Courtesy: AFCA http://www.afca.com/ Northwest Missouri State claimed its third national title in 2009 (Photo courtesy of Darren Whitley/Northwest Missouri State University).
Northwest Missouri State broke out to a 21-0 lead in the NCAA Division II national title game and held on for a 30-23 win over Grand Valley State (Mich.) to claim the school’s third national championship and the top spot in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll. It is the first time the Bearcats have claimed the season ending No. 1 spot in the Coaches’ Poll after coming in No. 2 for the last four years. The AFCA began the Division II Coaches’ Poll in 2000.
Grand Valley State (Mich.), Central Washington, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) and Minnesota-Duluth round out the Top 5. Nebraska-Kearney made the biggest move in the poll this year, finishing the season ranked No. 8 after not appearing in the rankings until October 5. Edinboro (Pa.) jumped back into the rankings after a two-week layoff at No. 24 while West Alabama appears in the final poll at No. 21. This is the program’s first-ever appearance in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll.
2009 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll December 14, 2009
Rank
School (1st votes)
Rec.
Pts.
Prev.
Postseason Results
Head Coach
1.
Northwest Missouri St. (25)
14-1
625
2
D. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 30-23, in championship
Mel Tjeerdsma
2.
Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
13-2
600
3
Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 30-23, in championship
Chuck Martin
3.
Central Washington
12-1
558
1
Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 21-20, in quarterfinals
Blaine Bennett
4.
Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
11-3
535
10
Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 41-27, in semifinals
Ken Sparks
5.
Minnesota-Duluth
11-2
502
4
Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-10, in quarterfinals
Bob Nielson
6.
North Alabama
11-2
492
5
Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-21, in quarterfinals
Terry Bowden
7.
California (Pa.)
11-4
426
22
Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 56-31, in semifinals
John Luckhardt
8.
Nebraska-Kearney
11-2
413
6
Lost to No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, 42-7, in second round
Darrell Morris
9.
West Liberty (W.Va.)
11-2
377
9
Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 57-35, in quarterfinals
Roger Waialae
10.
Tarleton St. (Texas)
10-3
362
12
Lost to No. 1 Central Washington, 27-6, in second round
Sam McElroy
11.
Hillsdale (Mich.)
10-3
352
15
Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 44-27, in second round
Keith Otterbein
12.
Minnesota St.-Mankato
10-2
310
8
Lost to No. 15 Hillsdale (Mich.), 27-24 OT, in first round
Todd Hoffner
13.
Abilene Christian (Texas)
9-4
307
18
Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 35-10, in second round
Chris Thomsen
14.
Midwestern St. (Texas)
9-3
289
7
Lost to No. 18 Abilene Christian (Tex.), 24-21, in first round
Bill Maskill
15.
Shippensburg (Pa.)
9-3
272
17
Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 26-21, in second round
Rocky Rees
16.
Texas A&M-Kingsville
9-3
253
13
Lost to No. 12 Tarleton St. (Texas), 57-56 2OT, in first round
Bo Atterberry
17.
Tuskegee (Ala.)
10-2
244
14
D. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 21-7, in Pioneer Bowl
Willie Slater
18.
Arkansas Tech
9-3
235
21
Lost to No. 5 North Alabama, 41-28, in second round
Steve Mullins
19.
Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
9-3
206
16
Lost to No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-20, in first round
Jim Collins
20.
North Carolina-Pembroke
9-2
166
11
Lost to No. 21 Arkansas Tech, 41-13, in first round
Pete Shinnick
21.
West Alabama
8-5
113
NR
Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 59-41, in second round
Bobby Wallace
22.
Albany St. (Ga.)
8-3
106
20
Lost to West Alabama, 24-22, in first round
Mike White
23.
Charleston (W.Va.)
9-2
82
19
DNQ Playoffs
Tony DeMeo
24.
Edinboro (Pa.)
9-4
77
NR
Lost to No. 9 West Liberty (W.Va.), 84-63, in second round
Scott Browning
25.
Washburn (Kan.)
8-3
43
24
DNQ Playoffs
Craig Schurig
Dropped Out: Central Missouri (23), Bloomsburg (Pa.) (25).
Others Receiving Votes: West Texas A&M, 39; Missouri Western St., 36; Central Missouri, 35; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 14; Bentley (Mass.), 10; Colorado School of Mines, 10; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 9; Wayne St. (Neb.), 8; Wingate (N.C.), 8; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 5; Winona St. (Minn.), 4; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 1; Nebraska-Omaha, 1.
Courtesy: AFCA
