ASHLAND — Ashland University’s football team has made some history before the ball has been kicked off on the 2016 season.
The 2016 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll was released on Monday afternoon, with the Eagles slotted No. 6. In this century, Ashland hadn’t been ranked higher by the AFCA in the preseason than No. 9 (2013) until now.
This is the 47th time the Eagles have appeared in the AFCA Top 25 since the turn of the century.
Earlier this preseason, Ashland was ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division II in the Lindy’s Sports College Football National 2016 Preview preseason poll, and No. 8 in the country in the 2016 Sporting News Division II Preseason Top 25 poll. The Eagles also were chosen to repeat as Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division champions in the 2016 GLIAC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Ashland will begin the 2016 season on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field against Mercyhurst. There will be a free-to-the-public Fan Fest on a closed-off section of Broad Street from 3-5 p.m. on Sept. 1 prior to kickoff.
Coverage of Ashland University Eagles athletics is produced in partnership with OhioHealth, the official sports medicine provider for Ashland University and dozens of high schools and universities throughout Ohio.
