MSSU football picked 10th in preseason polls

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team has been picked tenth in both the coaches and media preseason football polls as the league announced this morning during the 2019 MIAA Football Media Day at the Kaufman Foundation Center.

When the 2019 season gets underway, there will be a new leader on the sidelines for the Lions as head coachJeff Sims starts year number one leading the Green and Gold at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Last year's MIAA Co-Champs split the polls as Fort Hays State was picked to win the league by the coaches and Northwest Missouri was picked by the media. In the coaches poll, Fort Hays picked up six first-place votes for 114 points, while Northwest Missouri had five first-place votes for 112 points. Pittsburg State was third with one first-place vote, followed by Central Oklahoma, Central Missouri, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Washburn, Nebraska-Kearney, the Lions, Northeastern State and Lincoln.

In the media poll, Northwest picked up 32 first-place votes, while Fort Hays State had seven and the Lions had one first-place vote. Northwest had 471 points with Fort Hays picking up 433. Pittsburg State was third, followed by Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Washburn, Nebraska-Kearney, Missouri Southern, Northeastern State and Lincoln to round out the poll. Both polls can be found below.

The Lions return nine starters from last year's team, including All-MIAA performers in defensive lineman Levi Marlay and punter Riley Hathorn. Sims, as well as Marlay and running back Shemar Coleman were in Kansas City to address the media.

Southern opens the season at home on September 5 against Nebraska-Kearney. The Lions host Central Missouri on October 5 for Homecoming and Washburn on October 19 for the annual Hall of Fame game.

2019 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Fort Hays State (6) - .................. 114 points 2. Northwest Missouri (5) - ............. 112 points 3. Pittsburg State (1) - ..................... 97 points 4. Central Oklahoma - ...................... 90 points 5. Central Missouri - ........................ 80 points 6. Emporia State - ........................... 73 points 7. Missouri Western - ....................... 57 points 8. Washburn - ................................. 54 points 9. Nebraska Kearney - ..................... 46 points 10. Missouri Southern - ............. 34 points 11. Northeastern State - .................. 23 points 12. Lincoln -.............................. 12 points 2019 MIAA Preseason Media Poll 1. Northwest Missouri (32) - ........... 471 points 2. Fort Hays State (7) - .................. 433 points 3. Pittsburg State - ......................... 378 points 4. Central Missouri - ....................... 336 points 5. Central Oklahoma - .................... 313 points 6. Emporia State - .......................... 264 points 7. Missouri Western - ..................... 245 points 8. Washburn - ................................ 234 points 9. Nebraska Kearney - .................... 194 points 10. Missouri Southern (1) - ..... 120 points 11. Northeastern State - ................... 79 points 12. Lincoln - .............................. .52 points

MIAA Football Media Day to be carried live on MIAA Network

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 2019 MIAA Football Media Day will take place tomorrow as the event, presented by Seigfried Bingham will come live from the Kauffman Foundation Center.

The event will be carried live on The MIAA Network.

The MIAA Network will have press conferences for all 12 teams along with MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy and Supervisor of Football Officials Phil Laurie's press conference to begin the day at 9:30 am. The broadcast of the 2019 Football Media Day will be free to view. The MIAA Network can be viewed on a desktop, mobile devices, and Internet-connected television devices anywhere in the world. Individuals can use The MIAA Network website or The MIAA Network apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku to view media day.

Fans are encouraged to ask questions for coaches and student-athletes during press conferences by using #AskMIAA. Any question using the hashtag that is asked during a press conference will receive a prize from the Association office.

Student-athletes will also participate in Twitter Live interviews on the MIAA's twitter page with MIAA Correspondent Bethany Bowman. Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City will have a live show from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Center. The show will have interviews with select coaches and student-athletes.

Head Coach Jeff Sims, as well as Levi Marlay and Shemar Coleman will take the podium at 10 am to start off the activities. To see the complete schedule for the 2019 MIAA Football Media Day presented by Seigfreid Bingham, click here. 

Missouri Southern basketball attendance ranks among tops in nation

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

For the fifth-straight year, both the Missouri Southern men's and women's basketball teams ranked in the top-20 of NCAA Division II in attendance figures as the organization announced the numbers for the 2018-19 season this week.

The Southern men ranked 10th nationally, while the women were 20th. Last season, the Southern men were 14th while the women ranked 18th.

The men were the fourth-highest ranking team in the MIAA as Fort Hays was third, followed by Central Missouri in sixth and Washburn in ninth. The league, as a whole, had six teams in the top-12, as well as nine in the top-21.

On the women's side, the Lions had the eighth-highest attendance in the MIAA. Fort Hays State ranked second nationally, followed by Pittsburg State (5th), Emporia State (6th), Central Missouri (7th), Washburn (8th), Missouri Western (13th) Nebraska-Kearney (16th) and the Lions at 20th, giving the league eight teams in the top 20.

The Southern men saw 21,889 fans at their home games inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center this season, averaging 1,684 per game, while the women saw 14,440 for an average of 963 per contest.

The MIAA, once again, led Division II in attendance in both genders. It is the 11th year in a row the league has won the basketball attendance crown as an average of 1,283 fans came for men's games and 1,053 came for women's contests this past season.