HUDSONVILLE, Mich. -- In a preseason poll of seven Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) football coaches, Alma College is predicted to win the conference championship for the second-straight year after receiving a total of eight points and five first-place votes.

Hope College received the two remaining first-place votes and a total of eleven points.  Trine University rounds out the top three with fifteen points.  In fourth place, Albion College received 23 points.  Adrian College (27 points) edged The University of Olivet (28 points) for fifth place and Kalamazoo College was predicted to finish in seventh place with 35 points.

The Scots won the 2022 MIAA title for the first time since 2004 after going undefeated in conference play (11-1 overall).  Alma finished its historic season competing in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time in program history.  The Scots will be led by sophomore quarterback Carter St. John who earned a spot on the All-MIAA First Team in his inaugural season.  Sophomore running back Eddie Williams, fifth-year senior wide receiver Cole Thomas, and fifth-year senior linebacker Odin Soffredine will also be returning to the roster after receiving First Team All-MIAA recognition last season.  Soffredine, a three-time All-MIAA honoree, was recently announced as a Preseason All-American selection by D3football.com.  St. John, Williams, and Soffredine were all recognized with All-Region 4 honors by D3football.com last season.  The returning 2022 Second Team All-MIAA honorees include junior offensive lineman Reese Townsend, senior defensive lineman Jalen Dunwoody, senior defensive tackle Hunter Sanderson, senior linebacker Elijah Jackson, fifth-year senior defensive back and two-time honoree Jack Kretzschmar, and junior kicker Joshua Hernandez.

Hope concluded the 2022 campaign with a 3-3 mark in league play and an overall record of 6-4.  The returning 2022 Second Team All-MIAA Flying Dutchmen will include senior wide receiver and two-time honoree Terrell Harris, along with senior offensive linemen and two-time honorees Dylan Clem and Luke Marsh.

Trine finished the 2022 season with a league record of 3-3 (7-3 overall).  The Thunder will look to three-time All-MIAA senior defensive lineman Jamon Gibson throughout the season after he earned a spot on the First Team in 2022.  Last year, Gibson was selected to the All-Region 4 Third Team Defense by D3football.com.  Senior defensive tackle Jacob Jackson also returns after receiving Second Team All-MIAA recognition in 2022.

Albion ended the 2022 campaign as the league runner-up with a record of 5-1 (9-1 overall).  The Brits welcome head coach Travis Rundle in his first year as head coach of the program.  Rundle was quarterback of the program from 1998-2002 and became an assistant coach and linebacker coach from 2002-03.  Senior defensive lineman Nick Fannon will headline the Briton roster after receiving First Team All-MIAA recognition last year.  Fannon was named to the All-Region 4 Second Team Defense in 2022.

The Bulldogs posted a 3-3 record in MIAA play last season and an overall record of 6-4.  After receiving Second Team All-MIAA accolades in 2022, three-time All-MIAA senior tight end Tyler Poirier, senior wide receiver Keontae Townsend, and junior offensive lineman Jonathan Sasiela will all return to the Adrian roster.

Olivet finished 2022 with a 1-5 mark in league play and an overall record of 5-5, while Kalamazoo went 0-6 in the MIAA and 3-7 overall.

The 2023 football season gets underway Saturday, September 2.  League play begins on Saturday, September 30, with Albion hosting Kalamazoo (1:00 p.m.), Alma hosting Trine (2:00 p.m.), and Adrian hosting Hope (3:00 p.m.).

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.