INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis was voted the unanimous choice to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) football title in the coaches' preseason poll, the league office announced on Friday. The preseason poll is selected by the league's nine head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own team, per GLVC Bylaws
Upper Iowa football landed seventh in the coaches' poll after accumulating 25 votes. They edged out William Jewell who was voted eighth with 14 votes, and GLVC newcomer, Lincoln, who rounded out the poll in ninth with 13. The Peacocks trailed close behind Quincy in sixth (29 votes) and Southwest Baptist in fifth (33 votes).
Last fall, UIU saw its most wins in a season since 2018 after going 3-8 behind two non-conference wins and one league victory over Southwest Baptist (35-13). The Peacocks boasted ten GLVC All-Conference selections and will return seven of them to continue building their foundation as they anticipate new heights this fall.
The Peacocks kick off their 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 as they vie with Butler in Indianapolis at 12 p.m. CST. They match up with Concordia, St. Paul for their home opener on Sep. 7 at 6 p.m., while igniting conference play on Sep. 2 on the road against Southwest Baptist.
Upper Iowa's returning group is highlighted by tight end
Eddie Burgess who was named GLVC First Team, D2CCA All-Super Region 3 Second Team and Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America Honorable Mention following his sophomore season in 2023. He is joined back in Fayette with GLVC First Team member
Mante Morrow, Second Team honorees
Tyler Nielsen,
Willy Camacho and
Zacarius Murray, as well as Honorable Mention nods
Darryl Overstreet Jr. and
Traegen Kramer.
"We're excited about our second year in the GLVC," said Hoskins. "We know the landscape a little bit better and are preparing to compete in the league."
The 2024 GLVC Champion will be determined by the results of the round-robin league schedule. Co-Champions will be named in the result of a tie, which has happened once since football became a Conference-sponsored sport in 2012 when Southwest Baptist and Truman shared the crown in 2016. The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
2024 GLVC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (first-place votes) |
| 1. |
Indianapolis |
64 (8) |
| 2. |
Truman State |
55 (1) |
| 3. |
McKendree |
51 |
| 4. |
Missouri S&T |
40 |
| 5. |
Southwest Baptist |
33 |
| 6. |
Quincy |
29 |
| 7. |
Upper Iowa |
25 |
| 8. |
William Jewell |
14 |
| 9. |
Lincoln |
13 |
