesota-Duluth (9-1) at No. 6 and they are followed by Tarleton State (9-1) at No. 7 and Nebraska-Kearney (9-1) at No. 8. Midwestern State (8-2) moves up five spots to nine and North Carolina-Pembroke (8-1) moved up one spot this week to round out the Top 10 at No. 10.

West Liberty State (9-1) moves up one spot to headline the next 10 at No. 11 and they are followed by Abilene Christian (8-2) at No. 12 and Albany State (8-1) at No. 13. Carson-Newman (8-2) jumps four spots to No. 14 and they are followed by Tuskegee (7-2) at No. 15, Central Missouri (8-2) at No. 16 and Texas A&M-Kingsville (8-2) falls eight spots to No. 17 this week. California [PA] (8-2) jumps two spots to No. 18, while Bloomsburg [PA] (8-2) falls nine spots to No. 19 and Hillsdale [MI] (8-2) leaps two spot to No. 20.

The final five in the poll begins with Missouri Western (8-2) at No. 21 and they are followed by Saginaw Valley State (8-2) at No. 22 and Shippensburg [PA] moves into this week’s poll at No. 23. Bentley [MA] (8-1) and Charleston [WV] (8-2) round out this week’s poll at Nos. 24 and 25 respectively.

Tech returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Wonder Boys close out the 2009 regular season with a GSC contest at Harding (5-5 overall, 3-4 GSC). Kickoff for Saturday’s regular season finale is set for 2 p.m. at First Security Stadium in Searcy, Ark.

Complete AFCA Division II Coaches' Week 10 Top 25 Poll

 -- Tech Athletics --