Whitworth Voted as Top Team in NWC Football Preseason Poll

Team	Pts.	2018 NWC finish
Whitworth (6)	48	1st
Linfield (2)	44	2nd
George Fox	36	T-3rd
Pacific (Ore.)	29	T-3rd
Puget Sound	27	T-5th
Pacific Lutheran	18	T-5th
Lewis & Clark	15	7th
Willamette	7	8th

(Points awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes)

HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Whitworth Pirates are predicted to finish first in the Northwest Conference for the 2019 season, as voted on by conference coaches. The Pirates received 48 points and six first-place votes.

The Whitworth Pirates finished the 2018 season with a regular season conference record of 7-0, snapping Linfield’s nine-year Northwest Conference regular season title streak. The Pirates, 10-1 overall, claimed the NWC regular season title for the first time since 2007 and earned the automatic qualifier into the NCAA tournament. The Pirates cruised past Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the NCAA first round but fell to St. John’s (Minn.) in the second round to cap off their post-season run. Seventeen Pirates earned All-NWC recognition, including Co-Defensive Player of the Year Chad Wilburg (DL), Freshman of the Year Colten Chelin (DB), and Coach of the Year Rodney Sandberg. 

Returning alongside Chelin for the 2019 season include All-NWC first team offensive selection Leif Erickson (QB), who led the NWC in touchdowns with 18 and averaged 266.6 yards per game last season. All-NWC first team defensive selections Kale Wong (LB) and Jalen Gonzalez (LB) will also return for the Pirates in the 2019 season. Whitworth secured an 11^th-place ranking in the D3football preseason poll as the team looks to secure another NWC regular season title and post-season appearance under Head Coach Sandberg in his seventh season.  

Linfield ranks second in the poll with 44 points and two first-place votes. The Wildcats finished second in the 2018 regular season with a 6-1 conference record (7-2 overall), with their only conference loss coming from #1 Whitworth. Despite not advancing to the NCAA tournament in the previous season, the Wildcats rank just one spot behind the Pirates in 12^th-place in the D3football preseason poll. With All-NWC first team selections Tony Kraus (DL) and Tyler Bergeron (DB) returning to lead the team, the Wildcats will seek to reclaim the NWC regular season title and return to NCAA postseason play under Head Coach Joseph Smith.

George Fox ranks third in the poll with 36 points. The Bruins finished their 2018 campaign tied for third in conference standings with Pacific (Ore.) with a 4-3 conference record (6-4 overall). The Bruins received four All-NWC first team recognitions, among them Daniel Campos (LB) and Riley Lusk (DL), who will return for their final season with the Bruins. Head Coach Chris Casey will lead the Bruins in his seventh season with the program as the team seeks to remain a top contender in the conference in the upcoming season.

Pacific (Ore.) ranks fourth in preseason poll standings, having earned 29 total points. The Boxers concluded the 2018 season tied with George Fox in third place in NWC standings, earning a 4-3 conference record (5-5 overall). 2018 All-NWC First Team selection Ty Hargis (WR) returns to the 2019 Boxer roster to lead the team in his junior season. Under Head Coach Keith Buckley in his tenth season, the Boxers will seek to continue climbing in NWC standings in the upcoming season.

Puget Sound accumulated 27 points in the poll to rank fifth. The Loggers finished the 2018 season tied for fifth with Pacific Lutheran in final conference standings, rounding out their season with a 3-4 conference slate (5-5 overall). Standout wide receiver AJ Johnson (WR) will return in the 2019 season after earning All-NWC first team honors alongside teammates Jewell Day (WR), Jason Clayton (DB) and Murdock Rutledge (QB), also returning for the Loggers in 2019. Johnson and Day both finished the 2019 season with All-NWC first team and D3football All-West Region honors, while Johnson added a D3football All-America honor to his decorated sophomore season. He was also selected as a D3football Preseason All-American second team selection

Pacific Lutheran earned 18 points to rank sixth in the poll. In his first year as Head Coach, Brant McAdams led the Lutes to a fifth-place regular season finish alongside the Loggers with a 3-4 record (4-5 overall). All-NWC honorable mention selection Logan Black (OL) and Hunter Briggs (LB) will return to lead the Lutes in the 2019 season and McAdams enters his second season at the helm of the program.

Lewis & Clark ranks seventh in the poll with 15 points. The Pios ended the 2018 season with a 1-6 conference record (2-7 overall) and will return All-NWC first team offensive selection Michael Abraham (RB) and second team selection Devon Franklin (OL) to help the Pios in the 2019 season as they seek to build on last season’s finish.

Willamette rounds out the poll with seven points and an eighth place standing. Head Coach Isaac Parker enters his first season leading the program as the team welcomes back All-NWC second team selection Alec Stevenson (LB) and honorable mention choice Chris Mann (OL). The Bearcats will seek to climb the conference standings in the 2019 season. 

Pacific (Ore.) will kick off the 150^th season of college football in a matchup against visiting Chapman this Friday, September 6^that 7:00pm. Conference play will begin on Saturday, October 5^th with all eight NWC teams competing.

For the complete 2019 NWC football schedule, click here.