By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn University was picked fourth out of 12 teams in the 2022 Mid-America Intercollegiate Atheltics Association Football Preseason Polls, released during the MIAA Media Day on Tuesday.
Craig Schurig's Washburn football team was picked fourth in both MIAA preseason polls, released Tuesday. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods received 98 points in the coaches poll, two points behind No. 3 pick Pittsburg State, which received one first-place vote, and 22 points ahead of No. 5 Fort Hays State.
Washburn received 226 points and one first-place vote in the media poll, 11 points behind Pittsburg State amd 46 points ahead of Fort Hays State.
The Ichabods posted a 9-3 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs last season.
Defending MIAA champion Northwest Missouri was tabbed No. 1 in both the coaches and media preseason polls.
The 2022 MIAA football season officially kicks off Thursday, September 1. Teams will playi an 11-game conference schedule that concludes on Saturday, November 12.
Washburn will open the 2022 season at Yager Stadium against Lincoln.
In the coaches poll, Northwest Missouri earned 119 total votes and the majority of first-place votes with 10 for the top spot in the poll.
Nebraska Kearney earned one first-place vote and totaled 104 points to finished second.
Emporia State was slated No. 6 in the coaches poll while Central Missouri and Missouri Western finished in a tie for seventh. Central Oklahoma was selected ninth, Missouri Southern 10th, Northeastern State 11th and Lincoln 12th.
The Bearcats also topped the preseason media poll, collecting 22 first-place votes to total 296 points.
Nebraska Kearney was ranked second by the media with 263 points and one first-place vote.
ESU also finished sixth in the media poll while the Griffons of Missouri Western clinched the No. 7 spot, Central Oklahoma was tabbed eighth and Central Missouri ninth. Missouri Southern, Northeastern State and Lincoln completed the media poll.
2022 MIAA Football Coaches Poll
1) Northwest Missouri – 119 Points [10 First-Place Votes]
2) Nebraska Kearney – 104 Points [1 First-Place Vote]
3) Pittsburg State – 100 Points [1 First-Place Vote]
4) Washburn – 98 Points
5) Fort Hays State – 76 Points
6) Emporia State – 63 Points
T7) Central Missouri – 58 Points
T7) Missouri Western – 58 Points
9) Central Oklahoma – 51 Points
10) Missouri Southern – 29 Points
11) Northeastern State – 22 Points
12) Lincoln – 12 Points
2022 MIAA Football Preseason Media Poll
1) Northwest Missouri – 296 Points [22 First-Place Votes]
2) Nebraska Kearney – 263 Points [1 First-Place Vote]
3) Pittsburg State – 237 Points [1 First Place Vote]
4) Washburn – 226 Points [1 First-Place Vote]
5) Fort Hays State – 180 Points
6) Emporia State – 175 Points
7) Missouri Western – 156 Points
8) Central Oklahoma – 136 Points
9) Central Missouri – 108 Points
10) Missouri Southern – 95 Points
11) Northeastern State – 52 Points
12) Lincoln – 26 Points
