NEW ULM — The Martin Luther College football team was voted first in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll released by the conference on Tuesday.

MLC finished the poll with six of eight possible first-place votes and 61 total points. Northwestern-St. Paul finished second with 54 total points and two first-place votes, while MacMurray finished third with 49 total points.

The Knights won the conference with a perfect 8-0 UMAC record in 2018, and finished the season 9-2 overall following its first ever trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship Playoff.

MLC returns 15 starters from that team in 2019, including eight players who were voted All-UMAC in 2018.

Junior running back Austin DeNoyer returns after a record-breaking 2018 season, for which he was named UMAC Most Valuable Offensive Player and First Team All-UMAC. DeNoyer set new MLC single-season records for rushing yards (1,086), all-purpose yards (1,442) and rushing attempts (213). He also led the UMAC with 16 total touchdowns.

Joining him on offense are returning All-UMAC performers Carrington Cunningham (OL), Mike Radue (TE) and Derek Gulrud (OL), as well as starters Joshuah Kren and Harrison Hochmuth.

On defense, the Knights return First Team All-UMAC performers Keith Brassow (DL), Dan Gensmer (DL), Tristan Pankow (LB) and Ben Arndt (DB), as well as senior starters Jacob Schmidt (DL), CJ Fury (LB), Ian Paulsen (S) and Joe Herrewig (DB).

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