FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
July 2, 2014 - The North Central College football team is represented once again in the NCAA Division III Top 25 rankings in three preseason publications, as the Cardinals are ranked ninth in the Sporting News Preseason Top 25 and the USA Today Preseason Top 10 while sitting 10th in the Preseason Top 25 released by Lindy's Sports Annuals. All three college football preview magazines are currently available on newsstands across the nation.
North Central sophomore quarterback Dylan Warden was also projected as the Division III Newcomer of the Year by Lindy's Sports. Warden participated in six varsity games as one of the Cardinals' backup quarterbacks in 2013.
The defending national champion, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, owns the top spot in all three polls. The Sporting News lists the University of Mount Union (Ohio) second, followed by Linfield College (Ore.), the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) and Wesley College (Del.) The top 10 is rounded out by Bethel University (Minn.), North Central, John Carroll University (Ohio), the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and St. John Fisher College (N.Y.)
Lindy's Sports also has Mount Union in second and Linfield in third. Bethel is ranked fourth and Wesley is fifth, followed by Mary Hardin-Baylor, the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), Johns Hopkins University (Md.), Rowan University (N.J.) and North Central. USA Today ranks Mary Hardin-Baylor second and Mount Union third, followed by Wesley, Bethel, Linfield, North Central, St. Thomas, Heidelberg University (Ohio) and Hampden-Sydney College (Va.)
North Central's College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) rival Wheaton College is ranked 13th by Lindy's Sports and 23rd by The Sporting News. North Central's Oct. 25 game at Wheaton, when the Little Brass Bell will be on the line, is listed as one of five games to watch by Lindy's Sports. Illinois Wesleyan University defensive lineman John Worley is a Preseason All-America selection by The Sporting News and also made the All-Division III First Team by Lindy's Sports. Also featured on Lindy's First Team is Wheaton offensive lineman Spencer Clark, while Millikin University running back Sean Dunning is on the Second Team.
The Cardinals went 13-1 last season, establishing a new school record for victories in a single season and tying a CCIW record with their eighth straight conference title. North Central advanced to the Division III national semifinals for the first time, defeating Wisconsin-Platteville and Bethel before the season ended with a 41-40 loss at Mount Union.
The Cardinals open the 2014 season on Sept. 13 at St. Norbert College (Wis.)
