Looking back: Grand Valley State has ruled not only the GLIAC, but also the NCAA Division II roost, over the previous decade, as the Lakers won four national championships during that span (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006).
Looking ahead: 2011 will mark the final season for Indianapolis as an associate member of the GLIAC in football, as the Greyhounds will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2012.
Website: http://www.gliac.org/
Predicted order of finish (2010 overall record in parentheses)
1. Grand Valley State (13-2): Is there room for another national championship trophy at GVSU? Hopefully, that will be the case in 2011, as the Lakers lost to Northwest Missouri State in the 2009 title game. One interesting note about this year's schedule is that GVSU will play just two games outside the state of Michigan, the September 17 game at Indianapolis, as well as the October 15 contest against Lake Erie in Ohio.
2. Wayne State (Mich.)--(9-2): With a preseason national Top 10 ranking by the Sporting News, expectations will be very high for the Warriors, who hope to fight their way to the top of the GLIAC standings this season. Of course, a four-game winning streak to end 2010 will do just that: raise those expectations.
3. Hillsdale (9-3): The Chargers will look to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third year in a row. In 2010, they were one and done, as St. Cloud State eliminated them, 42-28, in the first round. They also reached round two of the 2009 playoffs, before bowing to eventual national runner-up Grand Valley State.
4. Michigan Tech (8-2): Despite a four-game winning streak to end 2010, the Huskies found themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time. It's something that they hope to change in 2011, as their last playoff appearance came in 2004.
5. Ashland (8-3): The Golden Eagles overcame a 1-3 start to finish with a flourish, winning seven straight games. Hopefully, that momentum will propel head coach Lee Owens and his charges to another high finish in the GLIAC. Owens needs only one win to reach 50 career victories as a head coach. If that wasn't enough, the Golden Eagles will be tested sternly in their season opener at Bloomsburg on September 1.
6. Indianapolis (6-5): The Greyhounds hope that their "goodbye tour" of the GLIAC will result in a conference championship, which they haven't done since 1981.
7. Ferris State (5-6): A 5-1 start disintegrated into a season-ending five-game debacle for the Bulldogs. They hope 2011 will result in a different outcome.
8. Northern Michigan (5-6): The Huskies won their lone national championship in 1975, but haven't advanced to postseason play since 1987.
9. Saginaw Valley State (4-7): A 2009 D-II playoff appearance fizzled into a dismal 2010 season for the Cardinals, who hope to bounce back under third-year head coach Jim Collins.
10. Northwood (5-6): The Timberwolves hope to improve on last season's 5-5 finish in GLIAC action.
11. Findlay (1-10): The Oilers will try put the misery of 2010 behind them.
12. Lake Erie (3-7): The Storm hopes to see improvement in their second season in the GLIAC.
13. Ohio Dominican (2-8): The Panthers also hope to move up in the standings in year two.
14. Tiffin (1-10): The Dragons won their opener, but lost 10 straight games, all in GLIAC play, to end 2010.
4 years ago
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