CARMEL, Ind. – Mount St. Joseph University was selected as the favorite in a vote amongst league coaches ahead of the 2023 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) football season.
The Lions earned the vote of confidence from the league coaches after picking up the 2022 title in decisive fashion, running the table with an unblemished 7-0 mark in league play. Narrowly behind in the vote was second place Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (43), who also grabbed the remaining first-place nod in the poll. Hanover College (35) was picked to finish the season in third while Franklin College (33) rounded out the top-half of the poll in fourth.
Within the talented group of returning players throughout the HCAC, three Senior student-athletes have garnered extra preseason atttention by being named to the D3football.com Preseason All-American Team.
Cornell Beacham, Jr, the Mount St. Joseph running back from Cincinnati was honored with first team accolades and a pair of HCAC student-athletes were named to the third team preseason all-american list:
Daniel Huery, the Rose-Hulman wide receiver from Katy, Texas and
DeShawn Starks, an MSJ cornerback from Lexington, Kentucky.
Listed below is the 2023 HCAC Football Preseason Poll and the 2023 HCAC Athletes to Watch.
For more information on HCAC Football, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the Internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
2023 HCAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
| 1. |
Mount St. Joseph University (7) |
49 |
| 2. |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (1) |
43 |
| 3. |
Hanover College |
35 |
| 4. |
Franklin College |
33 |
| 5. |
Defiance College |
25 |
| 6. |
Bluffton University |
19 |
| 7. |
Manchester University |
11 |
| 8. |
Anderson University |
9 |
2023 HCAC Football Athletes to Watch:
Anderson
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Connor Huffman |
JR |
Pedleton, Ind. |
DL |
| Julian Hughes |
SR |
Richmond, Ind. |
WR |
| Jackson Elder |
SO |
Port St. Lucie, Fla. |
OL |
| Montravion Staley |
FY |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
DB |
Bluffton
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Markus Finley |
SR |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
OT |
| Ethan Beringer |
SR |
Findlay, Ohio |
WR |
| Nick Perry |
SR |
Lake, Ohio |
LB |
| Marvus McWright |
SR |
Westland, Mich. |
DE |
Defiance
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Thomas Coltrain |
SR |
Leslie, Mich. |
LB |
| Eric Moultrie, Jr. |
SR |
Snellville, Ga. |
OL |
| Jordan Ambrose |
SR |
Tomball, Texas |
QB |
| V'Sean Palmer |
SR |
Dayton, Ohio |
DB |
Franklin
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Jireh Ojata |
SR |
Carmel, Ind. |
DE |
| Dylan McKinney |
SR |
Ellettsville, Ind. |
WR |
| Garrett Cora |
JR |
Lizton, Ind. |
RB |
| Shay McRath |
SR |
Evansville, Ind. |
DE |
Hanover
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Austin Oppel |
JR |
New Albany, Ind. |
RB |
| Jalen Peck |
JR |
Bloomington, Ind. |
WR |
| Jamey Deckard |
SR |
Bedford, Ind. |
LB |
| Justin Williamson |
SR |
Macon, Ga. |
S |
Manchester
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Sam Huffman |
SR |
Bremen, Ind. |
DL |
| Connor Hindman |
JR |
Windfall, Ind. |
OL |
| Jalen Love |
SR |
Avon, Ind. |
RB |
| Devontay Moore |
SR |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
DL |
Mount St. Joseph
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Josh Taylor |
SR |
Mt. Orab, Ohio |
QB |
| Cornell Beachem, Jr. |
SR |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
RB |
| DeShawn Starks |
SR |
Lexington, Ky. |
CB |
| Nate Owens |
SR |
Bethel, Ohio |
LB |
Rose-Hulman
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
Position |
| Daniel Huery |
SR |
Katy, Texas |
WR |
| Jailen Hobbs |
SR |
Spring Lake, N.C. |
WR |
| Justin Pierson |
SR |
Manor, Texas |
OL |
| Ryan Schmidt |
SR |
Katy, Texas |
DB |