WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State ranked 14th in the American Football Coaches' Association Preseason Division II Poll released Monday afternoon.
 
The Mustangs, who finished its Lone Star Conference best 16th consecutive winning campaign with a 10-2 mark last season, were picked second behind Texas A&M-Commerce in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll last month.
 
MSU claimed the league's playoff championship while advancing to the NCAA playoffs for the sixth time in program history as the top seed in Super Region Four.
 
Midwestern is one of 16 teams from a competitive Super Region Four to receive mention in the poll joining No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.), No. 5 Colorado State-Pueblo, No. 6 Ashland (Ohio), No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce, No. 12 Ferris State (Mich.), No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) and No. 18 Colorado Mines.
 
Colorado Mesa, Angelo State (Texas), Michigan Tech, West Texas A&M, Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), Ohio Dominican, Texas A&M-Kingsville and McKendree (Ill.) are all receiving votes.
 
Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State tops the poll receiving 29 of the 30 first-place votes as No. 2 West Georgia picked the other No. 1 vote. Shepherd (W. Va.) is the only other team in the top six hailing from outside of Super Region Four.
 
Midwestern State kicks off the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Truman State in Kirksville, Mo. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
     
   

AFCA Division II Coaches Poll
2016 Preseason Poll
Rank	School (1st votes)	2015 Record	Points	Last
1	Northwest Missouri State (29)	15-0	749	1
2	West Georgia (1)	12-2	676	3
3	Grand Valley State (Mich.)	12-3	658	4
4	Shepherd (W. Va.)	13-1	638	2
5	Colorado State-Pueblo	12-2	581	5
6	Ashland (Ohio)	10-1	523	10
7	Minnesota State	10-2	466	13
8	Indiana (Pa.)	9-3	364	19
9t	Texas A&M-Commerce	8-4	363	12
9t	Henderson State (Ark.)	11-2	363	12
11	Slippery Rock (Pa.)	12-2	360	7
12	Ferris State (Mich.)	11-1	359	6
13	Humboldt State (Calif.)	10-2	353	16
14	Midwestern State (Texas)	10-2	344	9
15	North Alabama	9-3	330	15
16	Indianapolis (Ind.)	10-2	276	18
17	Tuskegee (Ala.)	10-3	241	11
18	Colorado Mines	8-3	228	NR
19	Minnesota-Duluth	9-3	196	NR
20	Central Missouri	8-3	184	NR
21	Assumption (Mass.)	11-2	144	17
22	Catawba (N.C.)	9-3	140	25
23	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	9-3	125	21t
24	Emporia State (Kan.)	11-3	124	8
25	Augustana (S.D.)	9-3	119	24
Others Receiving Votes: Florida Tech 107; Valdosta State (Ga.) 99; Pittsburg State (Kan.) 88; West Chester (Pa.) 82; Winston-Salem (N.C.) 74; Charleston (W. Va.) 60; Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 53; Colorado Mesa 50; Harding (Ark.) 40; Albany State (Ga.) 34; Virginia Union 29; California (Pa.) 25; Angelo State (Texas) 19; Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 13; Miles (Ala.) 11; Delta State (Miss.) 9; Michigan Tech 9; Western Oregon 9; West Texas A&M 8; Fort Hays State (Kan.) 6; Bowie State (Md.) 4; Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) 4; Central Oklahoma 3; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 3; Ohio Dominican 2; Texas A&M-Kingsville 2; Bemidji State (Minn.) 1; McKendree (Ill.) 1; Newberry (S.C.) 1.