The Concordia University football team was picked to finish 10th in the 2009 Great Plains Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll released during the GPAC media day held in Sioux City, Iowa.
Defending national champion Sioux Falls was selected as the overall preseason favorite with 11 first-place votes and 121 points. Morningside was picked second with 110 points and one first-place vote, and Dakota Wesleyan was third with 95 points. Nebraska Wesleyan was fourth with 86 points followed by Hastings (84), Northwestern (76) and Midland Lutheran with 64 points. Doane was picked to finish eighth with 51 points followed by Dana (32) and Concordia with 30 points. Briar Cliff (26) and Dordt College (17) rounded out the preseason poll.
The 10th annual GPAC football media day featured comments from all twelve of the league’s coaches in preparation for the 2009 season. Concordia first-year head coach Vance Winter discussed the opportunities of the new year. “It is an honor to coach in this league,” said Winter. “Our players have risen above all of our expectations to this point. They have accepted the challenge to get better, and we’re excited to get the season going.” The Bulldogs open the 2009 season at Midland Lutheran College on Saturday, September 5th starting at 1:00 p.m. followed by the home opener against Doane College at 6:00 p.m. on September 12th in Seward.
For more coverage of the GPAC media day, visit the KOLN/KGIN website at http://www.kolnkgin.com/sports. To see the KOLN/KGIN preview for Concordia as well as a video of coach Winter at the GPAC media day, visit http://www.kolnkgin.com/sports/headlines/52477807.html.