(Portions of this story courtesy of Trinity University)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Trinity University football team has been ranked 16th in the 2012 D3football.com preseason poll. Earlier this month, Trinity was ranked 24th in Lindy's Division III preseason poll.
The Tigers were the only Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference team to be featured in the rankings.
Trinity returns 18 starters from last year's team that finished 10-1 overall, won the SCAC championship, and earned a spot in the NCAA Playoffs. The team was undefeated through the regular season, but lost to McMurry in the opening round of the postseason.
The 2012 season will mark a new era in Trinity football, as the Tigers will compete as an independent school for the first time since 1988. Only two football-playing schools remain in the SCAC this season (Trinity and Austin College), which necessitates the move to independent status.
Trinity will still face its former SCAC opponents during the 2012 season, as those games were already set prior to the conference realignment. In fact, the 2012 SCAC champion will be decided based on the best record in games against all former SCAC opponents - as well as against Austin College - not just the winner of the regular season finale between Trinity and Austin.
Head Coach Steve Mohr will embark on his 23rd season with the Tiger football team. Over the past 18 years, Trinity holds the third-best winning percentage among Division III schools - trailing only Mount Union College and St. John's University.
To view the entire 2012 D3football.com Preseason Poll, click here.
