Panthers picked fourth in SLIAC pre-season poll
August 22, 2008

ST. LOUIS - Huntingdon College has been chosen as the pre-season favorite in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC), as voted on by the league's eight football coaches. The Hawks received six first place votes, while Greenville College ranked second in the poll and received two first place votes.

The 2008 season marks the first time since 1999 that the Conference will sponsor football as a Championship sport. Huntingdon and LaGrange College both joined the SLIAC as affiliate members in football only, and they join a core group of institutions that will have the opportunity to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs beginning with the 2010 season.

Huntingdon finished the 2007 season with a 5-5 overall record and played as an NCAA DIII Independent. Head coach Mike Turk returns a host of players, including senior linebacker Granger Shook and senior running back Jamal Gardner. Shook led the Hawks defense in 2007 with 83 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, two interceptions and one sack. Gardner returns as the leading rusher after posting 49.4 yards per game last season. He was also second in Total Offense (494 yards) and second in All-Purpose Yards (600 yards).

Greenville, one of six full members of the SLIAC to sponsor football, was also 5-5 last season and went 4-3 to tie for third place in the Illini-Badger Conference (IBC). The Panthers return quarterback Dominic Kegel, who averaged 112.0 yards per game rushing and 156.3 yards per game passing last season. On the defensive side of the ball Greenville returns Garrett Young at linebacker. Young had 48.5 tackles in 2007, including 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble.

Westminster College (4-6, 4-3 UMAC) and LaGrange (0-10) rounded out the top four in the coaches' poll. The Bluejays have two SLIAC titles under their belt, including the last one awarded in 1999. Head coach John Welty returns 40 players from last year's squad, including 14 starters. The football program at LaGrange is in only its third year of existence, and the Panthers have yet to post a victory. Head coach Todd Mooney has a veteran group returning in 2008 and the coaching staff is confident that they will continue to build on the improvements made in 2007.

Blackburn College (4-6, 3-4 UMAC), Eureka College (2-8, 2-5 IBC), MacMurray College (0-10, 0-7 IBC) and Principia College (1-8, 1-6 UMAC) were chosen fifth through eighth respectively in the coaches' poll.

2008 SLIAC Football Coaches' Pre-Season Poll
 

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)
1	Huntingdon (6)
2	Greenville (2)
3	Westminster
4	LaGrange
5	Blackburn
6	Eureka
7	MacMurray
8	Principia