[D3 Poll] Mary Hardin-Baylor Wins Second National Title, Ends 2018 At No. 1
December 17, 2018
Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) overcame a 10-0 first quarter deficit to beat perennial power Mount Union (Ohio), 24-16, and claim its second NCAA Division III national championship in three years. The victory also snapped the Purple Raiders’ 29-game winning streak. With the championship game outcome, Mary Hardin-Baylor and Mount Union flip-flop spots to finish ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the final 2018 AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Valdosta State No. 1 In Final Coaches Poll After Claiming 4th National Title
Wisconsin-Whitewater and St. John’s (Minn.) both move up one spot each, to No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, while Johns Hopkins (Md.) jumps up eight places, thanks to its run to the semifinals, to finish the season at No. 5.
Three new teams enter the final poll of 2018 for the first time this season, starting with No. 15 Centre (Ky.), who was last ranked on September 21, 2015. St. Norbert (Wis.), who was last ranked in the AFCA Top 25 on December 21, 2015, is next on the list at No. 21, followed by Randolph-Macon (Va.), who comes in at No. 24 and was last ranked on October 11, 2010.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches’ Poll – December 17, 2018
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Results Head Coach
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (50) 15-0 1250 2 D. No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 24-16, in Stagg Bowl Pete Fredenburg
2. Mount Union (Ohio) 14-1 1197 1 Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 24-16, in Stagg Bowl Vince Kehres
3. Wisconsin-Whitewater 13-1 1118 4 Lost to No 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 31-14, in semifinals Kevin Bullis
4. St. John’s (Minn.) 12-1 1090 5 Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 21-18, in quarterfinals Gary Fasching
5. Johns Hopkins (Md.) 12-2 1065 13 Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 28-20, in semifinals Jim Margraff
6. Bethel (Minn.) 11-2 909 15 Lost to No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 26-12, in quarterfinals Steve Johnson
7. Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 9-2 815 7 Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 27-6, in first round Jesse Burleson
8. Frostburg St. (Md.) 10-1 788 6 Lost to No. 13 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 58-27, in second round DeLane Fitzgerald
9. North Central (Ill.) 10-2 784 9 Lost to No. 15 Bethel (Minn.), 27-24, in second round Jeff Thorne
10. Muhlenberg (Pa.) 11-2 760 22 Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 38-10, in quarterfinals Nate Milne
11. Brockport (N.Y.) 11-1 755 3 Lost to No. 23 Rensselaer (N.Y.), 21-13, in second round Jason Mangone
12. Rensselaer (N.Y.) 10-2 700 23 Lost to No. 13 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 37-14, in quarterfinals Ralph Isernia
13. Whitworth (Wash.) 10-1 692 11t Lost to No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.), 45-24, in second round Rod Sandberg
14. John Carroll (Ohio) 9-2 428 8 Lost to Randolph-Macon (Va.), 23-20, in first round Rick Finotti
15. Centre (Ky.) 10-2 427 NR Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 51-35, in second round Andy Frye
16t. Berry (Ga.) 10-2 425 18 Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 75-9, in second round Tony Kunczewski
16t. Delaware Valley (Pa.) 9-2 425 11t Lost to No. 22 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 20-13, in first round Duke Greco
18. St. Thomas (Minn.) 8-2 332 19 DNQ Playoffs Glenn Caruso
19. Trine (Ind.) 10-1 319 10 Lost to St. Norbert (Wis.), 31-7, in first round Troy Abbs
20. Wittenberg (Ohio) 9-1 251 16 DNQ Playoffs Joe Fincham
21. St. Norbert (Wis.) 10-2 247 NR Lost to No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 54-21, in second round Dan McCarty
22. Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) 9-2 233 14 Lost to Centre (Ky.), 54-13, in first round Mike Sirianni
23. Wabash (Ind.) 9-1 231 17 DNQ Playoffs Don Morel
24. Randolph-Macon (Va.) 9-3 225 NR Lost to No. 22 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 35-6, in second round Pedro Arruza
25. Illinois Wesleyan 8-2 210 21 DNQ Playoffs Norm Eash
Dropped Out: Linfield (Ore.) (20), Wheaton (Ill.) (24), Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Linfield (Ore.), 173; Wheaton (Ill.), 97; Wartburg (Iowa), 64; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 40; Wisconsin-La Crosse, 39; Framingham St. (Mass.), 27; Denison (Ohio), 21; Washington (Mo.), 17; Salisbury (Md.), 14; Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 12; Trinity (Conn.), 12; Wesley (Del.), 9; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), 8; Hanover (Ind.), 6; MIT (Mass.), 6; Southwestern (Tex.), 5; Western New England (Mass.), 5; Amherst (Mass.), 4; Monmouth (Ill.), 4; Eureka (Ill.), 3; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 3; Franklin & Marshall (Pa.), 2; Ithaca (N.Y.), 1; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 1; Trinity (Tex.), 1.
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Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) overcame a 10-0 first quarter deficit to beat perennial power Mount Union (Ohio), 24-16, and claim its second NCAA Division III national championship in three years. The victory also snapped the Purple Raiders’ 29-game winning streak. With the championship game outcome, Mary Hardin-Baylor and Mount Union flip-flop spots to finish ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the final 2018 AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Valdosta State No. 1 In Final Coaches Poll After Claiming 4th National Title
Wisconsin-Whitewater and St. John’s (Minn.) both move up one spot each, to No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, while Johns Hopkins (Md.) jumps up eight places, thanks to its run to the semifinals, to finish the season at No. 5.
Three new teams enter the final poll of 2018 for the first time this season, starting with No. 15 Centre (Ky.), who was last ranked on September 21, 2015. St. Norbert (Wis.), who was last ranked in the AFCA Top 25 on December 21, 2015, is next on the list at No. 21, followed by Randolph-Macon (Va.), who comes in at No. 24 and was last ranked on October 11, 2010.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches’ Poll – December 17, 2018
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season Results | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (50) | 15-0 | 1250 | 2 | D. No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 24-16, in Stagg Bowl | Pete Fredenburg |
| 2. | Mount Union (Ohio) | 14-1 | 1197 | 1 | Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 24-16, in Stagg Bowl | Vince Kehres |
| 3. | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 13-1 | 1118 | 4 | Lost to No 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 31-14, in semifinals | Kevin Bullis |
| 4. | St. John’s (Minn.) | 12-1 | 1090 | 5 | Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 21-18, in quarterfinals | Gary Fasching |
| 5. | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 12-2 | 1065 | 13 | Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 28-20, in semifinals | Jim Margraff |
| 6. | Bethel (Minn.) | 11-2 | 909 | 15 | Lost to No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 26-12, in quarterfinals | Steve Johnson |
| 7. | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 9-2 | 815 | 7 | Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 27-6, in first round | Jesse Burleson |
| 8. | Frostburg St. (Md.) | 10-1 | 788 | 6 | Lost to No. 13 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 58-27, in second round | DeLane Fitzgerald |
| 9. | North Central (Ill.) | 10-2 | 784 | 9 | Lost to No. 15 Bethel (Minn.), 27-24, in second round | Jeff Thorne |
| 10. | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 11-2 | 760 | 22 | Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 38-10, in quarterfinals | Nate Milne |
| 11. | Brockport (N.Y.) | 11-1 | 755 | 3 | Lost to No. 23 Rensselaer (N.Y.), 21-13, in second round | Jason Mangone |
| 12. | Rensselaer (N.Y.) | 10-2 | 700 | 23 | Lost to No. 13 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 37-14, in quarterfinals | Ralph Isernia |
| 13. | Whitworth (Wash.) | 10-1 | 692 | 11t | Lost to No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.), 45-24, in second round | Rod Sandberg |
| 14. | John Carroll (Ohio) | 9-2 | 428 | 8 | Lost to Randolph-Macon (Va.), 23-20, in first round | Rick Finotti |
| 15. | Centre (Ky.) | 10-2 | 427 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 51-35, in second round | Andy Frye |
| 16t. | Berry (Ga.) | 10-2 | 425 | 18 | Lost to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 75-9, in second round | Tony Kunczewski |
| 16t. | Delaware Valley (Pa.) | 9-2 | 425 | 11t | Lost to No. 22 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 20-13, in first round | Duke Greco |
| 18. | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 8-2 | 332 | 19 | DNQ Playoffs | Glenn Caruso |
| 19. | Trine (Ind.) | 10-1 | 319 | 10 | Lost to St. Norbert (Wis.), 31-7, in first round | Troy Abbs |
| 20. | Wittenberg (Ohio) | 9-1 | 251 | 16 | DNQ Playoffs | Joe Fincham |
| 21. | St. Norbert (Wis.) | 10-2 | 247 | NR | Lost to No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 54-21, in second round | Dan McCarty |
| 22. | Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) | 9-2 | 233 | 14 | Lost to Centre (Ky.), 54-13, in first round | Mike Sirianni |
| 23. | Wabash (Ind.) | 9-1 | 231 | 17 | DNQ Playoffs | Don Morel |
| 24. | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 9-3 | 225 | NR | Lost to No. 22 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 35-6, in second round | Pedro Arruza |
| 25. | Illinois Wesleyan | 8-2 | 210 | 21 | DNQ Playoffs | Norm Eash |
Dropped Out: Linfield (Ore.) (20), Wheaton (Ill.) (24), Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Linfield (Ore.), 173; Wheaton (Ill.), 97; Wartburg (Iowa), 64; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 40; Wisconsin-La Crosse, 39; Framingham St. (Mass.), 27; Denison (Ohio), 21; Washington (Mo.), 17; Salisbury (Md.), 14; Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 12; Trinity (Conn.), 12; Wesley (Del.), 9; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), 8; Hanover (Ind.), 6; MIT (Mass.), 6; Southwestern (Tex.), 5; Western New England (Mass.), 5; Amherst (Mass.), 4; Monmouth (Ill.), 4; Eureka (Ill.), 3; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 3; Franklin & Marshall (Pa.), 2; Ithaca (N.Y.), 1; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 1; Trinity (Tex.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
