Football 8/27/2026 10:00:25 AM 2026 UMAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll and Season Preview ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2026 Football Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday with Crown 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 Crown (3) 23 2 Northwestern (1) 19 3 Martin Luther (1) 15 4 Greenville 13 5 Westminster (1) 12 6 Minnesota Morris 8 #1 Crown: 23 points The Polars led the preseason poll with 23 points and three first-place votes from their conference competitors. Crown is the defending Conference Champions. Head Coach: Anthony Franz |5th season | Top Returners Offense Donovan Quinzy, Sr, OL | 2025 First-team All-UMAC and OL of the year Phil Torres, Sr, OL |2025 Second-team All-UMAC Jon Martin, Jr, OL | 2025 First-team All-UMAC Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Jakalyn Roy, So, DL | 2025 First-team All-UMAC and Co-DL of the year Keivon Davis, Jr, LB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC Eddie Hallowanger, Sr, DB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC #2 Northwestern: 19 points The Eagles received 19 points and one first-place vote to rank second. Head Coach: Matt Moore | 10th Season | Top Returners Offense Robbie Hussey, JR, OL | 2025 First Team All-Conference | Braeden Little, SO, WR | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC (WR & PR) | 2025: 27 receptions, 454 receiving yards, 3 receiving TDs | Keaton Sargent, JR, RB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC | 2025: 77 carries, 312 total yards, 2 rushing TDs | Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Austin Ahrendt, JR, DB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC, UMAC Defensive Player of the Week (11/11/25) | NCCAA Defensive Player of the Week (10/14/24) | 2025: 83 tackles, 2 PBU, 1 INT | Gideon Cruver, SR, LB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC (LB), 2024 Second-team All-UMAC (TE) | D3football.com Team of the Week (10/21/25) | 2025: 9.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 INT | Wes Schlabach, SO, DB | 2025: 3 INT, 52 tackles, 5.5 TFL | #3 Martin Luther: 15 points The Knights garnered 15 points and one first-place vote to rank third. Head Coach: Paul Huebner | 5th Season | Top Returners Offense Brady Turriff, Jr., QB |2025 First-team All-UMAC, 2024 Second-team All-UMAC QB | 2x UMAC athlete of the week (2025) | 2,312 passing yards, 19 TDs, 56.1% completion percentage Arthur Robinson, Jr., RB | 2025 First-team All-UMAC RB | 1,126 rushing yards, 9 TDs Jude Pederson, Sr., WR | Three-time First-team All-UMAC WR/TE | 675 receiving yards, 6 TDs Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Ethan Melso, Sr., LB | 63 total tackles, 3 interceptions, 3 tackles for loss Daniel Biermann, Sr., DT | 2024 Second-team All-UMAC Defense | 29 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks Nathan Schmidt, So., DT | 36 total tackles, 1 interception, 2 fumble recoveries #4 Greenville: 13 points The Panthers ranked fourth with 13 points Head Coach: Robbie Schomaker | 14th Season| Top Returners Offense Will Luce, Jr., OL | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC | Started 5 games at LG and 5 games at RT in 2025 Carson Hunter, So., OL| Started 8 games at Center and 2 games at RT in 2025 JaShaun McKinley, Jr., TE| 5 Catches 69 Yards Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Julian O’Malley, So., LB | 45 Tackles in 2025 Jayden Morris, So., CB | 23 Tackles 1 INT Will Giffen, So., DL | 18 Tackles, 4 Sacks #5 Westminster: 12 points The Blue Jays received 12 points and the final first-place vote to rank fifth. Head Coach: Luke Butts | 3rd Season | Top Returners Offense Trey Thomas, Sr., QB | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC | 2,026 Yards Passing, 14 TD | Vince Howard, So., OL | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC | Conner Coffey, Sr., WR | 2025 Second-team All-UMAC | 458 rec. yds., 4 TD | Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Darvin Fowler, Sr., DL | 2025 First-team All-UMAC | 38 tackles, 13 TFLs | Jason Colonius, So., LB | 2025 First-team All-UMAC | 90 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 3 sacks | Cole Harrell, Sr., LS | 2025 First-team All-UMAC | #6 Minnesota Morris: 8 points The Cougars completed the poll with eight points. Head Coach: Marty Hoffmann | 9th year as Head Coach | Top Returners Offense Bryson Drake, Jr., WR | 13 total TD’s, 328 yards rushing Sean-Keley Chinanga, Jr., RB | 5 rushing TD’s, 47.1 yards per game, 3.9 yards per carry | Manny Guy, Sr., WR | 18 Rec, 15 yards per catch Top Returners Defense/Special Teams Juan “JT” Garza, Sr., DB | First-team All-UMAC Defense, Second-team All-UMAC Special Teams | Special Teams player of the week| 44 total tackles, 7 passes defended, 1 blocked kick| Arian Saenz, Sr., LB | 73 total tackles, 45 solo tackles | Dylan Young, Sr., DL | Second-team All-UMAC Defense | 9 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 38 total tackles | The 2026 football regular season opens on Saturday, Sept. 5. The regular season champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2026 NCAA DIII Football Playoffs to compete in the national tournament. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UMAC (@umacathletics)