C-SC picked to finish second in North Division in Heart’s football coaches poll

CANTON, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College football team was picked to finish second in the North Division in this year’s Heart of America Athletic Conference football coaches’ preseason poll, which the league released Friday afternoon. Grand View was picked to win the North, and Baker was picked to win the South.

The Wildcats received one first-place vote and garnered 21 points in the poll. C-SC had a 1-3 record, losing both of its division games, in a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Grand View received the other five first place votes for a maximum of 25 points to be atop the six-team North Division. William Penn claimed 16 points, followed by Clarke (12), Peru State (11) and Graceland (5).

Baker earned five first-place votes and is the overwhelming favorite to win the South Division. Benedictine, which garnered one first-place vote, was picked second with 21 points. Evangel earned 17 points, followed by MidAmerica Nazarene (11), and Central Methodist (11) and Missouri Valley (6).

Grand View and Baker, which each advanced to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Football Championship Series last spring, were ranked fifth and seventh, respectively, in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll. Benedictine College was 17^th in the preseason national poll.

C-SC is slated to begin preseason practice Monday. The Wildcats open the season Aug. 28 at home against nationally-ranked Baker University.