SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (9-3), which earned the school's first ever NCAA DII playoff berth in 2015, has been ranked #20 in the 2016 D2Football.com Preseason Poll, which was released today.

The Cougars, directed by seventh-year head coach Jed Stugart (53-16), have been ranked for 23 consecutive weeks in the D2Football.com Poll. USF, which has won 20 of its last 24 games, reached the NCAA DII playoffs for the first time a year ago. Earlier this fall, USF was ranked #23 in the AFCA Coaches DII Preseason Poll which means USF has been ranked by both national polls for 23 straight weeks.

USF, which has won nine or more games in three of its four years at NCAA DII, has been ranked in every D2Football.com poll since September 2014. In 2016, USF returns 16 starters and 50 letter winners to the squad which finished second overall in the NSIC a year ago. The Cougars, which have won 173 games since the turn of the Century (16 years), will open the season with a Thursday, Sept. 1 road game at St. Cloud State University.

Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State (15-0) was #1 and followed by West Georgia. The NSIC had four teams ranked, including defending league champ Minnesota State at #5, Minnesota-Duluth at #13, USF at #20 and Augustana at #22.

DII Football Preseason Poll
1. Northwest Missouri State, 15-0
2. West Georgia, 12-2
3. Grand Valley State (MIch.), 12-3
4. CSU-Pueblo, 12-2
5. Minnesota State, 10-2
6. Shepherd (W. Va.), 13-1
7. Ashland (Ohio), 10-1
8. North Alabama, 9-3
9. Ferris State, 10-1
10. Central Missouri, 8-3
11. Midwestern State (Texas), 10-2
12. Emporia State (Kan.), 11-3
13. Minnesota Duluth, 9-3
14. Humboldt State (Calif.), 10-2
15. IUP, 9-3
16. Henderson State (Ark.), 11-2
17. Slippery Rock (Pa.), 12-2
18. Texas A&M Commerce, 8-4
19. Tuskegee (Ala.) 10-3
20. Sioux Falls, 9-3
21. Colorado Mines, 8-3
22. Augustana, S.D., 9-3
23. Valdosta State (Ga.), 9-3
24. Pittsburg State (Kan.), 6-5
25. Indianapolis, 10-2