Eagle Football Picked To Win Great Midwest For Third Year In A Row

In a close-at-the-top 2026 Great Midwest Athletic Conference football coaches' preseason poll, released on Wednesday (Aug. 5) afternoon, Ashland University has been picked to win the league title for the third year in a row and fourth time in five seasons.

"It's an honor that we have that respect amongst the coaches," said Ashland head coach Doug Geiser, "but we also realize that goes toward last year's team. We can't get hung up on rankings. We've still got go out and play every week and show up every single week."
 
The Eagles finished the 2025 season at 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the Great Midwest – setting a new program standard by winning an NCAA Division II playoff game for the second season in a row, and earning a co-conference championship. Ashland was 15^th in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) D-II poll.
 
AU also won Great Midwest championships in 2022 and 2024, and has 19 conference titles overall since 1954.
 
In Wednesday's poll, the Eagles received 87 voting points and six first-place votes. Second-place Northwood has 85 voting points and four first-place votes, and third-place Findlay was issued 74 voting points.
 
Junior right tackle Nico Traczyk leads the Eagle returnees in 2026, after a 2025 campaign in which he was named first-team Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Super Region 3, Great Midwest Offensive Lineman of the Year and first-team all-league.
 
Ashland's returning 2025 All-Great Midwest honorees also include first-team junior linebacker Jack Talkington, and second-teamers D.J. Harvey (sophomore wide receiver), Ben Holzopfel (senior linebacker), Ty'aris Stevenson (senior tailback), and E.J. Teah (senior safety).
 
The 2026 Eagle football season will open at home vs. Indiana (Pa.) at 7 p.m. on Sept. 3.
  1. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY – 87 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Northwood – 85 points (4 first-place votes)
3. Findlay – 74 points
4. Tiffin – 66 points
5. Hillsdale – 61 points
6. Walsh – 51 points
7. Ohio Dominican – 42 points
8. Lake Erie – 36 points
9. Thomas More – 25 points
10. Kentucky Wesleyan – 18 points