ST. PAUL – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2025 Football Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday with Greenville and Northwestern being predicted to win the conference championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.

Complete poll
 

Place	School	Points
1	Greenville (3)	23
1	Northwestern (3)	23
3	Martin Luther	15
4	Minnesota Morris	14
5	Crown	8
6	Westminster	7

#1 Greenville and Northwestern: 23 points
The Panthers and Eagles both received 23 points and three first-place votes each to tie for the top spot. Northwestern won the 2024 Conference Championship.

Greenville
Head coach: Robbie Schomaker | 13th season

Top Returners Offense

• Max Lynch, So, QB, 2 nd Team All Conference, | 18TDs only 4 INTs | 511 yards rushing | 7 rushing TDs
• Terry Janssen SR, OL| Started all 10 games in 2024
• LaShawn Williams, So, WR | 200 yards receiving | 3 TDs

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Elias Velasquez, SR, LB | First-team All-UMAC| 98 tackles | 7 sacks
• Greg Reese, SR,  DL | Second-team All-UMAC | 28 tackles | 3.5 sacks
• Kourtland Harris, SR, S |Second-team All-UMAC | 49 tackles| 1 INT

Northwestern
Head coach: Matt Moore | 9th Season |

Top Returners Offense

• Will Schleicher, Jr, TE/P | 2x Second-team All-UMAC | 2022 NCCAA Second-team All-American | 2024: 15 rec, 195 yards, 2 TD |
• Robbie Hussey, So, OL
• Ashton Lofton, Jr, RB | Career: 312 rush yds, 5 total TD, 116 rec yds |

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Jayden Goodwin, Sr, LB | 2x First-team All-UMAC |2022 Second-team All-UMAC | 2024 NCCAA All-American | 2024: 87 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 1 INT (TD) |
• Austin Ahrendt, So, DB | 58 tackles, 2 INT, 2 PBU |
• Ian Ahrendt, Jr, LB | 2024 NCCAA Second-team All-American | 2024: 74 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 PD |

#3 Martin Luther: 15 points
The Knights received 15 points to rank third in the poll.

Head coach: Paul Huebner | 4th season |

Top Returners Offense

• Brady Turriff, So, QB | Second-team All-UMAC |Finished second in the UMAC in passing yards (1977) and completions (145), attempts as a freshman in 2024 | Also holds the MLC single-season record in those aforementioned statistical categories 
• Thomas Koelpin, Sr, WR| First-team All-UMAC | Finished second in the UMAC in receptions (45), receiving yards (751), and touchdowns (5) in 2024 | Led MLC in all three categories last year.
• Jude Pederson, Jr, TE |2x First-team All-UMAC| Second on MLC in receptions (31), receiving yards (381), and touchdowns (4) in 2024.
• R.J. Perry, Junior, OG |Second-team All-UMAC

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Andrew Esmay, Jr, DE | UMAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024  and First-team All-UMAC|Led all of Division III in sacks (16.5), forced fumbles (8), and fumble recoveries (5) |Broke MLC single season record in all three categories as wel| D3football.com All-Region Team
• Tom Balge, Sr, LB/Safety |2023 First-team All-UMAC | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC |Led UMAC in tackles in 2023 (110), third in UMAC in 2024 (90)
• Jeremiah Stanton, Sr, CB| 2023 First-team All-UMAC | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC  | Led UMAC in passes defended (15) and INT (5) in 2023 |Led UMAC in passes defended (13) in 2024
• Micah Koschnitzke, Sr, K| 2024 First-team All-UMAC | 2023 Second-team All-UMAC|Led UMAC with six made field goals in 2024

#4 Minnesota Morris: 14 points
The Cougars earned 14 points for the fourth spot on the poll.

Head coach: Marty Hoffmann | 8th season |

Top Returners Offense

• Bryson Drake, So, QB | 58-117, 5 TDs | 6.4 yards per carry, 7 TD, 467 yards rushing |
• Carter Watnass, TE| 6 Reception, 55 yards |
• Manny Guy, Jr, WR | 18 reception, 250 yards, 1 TD| Long of 87

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Chayce Meyer, Sr, DL | | 2x Third-team All-Region D3Football.com | 5.5 Sacks, 11 TFL, 48 Tackles
• Gregory Ohman, Sr, LB | 2x Second-team All-UMAC | 183 Career Total Tackles, 18 TFL, 121 Solo Tackles |3x CSC Academic All District
• JT Garza, Jr, DB |Second-team All UMAC | 48 career total tackles | 3 INT | 8 PBU | 2 blocked kicks | 2 FF | 31.2 Punt average

#5 Crown: 8 points
The Polars received eight points to rank fifth in the poll.

Head coach: Anthony Franz | 5th season |

Top Returners Offense

• Donovan Quinzy, JR, OL | Second-team All UMAC|
• Donovan Soloman, SO, RB | Second-team All UMAC| 695 yards rushing, 4.6 a carry, 4 Touchdowns |
• Jakari Hunnecook, Gr-SR, WR | 269 yards rec, 32 receptions, 3 Touchdowns |

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Millicent Grear, Gr-SR, DL | First-team All UMAC| 42 tackles, 15.5 TFL’s, 5.5 Sacks |
• Luke Johnson, SR, LB | 40 tackles, 2TFL’s, 1 Sack|
• Rudy Criner, SR, DB

#6 Westminster: 7 points
The Blue Jays received seven points to complete the poll.

Head coach: Luke Butts | 2nd Season |

Top Returners Offense

• Keegan Zdybel, Sr., QB | 1227 Total Yards, 15 TD |
• Emerson Ruiz, So., OL | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC |

Top Returners Defense/Special Teams

• Alex Goly, Jr., LB | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC | 99 tackles, 7 tackles for loss | 
• Daronne Wright, So., DB |2024 Second-team All-UMAC | 58 tackles, 9 PBU | 
• Jeremiah Belizaire, So., DL | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC | 26 tackles, 6.5 Sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss |

The 2025 football regular season opens on Thursday, Sept. 4. The regular season champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA DIII Football Playoffs to compete in the national tournament.