ODESSA, Texas – The West Texas A&M football team was picked seventh in the 2017 Preseason Lone Star Conference Poll, announced Thursday at the annual LSC Media Day at the MCM Elegante Hotel in Odessa, Texas.
Texas A&M-Commerce was picked to repeat as conference champions as the Lions have won three-straight league titles. TAMUC garnered 229 points and 21 of 26 first-place nods. The poll is voted on by the league's nine head football coaches, sports information directors and select media representatives from around the region.
Midwestern State was picked second in the poll with 192 points and two first-place votes, followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville with 177 points and one first-place nod.
Eastern New Mexico was picked fourth with 136 points, followed by Tarleton State with one first-place vote and 135 points. Angelo State was sixth with 114 points, followed by WT with 97 points and a tie for eighth between Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin with 45 points. UTPB tallied the remaining first-place vote.
In addition to the poll being announced, the LSC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year were announced. There was a tie for Offensive Player of the Year between ENMU running back Kamal Cass and TAMUC quarterback Luis Perez. TAMUK defensive lineman Brandon Jones earned top defensive accolades.
The Buffs are under the direction of first year head coach Hunter Hughes who was hired as the 28th head coach in program history in December. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State-Pueblo for the past ten years and was the mastermind behind the ThunderWolves' 13-0 shutout of then-No. 1 Minnesota State in the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship, which handed CSUP its first national title in school history.
Hughes has assembled a strong group of assistant coaches, and has 15 starters from last season returning, along with 34 letterwinners.
"It is exciting to be part of Media Day," Hughes said. "Seeing all of the other coaches and players here is great. You look around the room and all of what the coaches have achieved, I'm honored to be here.
Hughes went on to talk about the poll, "The players can use the poll anyway they want, but were are going to go out and coach the team the same regardless of if we were first, seventh or ninth. It's a way for the fans to start getting the football vibe going."
The Buffs open the 2017 season with three-straight home games beginning with Azusa Pacific at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. WT has seven home games highlighting the 2017 schedule.
