ODESSA - The Lone Star Conference released its annual preseason football poll on Thursday afternoon at the MGM Grande Fun Dome, with the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions predicted to finish at the top of the conference in 2016.
The Lions have won the last two Lone Star Conference regular season titles and picked up 19 of 28 available first place votes. The Lions' 269 points in the poll placed them above second-ranked Midwestern State with 254 points and eight first place votes.
The Lions are entering their fourth season under the direction of head coach
Colby Carthel and have won 24 games in Carthel's first three seasons. Texas A&M-Commerce won all six LSC regular season games last season on the way to the Lions' first NCAA berth since 1995. A&M-Commerce has won its last seven regular season LSC games and the last six regular season LSC games played at Memorial Stadium.
Texas A&M-Commerce's LSC title defense begins on Thursday, September 1, with a home contest against the University of Faith (Fla.). Lone Star Conference play begins on September 17 at Eastern New Mexico, with the first conference home game on September 24 against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
2016 Lone Star Conference Preseason Football Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Pts |
1st |
| 1. |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
269 |
19 |
| 2. |
Midwestern State |
254 |
8 |
| 3. |
Angelo State |
211 |
|
| 4. |
West Texas A&M |
182 |
|
| 5. |
Eastern New Mexico |
181 |
|
| 6. |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
141 |
|
| 7. |
Tarleton State |
121 |
|
| 8. |
Western New Mexico |
66 |
|
|
Oklahoma Panhandle State |
66 |
|
| 10. |
UT Permian Basin |
49 |
1 |
