Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Associate Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa – Lake Forest College was selected by the leagues head coaches to repeat as Midwest Conference (MWC) champions in the 2023 Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced Thursday. The Foresters received five first-place votes and 76 points to lead all teams.
 
Last season, the Foresters shared the MWC Football Championship with the Fighting Scots of Monmouth College and the Red Hawks of Ripon College after all three teams ended with an 8-1 record in league play. The title share was the second consecutive crown for Lake Forest. 
 
Monmouth College was picked second in the poll, garnering three first-place votes and 73 points.
 
The remaining first-place votes went to the University of Chicago and Ripon College, each receiving one. The Maroons claimed third place in the poll with 64 points, and the Red Hawks in fourth with 60 points. 
 
The Blueboys of Illinois College picked up 51 points to round out the top five, followed by a sixth-place tie between Cornell College and Knox College (37 points), Beloit College (22 points), Grinnell College (19 points), and Lawrence University (11 points). 
 
The 2023 campaign kicks off Thursday, August 31, with Beloit taking on a non-conference opponent, while the remaining teams open Saturday, September 2.
 
MWC play begins the following week on Saturday, September 9. All ten league teams will play nine conference games to determine the MWC champion and the rights to the automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs.
 
Full preseason coaches’ poll results and quick facts for all ten squads can be found below:

2023 MWC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll Results 
1. Lake Forest College (5) – 76 points 
2. Monmouth College (3) – 73 points 
3. University of Chicago (1) – 64 points 
4. Ripon College (1) – 60 points 
5. Illinois College – 51 points 
T6. Cornell College – 37 points 
T6. Knox College – 37 points 
8. Beloit College – 22 points 
9. Grinnell College – 19 points 
10. Lawrence University – 11 points 
 
() – indicates first-place votes 
*Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams. 

Beloit College Buccaneers 
Head Coach: Ted Soenksen (5^th Season) 
2022: 1-9 (overall); 1-8 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Gavin Thorpe, DB (Jr); AJ Fitzpatrick, WR (Jr)

Cornell College Rams 
Head Coach: Dan Pifer (4^th Season) 
2022: 3-7 (overall); 3-6 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: N/A

Grinnell College Pioneers 
Head Coach: Brent Barnes (4^th Season) 
2022: 2-6 (overall), 2-6 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: N/A 
 
Illinois College Blue Boys 
Head Coach: Ray DeFrisco (8^th Season) 
2022: 5-4 (overall), 4-4 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Collin Brunstein, WR (Sr); Garrett Bearden, DL (Jr)

Knox College Prairie Fire 
Head Coach: Aaron Willits (3^rd Season) 
2022: 5-5 (overall), 4-5 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lake Forest College Foresters 
Head Coach: Jim Catanzaro (15^th Season) 
2022: 9-2 (overall), 8-1 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Javan Ah-Quin, LB (Grad); Justin Albee, DL (Fifth Year); Alex Bendler, DL (Grad); Trenton Brail, DB (Jr); Dante Esposito, DB (Sr); AJ Jackson, WR, RET (5^th Year); Jaylen Johnson, DL (Jr); Braxton Matteson, OL (Jr); Andres Mestre, OL (Jr); Ian Ramey, OL (Jr); Nik Rieck, LB (So); Beckham Sonnabend, K (Fr); Tre Stewart, QB (Grad)

Lawrence University Vikings 
Head Coach: Tony Aker (4^th Season) 
2022: 0-10 (overall), 0-9 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Logan Olson, TE (Jr)

Monmouth College Scots 
Head Coach: Chad Braun (9^th Season) 
2022: 9-2 (overall), 8-1 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Tevin Baker, DL (Sr); Brant Baltes, DL (Jr); Dylan Bone, TE (Sr); Carter Boyer, QB (Sr); Derek Brown, C (Sr); Caleb Endicott, LB (Sr); Nick Harris, DB (Sr); Michael Lord, DB (Sr); Colby McMillan, OL (Sr); Nate Thornton, WR (Sr); Tanner Tomaschke, LB (Sr)

Ripon College Red Hawks 
Head Coach: Jake Marshall (1^st Season) 
2022: 9-1 (overall), 8-1 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Parker Campana, WR (Sr); Fletcher Dallas, DB (So); Jake Davies, DB/RET (Jr); Erik Flores, K (Sr); Desmond Murphy, DL (Sr); Jarrett Zibert, QB (Sr)

University of Chicago Maroons 
Head Coach: Todd Gilcrist Jr. (2^nd Season) 
2022: 7-3 (overall), 6-3 (MWC) 
All-Conference Returnees: Aiden Cappellino, LB (Sr); Luke Degner, WR (So); Will Skowronski, LB (Sr)