LEBANON, Ill. – Missouri S&T was picked to finish fourth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the second season in a row as the conference released its pre-season football poll Friday as part of the GLVC Football Kickoff at McKendree University.

The Miners have finished fourth in the GLVC in each of Andy Ball's two seasons as head coach, finishing in a tie for that position in 2022 and ending up there in 2023 following a year in which they went 4-7 overall and 4-3 in league play.  S&T opened the 2023 campaign with losses in each of its first five games, but recovered to win four of its final six to end up over the .500 mark in the GLVC.

Missouri S&T has finished at .500 or better in conference play in nine of the 11 seasons it has been playing football in the GLVC.

The Miners, who will report Sunday for the start of pre-season camp, return 36 lettermen to the roster that includes 18 starters.  Nine of the starters are back on the offensive side of the line, including all five offensive linemen of which three – Jake Seidel (Imperial, MO/Seckman), Cole Littrell (Jonesboro, AR/Valley View) and Nadeem Ayoub (Tampa, FL/Calvary Christian) – earned All-GLVC honors.  S&T's top two receivers, CJ Jarmon and CJ Wiggins (Yuma, AZ/Gila Ridge), also return and figure to catch passes from quarterback Tyler Gioia (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison), who was one of the Miners' two student-athlete representatives at Friday's event.

The other Miner in attendance was defensive end Bentley Hart (Brookland, AR/Brookland), who is one of three all-conference selections that return among the seven starters back for the 2024 season.   Hart is back along with defensive back Carson Prenger (Jefferson City, MO/Blair Oaks), who was also a second-team All-GLVC pick last fall and linebacker Justin Gniedziejko (Chicago, IL/Taft).  The Miners also bring back their top special teams performers in placekicker Layne Ryals (Louisburg, KS/Louisburg), punter Logan Jacobson (Hillsboro, MO/St. Pius X) and kick returner Gideon Niboh (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell).

As was the case last season, defending GLVC champion Indianapolis was a unanimous selection by the league coaches to win the 2024 championship, as the Greyhounds received all eight first place votes they could receive (coaches could not vote for their own team).  Truman State, who got the first place vote from UIndy, was picked second and McKendree was tabbed for third.

Southwest Baptist followed the Miners in the fifth spot in the rankings, followed by Quincy, Upper Iowa, William Jewell and Lincoln (Mo.), who rejoins the GLVC this season as a full-time member of the conference.

In the 11 previous seasons in which the GLVC has conducted a pre-season poll, the Miners have matched or exceeded their projection on nine occasions.  S&T has finished no worse than its prediction in six straight seasons.

Missouri S&T begins its 2024 season with road games against Wayne State (Neb.) on Thursday, Aug. 29 and NCAA Division II playoff participant Delta State on Sept. 7.  The Miners' five-game home slate begins with a matchup against Lincoln (Calif.) on Sept. 14, followed by their GLVC opener a week later against Quincy at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.

The Miners will also host Southwest Baptist on Oct. 5, Lincoln (Mo.) for Homecoming on Oct. 26 and McKendree on Nov. 2.

2024 GLVC Football Pre-Season Poll
1. Indianapolis, 64 points (8 first place votes)
2. Truman State, 55 points (1 first place vote)
3. McKendree, 51 points
4. Missouri S&T, 40 points
5. Southwest Baptist, 33 points
6. Quincy, 29 points
7. Upper Iowa, 25 points
8. William Jewell, 14 points
9. Lincoln, 13 points