Hilltoppers Receiving Votes in NCAA Division II Grid Poll

 WACO, Texas – The big numbers being posted by the West Liberty University football team are starting to bring some national attention and respect to the hilltop.

      Coming off Saturday’s third straight win – a 49-26 road romp against West Virginia Conference rival West Virginia Wesleyan – West Liberty received four votes in this week’s NCAA Division II national Top 25 poll conducted by the American Football Coaches Association.

      This marks the second straight season that the Hilltoppers have received votes in the AFCA Top 25. Last year’s West Liberty team received 10 votes in the coaches’ preseason balloting.

      The Hilltoppers have averaged more than 47 points and 560 yards of total offense a game while racing off to a 3-1 start. The only blemish was a 42-30 loss at No. 24 Edinboro (Pa.) in the season opener.

      Grand Valley State (Mich.) received 24 of the 25 first-place votes to hold down the No. 1 spot for the fifth straight week. The top 10 spots in this week’s poll were unchanged from a week ago.

      West Liberty wasn’t the only West Virginia Conference team to make a splash in the poll this week.

      The University of Charleston (4-0) made its first-ever appearance in the Top 25, debuting at No. 20 following a 52-14 victory against Concord.

      West Liberty hosts WVIAC rival Fairmont State Saturday at 1 p.m. 

American Football Coaches Association

NCAA Division II Poll

(Sept. 21, 2009)

School W-L Pts LW

  1. Grand Valley State (24) 4-0 624 1

  2. Abilene Christian 4-0 593 2

  3. North Alabama (1) 4-0 577 3

  4. Bloomsburg 4-0 542 4

  5. Central Washington 4-0 508 5

  6. NW Missouri State 3-1 484 6

  7. Minnesota St.-Mankato 4-0 464 7

  8. Minnesota-Duluth 3-1 443 8

  9. Delta State  2-1 423 9

10. Texas A&M-Kingsville 4-0 413 10

11. Central Missouri 4-0 378 12

12. Albany State (Ga.) 3-0 327 13

13. Catawba 3-0 319 14

14. Tarleton State 4-0 269 19

15. Ashland (Ohio) 3-1 258 18

16. Tuskegee 3-1 223 17

17. Midwestern State (Texas) 4-0 210 24

18. Missouri Western 4-0 203 NR

19. Saginaw Valley State 3-1 175 23

20. CHARLESTON 4-0 148 NR

21. Ouachita Baptist 3-0 116 NR

22. Wayne State (Neb.) 3-1 75 20

23. Pittsburg State (Kan.) 2-2 67 11

24. Edinboro 3-1 56 NR

25. Winona State 3-1 47 NR

      Also receiving votes: Washburn 44, Wayne State (Mich.) 38, Augustana (S.D.) 15; Indiana (Pa.) 14; California (Pa.) 13; Hillsdale 9; UNC-Pembroke 8; Nebraska-Kearney 7; Valdosta State 7; Newberry 5, WEST LIBERTY 4, Lincoln (Pa.) 4; Chadron State 3; Colorado State-Pueblo 3; West Alabama 3; Shaw 3; Bentley 1; Carson-Newman 1; Findlay 1; Wingate 1.