Westminster football was ranked fifth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) by a poll from the league's head coaches.
The Blue Jays received 49 points to rank ahead of five other teams in the UMAC.
St. Scholastica topped the poll with 73 points and three first-place votes, while Northwestern received five first-place votes and 72 points to come in second.
2017 UMAC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica – 73 points ( 3 First Place Votes)
2. Northwestern – 72 points ( 5 First Place Votes)
3. MacMurray – 61 points
4. Eureka – 54 points (2 First Place Votes)
5. Westminster – 49 points
6. Greenville – 41 points
7. Crown – 35 points
8. Minnesota Morris – 30 points
9. Iowa Wesleyan – 21 points
10. Martin Luther – 14 points
The Blue Jays return a talented offensive squad, including Latif Adams. Adams will play his final season after being named the Player of the Year as a sophomore and leading the UMAC in rushing yards. Last season, Adams recorded 1,001 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning a second team All-Conference nod.
Trent White also returns for Westminster in the quarterback position and will once again take the helm for the squad. White is coming off of a season in which he recorded 1,815 total passing yards and 14 touchdowns to earn a place on the All-Conference second team.
Matt Quarles, is the top returning wide receiver, who also led the team in punt returns and kick returns. Last season, he was placed on the All-Conference first team for special teams.
Defensively, the Blue Jays return Zach Roseman, who was second on the team in tackles last season, and Anthony Washington, who was on the All-Conference second team for defense. Clayton Bristol also looks to bring experience to the defensive line as a top returner.
Westminster opens play on the road September 2 against Gustavus Adolphus. September 9 marks the first home game and the first UMAC match-up for Westminster against Minnesota-Morris.
