HUDSONVILLE, Mich. -- In a preseason poll of seven Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) football coaches, Hope College is predicted to win the 2022 conference championship after receiving a total of 10 points and three first-place votes.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

In a tight top three, Albion College (12 points) edged Trine University (13 points) by a point for second place.  The Brits earned two first-place votes while Trine received the remaining two top votes.  Olivet College was predicted to finish fourth in the league with 21 points, followed by Adrian College in fifth place with 26 points.  Rounding out the seven teams are Alma College (31 points) and Kalamazoo College (36 points) in sixth and seventh place, respectively.

Hope concluded the 2021 season with a league record of 5-1 (8-2 overall) and a share of the conference title.  The Flying Dutchmen's roster will be headlined by a trio of 2021 First Team All-MIAA players Terrell Harris (WR | Jr.), Luke Marsh (OL | Jr.), and Brady Howe (DB | Sr.).  Senior running back Daniel Romano, senior wide receiver TJ McKenzie, Jr., senior tight end Lou Baechler, and junior offensive lineman Dylan Clem all return for Hope after receiving Second Team All-MIAA accolades last season.

Albion served as the co-champion of the 2021 season following a 5-1 mark in MIAA contests (9-2 overall).  The Brits will look to two-time All-MIAA recipients and fifth-year seniors Jack Bush (QB) and Jarret Nighswander (OL), along with senior linebacker Jeremiah Major, who all received a spot on the All-MIAA First Team in 2021.  A quartet of seniors who were named to the 2021 All-MIAA Second Team will also be returning:  offensive lineman Scott Roskopp, linebacker Casmer Johnson, defensive lineman Kalil Brown, and kicker Jackson Cooney.

Trine earned a 4-2 record in league play last season and an overall record of 6-4.  The Thunder's squad will be highlighted by two-time All-MIAA honorees Jamon Gibson (DE | Jr.), Kyle Naif (ILB | Sr.), and Xaine Kirby (RB | Sr.).  Offensive lineman Jackson Linback also returns for his senior year on the team after being named to the All-MIAA Second Team last season.

Olivet (7-3 overall) and Adrian (5-5 overall) both concluded 2021 with a conference record of 3-3.

Offensive lineman Christopher Beck (Sr.) will return for the Comets after earning a spot on the All-MIAA First Team last season.  Also featured on Olivet's roster this year are two-time all-conference recipients Brendan Sine (P | Sr.) and Andrew Sikkema (OL | Sr.-5th).

Headlining the Bulldogs' roster are two-time All-MIAA inside linebacker Kyle Minder (GS) and 2021 First Team All-MIAA running back Steven Moses (So.).  The list of returning players includes two-time all-conference graduate students Tyler Poirier (TE) and DeAndre Jennings (DL).  Senior defensive back Jimerie Cannon will also play for Adrian after claiming Second Team All-MIAA honors last season.

Alma (5-5 overall) went 1-5 in MIAA matchups last season and Kalamazoo (1-9 overall) finished with a 0-6 mark in league play.  Defensive back Jack Kretzschmar and two-time All-MIAA linebacker Odin Soffredine will both compete in their senior year with the Scots, while two-time All-MIAA wide receiver Bubba Wilson will lead the Hornets.

The 2022 MIAA football season gets underway Thursday, September 1, when Trine travels to Anderson (Ind.) for a 7:00 p.m. game.  League play begins on Saturday, October 1, with Trine hosting Alma (1:00 p.m.), Kalamazoo hosting Albion (1:00 p.m.), and Hope hosting Adrian (3:00 p.m.).