Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, 641-260-1814

GRINNELL, IA — The Green Knights of St. Norbert College and the Fighting Scots of Monmouth College have been selected to win the North and South Divisions respectfully in the 2019 Midwest Conference (MWC) Football Preseason Poll. The poll was announced just ahead of today’s MWC Football Media Day in Chicago and was determined by the league’s football head coaches. 

In the North Division, the reigning MWC Football Champion, St. Norbert College, was selected first unanimously by the league’s coaches and earned 72 points. A close finish for second-place has the Red Hawks of Ripon College (52) just ahead of the Foresters of Lake Forest College (51). Coming in fourth were the Scots of Macalester College (40) followed by the Vikings of Lawrence University (24) and the Buccaneers of Beloit College (13). 

Monmouth College just edged out the University of Chicago for first place in the South Division, garnering 66 points and seven first-place votes. The Maroons earned 65 points and the remaining five first-place votes. The Blueboys of Illinois College were picked to finish third with 46 points, while the Prairie Fire of Knox College are projected to finish fourth (33). Completing the South Division are Cornell College (30) and Grinnell College (12). 

The 2019 season kicks off on September 5 and league play begins on October 12. The top seeds of each division will meet in the MWC Championship Game on November 16 to compete for the MWC Football Champion title and earn the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. 

Full Preseason Poll Results: 
Team (First-Place Votes), Points

MWC North Division

1. St. Norbert College (12), 72 points

2. Ripon College, 52 points

3. Lake Forest College, 51 points

4. Macalester College, 40 points

5. Lawrence University, 24 points

6. Beloit College, 13 points

MWC South Division

1. Monmouth College (7), 66 points

2. University of Chicago (5), 65 points

3. Illinois College, 46 points

4. Knox College, 33 points

5. Cornell College, 30 points

6. Grinnell College, 12 points

You can follow along with today's MWC Football Media Day here. The broadcast will begin promptly at 12:30 PM CST. The order for team broadcasts are as follows: 

• 12:30 PM - Beloit College

• 1:00 PM - Lawrence University

• 1:30 PM - Macalester College

• 2:00 PM - Ripon College

• 2:30 PM - Lake Forest College

• 3:00 PM - St. Norbert College

• 3:30 PM - Grinnell College

• 4:00 PM - Knox College

• 4:30 PM - Cornell College

• 5:00 PM - Illinois College

• 5:30 PM - University of Chicago

• 6:00 PM - Monmouth College