Lincoln Memorial University - last year's NCAA Division II runner-up - is poised to make another postseason run in 2008 despite the loss of seven seniors from the most successful team in program history.

The Railsplitters set a school-record with a 20-4-1 record, while repeating as Appalachian Region and South Atlantic Conference champions last year, and return three preseason All-SAC selections to this season's squad.

Leading the way for LMU will be 2007 SAC Player of the Year and Daktronics National Player of the Year Leandro Pereira. One of six players that hail from Brazil on the Railsplitters' 2008 roster, Pereira paced the SAC with 23 goals and 55 points last year. Defender Felipe Nogueira also landed a spot on the Preseason All-SAC first team, while midfielder Aaron McKenna was named to the second team.

"We have had a great recruiting year and will field a very talented team," says head coach Helio D'Anna. "Our preseason trip to Brazil should help the team bond in preparation for the opener against Delta State on August 28."

Lincoln Memorial is the coaches' favorite to win the SAC, and is ranked No. 2 in the NSCAA/adidas Division II Preseason Top 25.

NEW LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: After claiming the inaugural Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title in 2007, Gannon University will be looking for a league trophy as members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference this year.

The Golden Knights' previous accomplishments were enough to prompt the PSAC head coaches to predict them to finish first in the league's Western Division.

Gannon, which earned a No. 15 ranking in the NSCAA/adidas Division II Preseason Top 25, welcomes back 13 lettermen and eight starters from a 2007 squad that earned the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 1993. The Golden Knights' returnees account for 42 of their 47 goals netted last year.

NEW DIGS: The University of Incarnate Word will start the season in the newly built Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium as the Cardinals host No. 23 Regis on Aug. 29.

Although the team has not been able to practice at new facility, the No. 21 Cardinals have been adjusting to the new artificial surface at a nearby high school football stadium.

"It's usually a quicker surface to play on," said head coach John Smith. "You have to play (the ball) to feet a lot more otherwise it'll go out of bounds. Games on turf tend to have more throw-ins and free kicks."

UIW was selected as the favorite to repeat as Heartland Conference champions in the preseason coaches poll. The Cardinals return the 2007 HC Freshman of the Year Dustin Lemley, and NSCAA All-Midwest Region pick Gil Ben Nachum (10 shutouts in 2007).

JUST PEACHY: Although Lander University was not chosen to claim the Peach Belt Conference title in the league's preseason poll, there's no need to count out the Bearcats as they return some key players, including three preseason all-league picks.

Lander, ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA/adidas Division II Preseason Poll, returns last year's top returning scorer Aaron Brittain and defender Jamie Ramm. The Bearcats also will welcome back a healthy Adam Arthur, the 2006 PBC Freshman of the Year, who missed most of last season to injury.

"We are optimistic," said head coach Van Taylor. "We have a strong nucleus returning from last year's team that did have a great year. We have some great senior leadership with Martyn Bell and Tyler Davis. We are very excited and have high expectations for this year. We are looking to build on last year's success. I think the players are focused."

The Bearcats' home opener against Eckerd has been moved from Aug. 28 to Aug. 31.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Right: Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards. (ASU SID photo)

One of the most impressive memories of last year's collegiate football season was Appalachian State -- the perennial power in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision -- upending Michigan, which was ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll to open 2007. With the victory, the Mountaineers become the first Division I FCS squad to defeat a nationally-ranked Division I Bowl Subdivision team.

Six Division I FCS teams will have a chance to join the 2007 Appalachian State squad in football history, including this year's ASU team, as they face Division I FBS Top 25 squads to open the season.

Appalachian State will travel to No. 7 LSU, pitting the national champions of both divisions against each other on Aug. 30, while top-ranked Georgia hosts Georgia Southern, and Youngstown State visits No. 2 Ohio State for a pair of instate showdowns. No. 8 West Virginia plays Villanova, No. 12 Texas Tech tangles with Eastern Washington and No. 16 BYU battles Northern Iowa for a fun-filled Saturday with lots of upset potential.

Follow all the game scores on the NCAA.com scoreboard here.

SPINNING THEIR WEB: After putting together the most successful in school history, the University of Richmond football program will be immediately put to the test as the Spiders open the season at No. 15 Elon on Aug. 30 for the lone battle between Top 25 teams this weekend.

Richmond is used to facing top competition. Last year, no other team in the FCS had more wins against Top 25 opponents than UR. The Spiders defeated six Top 25 teams before falling to eventual national champion (No. 5) Appalachian State in the NCAA semifinals.

The fourth-ranked Spiders won a school-record 11 games last season, and return 16 starters -- a strong foundation for first-year head coach Mike London. UR set 13 school records last season, including most points, rushing yards and total offense. After serving as an assistant coach for the last 20 years, including the last six as the defensive coordinator at Virginia, London becomes a head coach for the first time, and is the first alumnus to lead UR in over 40 years.

A NEW ERA: Stony Brook begins the 2008 season as a member of the Big South Conference as the school continues to full-scholarship FCS program.

The competition will be a little tougher than usual as a member of a full-scholarship FCS football league, but the opportunities will be worth the investment. Beginning in 2010, the Big South champion will earn an automatic big to the NCAA FCS playoffs.

"When we took over two years ago we looked at the future and put a plan together," said Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore. "That plan was a three to five year one that as we increase our scholarship levels, we will be able to improve our talent level and depth in the program to be able to compete at the highest level in FCS. I think we've made major strides in our first two years within those areas and I think we're excited about the opportunity that the 2008 season is presenting to us."

The Seawolves start the new era against Colgate on Aug. 30 with a squad that will return 41 lettermen and 22 seniors. They will play five games against league opponents this season.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)