MANSFIELD, Mass. (Aug. 19, 2016) - The LIU Post football team has been predicted to finish third in the 2016 Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Friday morning.
The Pioneers tabulated 61 points in the voting, trailing only reigning league champion Assumption College (79 points) and runner-up University of New Haven (72 points).
Merrimack College claimed the No. 4 spot, earning 58 points. Stonehill College (44 points) followed in fifth. American International College and Bentley University tied for sixth with 39 points apiece.
LIU Post boasted the top offensive unit in the NE-10 in 2015, averaging 438.9 yards per game. The Pioneers welcome back 10 of their starters on offense this season, including All-NE-10 selections
Jeff Kidd (Salem, Ore.) and
Shane Hubbard (St. Albans, N.Y.).
Kidd continually led the league in all passing categories last year, including touchdowns (29), yards (2,778) and completions (235). Meanwhile, Hubbard tied the school's single-season record for touchdown receptions with 13. He also paced the NE-10 in yards per reception (17.3) and ranked third in the conference in receiving yards (870).
Defensively, the Pioneers return two of their mainstays up front in red-shirt senior
Kenny Scotland (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) and junior
Kevin Petit-Frere (Amityville, N.Y.), both of whom garnered All-NE-10 honors in 2015.
Scotland and Petit-Frere each accrued a team-best-tying seven sacks last season. Additionally, Scotland collected 29 tackles, 10 quarterback hurries and five pass break-ups. Petit-Frere had 50 tackles, to go along with two forced fumbles.
Head Coach
Bryan Collins and his LIU Post squad open the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3 in Richmond, Va. at Virginia Union University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
2016 Northeast-10 Football Preseason Poll
1. Assumption (Seven First-Place Votes) - 79 Points
2. New Haven (Two First-Place Votes) - 72 Points
3. LIU Post - 61 Points
4. Merrimack (One First-Place Vote) - 58 Points
5. Stonehill - 44 Points
T-6. American International - 39 Points
T-6. Bentley - 39 Points
8. Southern Conn. St. - 30 Points
9. Saint Anselm - 15 Points
10. Pace - 13 Points