ASC Announces Preseason Football Poll and Awards

UMHB Coach Pete Fredenburg and the Cru have been picked as the favorites to win the 2014 ASC football championship.

7/22/2014 10:00:00 AM

UMHB Coach Pete Fredenburg Interview

RICHARDSON, Texas – Mary Hardin-Baylor has been picked to win the 2014 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 22).

Louisiana College senior quarterback Easton Melancon, Mary Hardin-Baylor junior linebacker Deshon Kinsey and Hardin-Simmons junior kick returner Jessie

Ramos were named ASC Preseason Players of the Year.

Mary Hardin-Baylor (13-1/6-0 ASC) received 95 points in the preseason poll and recorded 15 out of a possible 16 first-place votes. UMHB enters the 2014

season coming off its second consecutive appearance in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III National Championship and fifth in team history. The Cru recorded a 13-1 overall record to claim their ninth consecutive ASC championship and 11th overall. Mary Hardin-Baylor is currently riding a 44-game regular season win streak and has won 65 of its last 66 ASC contests including 32 consecutive wins dating back to 2009.

Louisiana College (7-3/5-1 ASC) is ranked second in the preseason poll with 79 points and one first-place vote. The Wildcats have finished second in the ASC standings in three of the last four seasons.

Six-time ASC champion Hardin-Simmons (4-6/2-4 ASC) is ranked third with 59 points and have finished no less than fourth in the league standings in each of the last 18 seasons.

East Texas Baptist (3-7/1-5 ASC) was picked fourth with 44 points. Howard Payne (4-6/2-4 ASC) was the fifth-place pick coming in just three points behind ETBU with 41 points, and Sul Ross State (1-9/1-5 ASC) was tabbed sixth with 18 points.

Easton Melancon (Ama, La./Hahnville HS) is the second consecutive Wildcat named the ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The 2013 ASC Freshman of the Year, Melancon led LC to a 5-1 record against league opponents. Ranked second in the ASC in passing yards (2,386), third in yards per game (238.6) and total offense (229.8), Melancon was one of just two freshman quarterbacks in NCAA Division III to throw 24 touchdown passes last season.

Deshon Kinsey (Woodway, Texas/Mart HS) is the fourth consecutive UMHB player named the ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and the seventh overall. A second-team all-conference selection in 2013, Kinsey led the ASC in total tackles (132) and forced fumbles (6). One of five league defenders to record 10 sacks, Kinsey recorded 60 solo stops and ranked third in tackles for loss (17.5).

Jessie Ramos (Stamford, Texas/Stamford HS) is the first HSU player named the ASC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year since 2006 (Will Galusha). In

2013 Ramos led the NCAA Division III with three kickoff returns for a touchdown and recorded more than 1,000 return yards (1,013). He also led the ASC in all-purpose yards (169.5) and was equally impressive for the Cowboys’ offense ranking third in the ASC in receiving touchdowns (8), fourth in receptions (58) and fifth in receiving yards per game (62.0).

The 2014 season is the 19th in ASC history and will get underway September 4 as East Texas Baptist travels to Texas A&M-Commerce for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. The following Saturday (September 6) each of the ASC members will take the field for regular season openers. Louisiana College is the only ASC team that will begin the season at home as the Wildcats welcome Huntingdon College for a 1:00 p.m. start time. Scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff is Howard Payne at Trinity (Texas), Sul Ross State at Texas Lutheran and preseason favorite Mary Hardin-Baylor at Millsaps College. Hardin-Simmons will take on Southwestern at 7:00 p.m.

The NCAA Division III Football Championship playoff is scheduled for a Nov. 22 start, with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl national championship game on tap for Dec. 20 in Salem, Va.

2014 ASC Preseason Football Poll

Team	Votes	2013 Record
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor	95 (15)	13-1/6-0 ASC
2. Louisiana College	79 (1)	7-3/5-1 ASC
3. Hardin-Simmons	59	4-6/2-4 ASC
4. East Texas Baptist	44	3-7/1-5 ASC
5. Howard Payne	41	4-6/2-4 ASC
6. Sul Ross State	18	1-9/1-5 ASC

(First-place votes)

2014 ASC Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: Easton Melancon, QB, So., Louisiana College
Defense: Deshon Kinsey, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams: Jessie Ramos, KR, Jr., Hardin-Simmons

All-Time ASC Football Preseason Top Picks

Year	Team	Points (1st votes)
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

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

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

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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