Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
ST.
LOUIS – The Indiana State Sycamores placed two members on the
Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Honorable Mention team and
were picked to finish ninth according to the league's annual preseason poll of
league head coaches, media and sports information directors. The preseason
awards were announced earlier this morning as part of the MVFC Media Day at the
St. Louis Airport Hilton.
Senior Donye McCleskey and sophomore Alex Sewall were named
to the honorable mention All-MVFC squad.
McCleskey was named All-MVFC Honorable Mention last season
and was a co-MVP for the Sycamores. He posted 98 total tackles last season,
including 53 total stops. In the conference opener against Illinois State,
McCleskey was credited with a career-high 17 total tackles. Known as a big-play
defensive threat, McCleskey recovered a fumble and returned it 47 yards for a
touchdown at Youngstown State. McCleskey had four games in which he recorded at
least 10 tackles, including 13 against South Dakota State, 11 in the season
finale versus Missouri State, 10 at Western Illinois and the season-best 17
versus the Redbirds.
Sewall
was likewise named to the All-MVFC Honorable Mention team last season and was
also a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer squad. He
was Indiana State's top newcomer on defense with 90 total tackles, including 52
solo stops as he played in all 12 of the Sycamores' contests this season.
Sewall posted a season-best nine tackles in five different contests: at Eastern
Illinois, at Northern Illinois, South Dakota State, at North Dakota State and
in the season finale versus Missouri State.
Northern
Iowa as the MVFC's Preseason favorite receiving 314 total points as well as 26
first place votes. Southern Illinois was close behind with 281 points and nine
first place votes. South Dakota State was picked third with 231 votes while
North Dakota State had the league's final preseason first place selection but
was fourth in the voting with 206 points.
Western
Illinois was fifth with 174 points while Youngstown State (171), Missouri State
(111), Illinois State (90) and Indiana State (42) rounded out the preseason
picks.
Team
(First-Place Votes)
Points
1.
Northern Iowa
(26)
314
2.
Southern Illinois
(9)
281
3.
South Dakota
State
231
4.
North Dakota State
(1)
206
5.
Western Illinois
174
6.
Youngstown State
171
7.
Missouri State
111
8.
Illinois State
90
9.
Indiana State
42
