Ashland University's football team finished the 2023 season in second place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference – and the head coaches in the league believe that is where the Eagles place in 2024.
On Thursday (Aug. 8) afternoon, the 2024 Great Midwest Football Coaches Preseason Poll was released, and Ashland was picked to be the runner-up once again in the 10-team circuit. The Eagles received five first-place votes and had 79 voting points, while preseason favorite Findlay had four first-place votes and 85 voting points.
Picked to finish third this upcoming season is Tiffin (one first-place vote, 69 voting points).
With an eight-game winning streak to finish the season, the Eagles ended 2023 at 9-3 overall and 8-1 in the Great Midwest. The win streak is the program's longest since 2017 (11 games), and it will be the second-longest in NCAA Division II when the 2024 season begins – behind only 2023 national champion Harding (19 in a row).
The Eagles, led by second-year head coach
Doug Geiser, bring back five offensive starters, six defensive starters, and the starting kicker and punter from last season. Ashland returns all six of its second-team all-conference performers from a season ago – junior center
Ethan Enders, junior left tackle
Nick Walker, senior cornerback
Devin Prude, junior defensive end
Michael Shimek, senior safety
Riely Weiss and junior kicker
A.J. Rhodes.
Ashland's 2024 season will begin on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field against Indiana, Pa.. Tickets for all 2024 home games are on sale – reserved seats
HERE, and season tickets
HERE.
2024 GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
| PLACE / TEAM |
VOTING POINTS |
| 1. Findlay (4) |
85 |
| 2. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY (5) |
79 |
| 3. Tiffin (1) |
69 |
| 4. Hillsdale |
62 |
| 5. Ohio Dominican |
55 |
| 6. Northwood |
54 |
| 7. Thomas More |
53 |
| 8. Kentucky Wesleyan |
41 |
| 9. Walsh |
27 |
| 10. Lake Erie |
25 |
