Tech Football Picked Fifth in GLIAC Preseason Poll

BAY CITY, Mich. — The Michigan Tech football team was ranked fifth in the North Division of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released this morning. The Huskies are coming off a 7-4 season in 2011 where they finished 6-4 in league play and tied for third in the North Division.

The GLIAC released the results of the poll along with preview videos and information for each of its 16 league members for football on a special media day website, gliac.org/mediaday/fball.

In revised division groupings from a year ago, the North Division was ranked in the following order: Grand Valley State, Wayne State, Hillsdale, Saginaw Valley State, Michigan Tech, Ferris State, Northern Michigan and Northwood. The South Division includes the following teams (ranked in order): Ashland, Ohio Dominican, Findlay, Lake Erie, Walsh, Tiffin, Notre Dame and Malone. Walsh and Malone are new full members of the GLIAC while Notre Dame is an affiliate league member in the sport of football.

This is the second year the GLIAC has ranked its teams by division in the preseason poll. Tech earned a No. 2 ranking in the North Division a year ago. Prior to that, the Huskies were selected ninth of 14 teams in 2010 and third of 14 teams in the 2009 poll.

Revised divisional groupings for GLIAC teams is just one major change for GLIAC football. The league, which played as part of NCAA Super Region 3 for the last several years, will now be a part of NCAA Super Region 4. Super Region 4 will include the GLIAC, the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the Lone Star Conference and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Michigan Tech begins preseason practice for its 2012 campaign on Saturday (Aug. 18).

For the full poll and 2012 GLIAC Football Media Day website, go to gliac.org/mediaday/fball.