RFC Summer Semester--Great Plains Athletic Conference Preview (NAIA)

What it is: The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) started in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The addition of Northwestern (Iowa) in the early 1990's led to the league's name being to the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference. The GPAC adopted its current name in 2000. It enters the 2010 season with 11 members, including outgoing Sioux Falls, whose football program has won three NAIA national championships in the last four years. USF has plans to begin the transition to the NCAA Division II ranks by at least 2011. Current member schools are located in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. One member school, Dana College of Nebraska, closed its doors during the offseason, leading to immediate changes to the 2010 schedule.

Website: http://www.gpacsports.com

Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses)

1. Sioux Falls (15-0): The Cougars hope to end their run in the NAIA with their fourth national championship in the last five years, including a potential "three-peat". If USF is to win another title, they must do so under a new head coach in Jed Stugart, who replaces Kalen DeBoer.

2. Morningside (10-2): The Mustangs begin the 2010 season ranked fifth in the NAIA spring poll. They hope to reach the playoffs for the seventh year in a row.

3. Hastings (9-3): The Broncos are coming off an appearance in the NAIA playoffs as well. They enter the 2010 campaign ranked No. 13 in the spring poll.

4. Northwestern (Iowa)--(7-3): The Red Raiders hope to make a return trip to postseason play after missing out last year. They start a new season ranked 23rd.

5. Nebraska Wesleyan (5-5): The Prairie Wolves hope to take that next step in the GPAC after a .500 finish last season.

6. Midland Lutheran (6-5): The Warriors have won 14 conference titles all-time, but none since 1990. They'll be looking for their first playoff appearance since 1994.

7. Dakota Wesleyan (4-6): The Tigers have had only one winning season in the last 10 years, a 7-3 mark in 2008.

8. Briar Cliff (4-7): The Chargers struggled to a 4-6 mark in GPAC action last season.

9. Concordia (Neb.)--(3-7): The Bulldogs best season in the last 11 years was in 2001, when they reached round two of the NAIA playoffs, and won a share of the GPAC title.

10. Dordt (1-10): The Defenders enter third season of football having won just two games over the last two years.