AUGUST 21, 2017

KING'S FOOTBALL TEAM PICKED FIFTH IN 2017 MAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL

ANNVILLE, PA --- The King's College football team was selected to finish fifth among 10 teams by the conference coaches in the annual Middle Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll released on Monday by the conference office.

Delaware Valley University was selected as a slight favorite to top the conference this year by receiving 75 points and five first-place votes. The Aggies edged out the past two conference champions for the top spot as 2016 champion Stevenson University and 2015 champion Albright College tied for second with 72 points each. The Mustangs received three first-place votes while the Lions received the last two first-place votes. Stevenson is ranked 18th in the nation in the D3football.com preseason poll while Delaware Valley is 20th and Albright is receiving votes.

Last season Delaware Valley, Stevenson, and Albright all earned postseason berths for the second straight year. Stevenson earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Football Championship with an 8-1 record in conference play where they fell 38-17 in the first round at Wesley College. Delaware Valley and Albright finished tied for second in the conference with 7-2 marks and both won their games in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series as the Aggies defeated Muhlenberg College 30-27 and the Lions defeated Franklin & Marshall College 28-23.

Widener University received 55 points while King's had 47 points to round out the top five in the poll. Last season Widener finished fourth with a 6-3 mark in conference play while the Monarchs finished fifth with a 5-4 record in conference games.

Lycoming College was picked sixth with 38 points, Lebanon Valley College was seventh with 33 points, Wilkes University was eighth with 27 points, FDU-Florham was ninth with 19 points and Misericordia University rounded out the poll with 12 points.

The Monarchs will begin the season on August 31st with the program's first-ever Thursday night game when King's hosts Moravian College at 7:00 p.m. in McCarthy Stadium. They will open up conference play the following week on September 9th on the road against defending conference champion Stevenson at 12:00 p.m. in Stevenson, MD.

The 2017 MAC Football Preseason Poll and 2016 final standings can be viewed below.