Preseason ASC Football Poll and Awards Announced

2016_ASC_FB_Preseason_Release_Breton_Smith_Francino

HSU senior quarterback Ryan Breton, UMHB senior defensive end Teidrick Smith and HSU senior place kicker / punter Nico Francino were named ASC Preseason Players of the Year.

7/19/2016 10:00:00 AM

RICHARDSON, Texas - Mary Hardin-Baylor has been picked to win the 2016 American Southwest Conference football title after a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media members, the ASC office announced on Tuesday (July 19).

Hardin-Simmons senior quarterback Ryan Breton, Mary Hardin-Baylor senior defensive end Teidrick Smith and Hardin-Simmons senior place kicker / punter Nico Francino were named ASC Preseason Players of the Year.

The 2016 ASC race looks to be highly contested again as the top three teams in the poll - Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons and East Texas Baptist - finished the 2015 season as tri-champions.

Mary Hardin-Baylor (11-2 / 4-1 ASC) received 115 points in the preseason poll and recorded 13 out of a possible 16 first-place votes. Picked as the preseason favorite for the 14th consecutive season, UMHB enters 2016 coming off its 13th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship and has won 11 consecutive ASC championships or co-championships.

Hardin-Simmons (9-2 / 4-1 ASC) received 97 points, including two first-place votes, to come in second in the preseason poll. HSU has finished no lower than fourth in the league standings in each of the last 20 seasons. In 2015 HSU ended a 13-game skid to UMHB snapping the Cru's 39-game ASC and 61-game regular-season win streaks.

East Texas Baptist (7-3 / 4-1 ASC) was picked third in the preseason poll with 80 points and one first-place vote. The Tigers claimed a share of their second ASC title last season with both conference crowns coming as part of a three-way finish (2003, 2015).

Louisiana College (3-7 / 1-4 ASC) received 75 points in the preseason poll to rank fourth and McMurry (4-6) picked up 41 points for fifth. Sul Ross State (3-7 / 1-4 ASC) was picked sixth with 40 points and Howard Payne (1-9 / 1-4 ASC) came in seventh with 24 points.

McMurry enters its third season of a four-year transition into Division III. McMurry's games will now count toward the conference standings and is eligible for the ASC regular season title. Belhaven (2-8) enters its second year of transition into Division III athletics. In 2016 Belhaven's games will only count in the overall standings.

Ryan Breton (Grandview, Texas / Grandview HS) is the first HSU player named the ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year since 2010 (Justin Feaster). Named honorable mention all-conference in 2015, Breton led the ASC in passing efficiency (175.5) and ranked second in passing touchdowns (22) and completion percentage (.614).

Teidrick Smith (Hallettsville, Texas / Hallettsville HS) picks up his second straight ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, giving UMHB six consecutive and 10 overall. Smith was named the ASC Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2015. The first player in ASC history to receive both awards for two consecutive seasons, Smith led the ASC in sacks (14) and tackles for loss (27) with both numbers listed among the top five in Division III. Smith also received honors from D3football.com as a second team All-American.

Nico Francino (Midland, Texas / Midland HS) was selected the ASC Special Teams Preseason Player of the Year. The 2015 ASC Special Teams Player of the Year, Francino led the league in punting (43.6), ranked fourth in scoring (50) and was named a D3football.com first team All-American. Francino follows former Cowboy Jessie Ramos (2014, 2015) giving HSU three consecutive ASC Special Teams Preseason Player of the Year awards and four overall.

The 2016 season gets underway September 1 as Belhaven hosts Millsaps at 7:00 p.m. The following Saturday (September 3) the rest of the ASC will take the field for their season openers. Louisiana College hosts Huntingdon at 1:00 p.m. Mary Hardin-Baylor hosts Ohio Wesleyan, East Texas Baptist travels to Texas Lutheran and Hardin-Simmons will open at Southwestern, all scheduled for 6:00 p.m. starts . At 7:00 p.m., Sul Ross State plays at Texas-Permian Basin and Howard Payne hosts Southwestern Assemblies of God.

The NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs begin November 19, with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl national championship game scheduled for December 16 in Salem, Va.

2016 ASC Preseason Football Poll
(First-place votes)

Team	Votes	2015 Record
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor	115 (13)	11-2 / 4-1 ASC
2. Hardin-Simmons	97 (2)	9-2 / 4-1 ASC
3. East Texas Baptist	80 (1)	7-3 / 4-1 ASC
4. Louisiana College	75	3-7 / 1-4 ASC
5. McMurry %	41	4-6
6. Sul Ross State	40	3-7 / 1-4 ASC
7. Howard Payne	24	1-9 / 1-4 ASC
Belhaven #	--	2-8

# Not eligible for 2016 ASC Championship/NCAA Championship (NCAA Div. III Provisional Member)
% Not eligible for 2016 NCAA Championship (NCAA Div. III Reclassifying)

2016 ASC Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: Ryan Breton, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
Defense: Teidrick Smith, DE, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams: Nico Francino, K/P, Sr., Hardin-Simmons

All-Time ASC Football Preseason Top Picks

Year	Team	Points (1st votes)
2016	Mary Hardin-Baylor	115 (13 / 16)
2015	Mary Hardin-Baylor &	107 (17 / 18)
2014	Mary Hardin-Baylor	95 (15 /16)
2013	Mary Hardin-Baylor	146 (20 / 21)
2012	Mary Hardin-Baylor	192 (24 / 24)
2011	Mary Hardin-Baylor	239 (23 / 27)
2010	Mary Hardin-Baylor	237 (21 / 27)
2009	Mary Hardin-Baylor &	235 (21 / 27)
2008	Mary Hardin-Baylor	240 (24 / 27)
2007	Mary Hardin-Baylor	239 (24 / 27)
2006	Mary Hardin-Baylor	216 (18/26)
2005	Mary Hardin-Baylor	265 (21.5 / 27)
2004	Mary Hardin-Baylor	245 (9 / 27)
2003	Mary Hardin-Baylor &	239 (13 / 26)
2002	Hardin-Simmons	94 (5 / 10)
2001	Hardin-Simmons	100 (10 / 10)
2000	Hardin-Simmons	81 (9 / 10)
1999	Hardin-Simmons	46 (4 / 6)
1998	Mississippi College	80 (5 / 11)

1996-97, no poll
Went on to win outright conference title
& Went on to win at least share of conference title

All-Time ASC Football Preseason Awards
Offense

2016	Ryan Breton, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2015	Easton Melancon, QB, Jr., Louisiana College
2014	Easton Melancon, QB, So., Louisiana College
2013	Ryan Montague, RB, Sr., Louisiana College
2012	LiDarral Bailey, QB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2011	Jake Mullin, QB, Sr., McMurry
2010	Justin Feaster, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2009	Justin Feaster, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2008	Adam Shaffer, QB, Jr., Mississippi College
2007	T.J. Barber, RB, Sr., Sul Ross State
2006	Jordan Neal, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2005	Justin Bryson, RB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2004	RoShawn Johnson, RB, Jr., East Texas Baptist
2003	Adam King, QB, Jr., Howard Payne
2002	Dustin Proctor, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2001	Kirk Rogers, WR, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2000	Richard Green, RB, Sr., Howard Payne
1999	Braxton Shaver, QB, Sr., McMurry
1998	Braxton Shaver, QB, Sr., McMurry

(1996-97, no award)

Defense

2016	Teidrick Smith, DE, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2015	Teidrick Smith, DE, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2014	Deshon Kinsey, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2013	Silvio Diaz, DT, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2012	Javicz Jones, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2011	Javicz Jones, LB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2010	Hank Hornsby, DE, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2009	Austin Sturrock, DE, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2008	Eric Henri, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2007	Jerrell Freeman, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2006	Chad Glover, DE, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2005	Will Galusha, DB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
2004	Littleton Dean, DT, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2003	Alex Hansen, CB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
2002	Preston Meyer, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2001	Preston Meyer, LB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2000	(co) Jared Sanderson, LB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons,
	(co) Mike Tates, LB, Sr., Howard Payne
1999	David Rausch, DB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
1998	Bryant Shaw, DE, Jr., Mississippi College

(1996-97, no award)

Special Teams

2016	Nico Francino, PK/P, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2015	Jessie Ramos, KR, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2014	Jessie Ramos, KR, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
2013	Chad Peevey, PK/P, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2012	Allen Cain, PK, Sr., Texas Lutheran
2011	Darnell Williams, RET, Sr., Louisiana College
2010	Jordan Rideaux, RET, Sr., Louisiana College
2009	Jordan Rideaux, RET, Jr., Louisiana College
2008	Kyle Pope, PK, Jr., East Texas Baptist
2007	Holt Storrie, PK, Sr., Texas Lutheran
2006	Will Galusha, RET, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2005	Holt Storrie, PK, So., Texas Lutheran
2004	(co) Brian Malbrough, RET, Sr., McMurry
	(co) P.J. Williams, RET, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2003	Scott Verhalen, P, Sr., East Texas Baptist

(1996-2002, no award)

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