RICHARDSON, Texas –– The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has been predicted to win its fifth straight American Southwest Conference football title in 2010 after a vote by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and selected media members, the ASC office announced on Tuesday (August 3). Earning preseason player of the year honors were Hardin-Simmons University's Justin Feaster and Hank Hornsby, and Louisiana College's Jordan Rideaux.

The Wildcats, 7-3 the last two seasons, received twofirst place votes, but were picked to finish fourth, one slot lower than they placed in 2009 ASC action.

Mary Hardin-Baylor, which went 10-2 overall (7-1 in ASC) and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs last season, totaled 237 points and collected 21 of the possible 27 first-place votes in the annual preseason poll to be the tabbed the favorites. Head coach Pete Fredenburg's Cru has won at least a share of the ASC title in seven of the last eight seasons, going 63-4 over that time frame in conference games.

Hardin-Simmons, which went 6-4 (5-3 in ASC) during an injury-plagued season last year, was picked as the conference runner-up. The seven-time ASC champion Cowboys totaled 206 points and three top-spot votes.

Defending ASC co-champion Mississippi College (9-3, 7-1 ASC), which also reached the second round of the playoffs in 2009, was predicted to finish third with 182 points and garnered one first-place vote. Louisiana College (168 pts.) was picked to finish fourth and landed the final two top-spot votes, followed by McMurry University (135 pts.), East Texas Baptist University (110 pts.), Howard Payne University (81 pts.), Sul Ross State University (53 pts.) and Texas Lutheran University (43 pts.).

Rideaux (Carencro, LA / CHS), a senior return man, was selected as ASC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year. The 5-8, 170-pound Rideaux has claimed the final award two consecutive years. He led the league last season with a 9.8-yard average on punt returns and also returned kicks at 23.5 yards per clip, finding the end zone once each way. Rideaux also led the ASC in receiving yards (1,157), receptions per game (7.8) and all-purpose yards (1,501).

Feaster (Glen Rose, TX / GRHS), a senior quarterback, was named ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, the 6-1, 205-pound Feaster tossed five touchdowns in three games before suffering a season-ending injury. In 2008, he threw for a league-high 3,023 yards and 31 TDs against just eight interceptions and was named a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, an award given to honor the most outstanding NCAA Division III football player.

Hornsby (San Antonio, TX / Reagan HS), a senior end, was named ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-3, 238-pound Hornsby posted 44 tackles in 2010 and ranked in the league's top 10 in the categories of sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (10.5 for 48 yards). Hornsby spearheaded a unit that ranked second in the ASC in total defense, yielding only 3,366 yards over 10 games.

Hornsby and Rideaux were first team all-ASC selections last year, with Rideaux earning the honor at both the slot and return positions. Feaster was the conference's offensive player of the year in 2008.

The 2010 ASC season – the 15th in league history – opens September 4, with seven league members in action (East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, Louisiana College, McMurry, Mississippi College and Sul Ross State). Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Lutheran begin their slates on September 11. The NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs are scheduled for a November 20 start, with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl national championship game on tap for December 18 in Salem, Va.




2010 ASC PRESEASON FOOTBALL POLL

[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors, Media Members]




Team (first place votes)
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (21)
2. Hardin-Simmons (3)
3. Mississippi College (1)
4. Louisiana College (2)
5. McMurry
6. East Texas Baptist
7. Howard Payne
8. Sul Ross State
9. Texas Lutheran

ALL-TIME ASC PRESEASON FOOTBALL TOP PICKS

2010 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2009 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2008 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2007 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2006 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2005 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2004 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2003 Mary Hardin-Baylor
2002 Hardin-Simmons
2001 Hardin-Simmons
2000 Hardin-Simmons
1999 Hardin-Simmons
1998 Mississippi College
1997 no poll
1996 no poll

2010 ASC PRESEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors, Media Members]

Offensive
Justin Feaster, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons

Defensive
Hank Hornsby, DE, Sr., Hardin-Simmons

Special Teams
Jordan Rideaux, RET, Sr., Louisiana College


ALL-TIME ASC FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARD RECIPIENTS
ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
2010
Justin Feaster, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2009
Justin Feaster, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2008
Adam Shaffer, QB, Jr., Mississippi College
2007
T.J. Barber, RB, Sr., Sul Ross State
2006
Jordan Neal, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2005
Justin Bryson, RB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2004
RoShawn Johnson, RB, Jr., East Texas Baptist
2003
Adam King, QB, Jr., Howard Payne
2002
Dustin Proctor, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2001
Kirk Rogers, WR, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2000
Richard Green, RB, Sr., Howard Payne
1999
Braxton Shaver, QB, Sr., McMurry
1998
Braxton Shaver, QB, Sr., McMurry

ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
2010
Hank Hornsby, DE, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
2009
Austin Sturrock, DE, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2008
Eric Henri, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2007
Jerrell Freeman, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2006
Chad Glover, DE, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2005
Will Galusha, DB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
2004
Littleton Dean, DT, Sr., East Texas Baptist
2003
Alex Hansen, CB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
2002
Preston Meyer, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2001
Preston Meyer, LB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2000
(co) Jared Sanderson, LB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons,
(co) Mike Tates, LB, Sr., Howard Payne
1999
David Rausch, DB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
1998
Bryant Shaw, DE, Jr., Mississippi College

ASC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
2010
Jordan Rideaux, RET, Sr., Louisiana College
2009
Jordan Rideaux, RET, Jr., Louisiana College
2008
Kyle Pope, PK, Jr., East Texas Baptist
2007
Holt Storrie, PK, Sr., Texas Lutheran
2006
Will Galusha, Sr., RET, Hardin-Simmons
2005
Holt Storrie, PK, So., Texas Lutheran
2004
(co) Brian Malbrough, RET, Sr., McMurry
(co) P.J. Williams, RET, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
2003
Scott Verhalen, P, Sr., East Texas Baptist