Bearcats Advance to #19 in AFCA Coaches Poll

By Timothy Walsh, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team has advanced to #19 in the NCAA Division III Coaches Poll released by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Monday, Oct. 21. Willamette, 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Northwest Conference, is one of 17 undefeated teams in this week's poll.

After defeating NWC rival Lewis & Clark College 56-30 in the annual Wagon Wheel game on Saturday, Oct. 19, the Bearcats are averaging 49.6 points per game, good for sixth in the nation, while gaining 518.2 total yards per contest, which ranks ninth nationally.

Senior quarterback Josh Dean (Jr., Dana Point, CA/Dana Hills HS) has completed 107 of 159 passes (67.3%) for 1,475 yards and 19 touchdowns this season.

Derek Traeger (Jr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) leads Willamette with 40 catches for 563 yards and eight touchdowns. De'Zhon Grace (Fr., WR, Castro Valley, CA/Bishop O'Dowd HS) has caught 27 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns.

The #1 team in this week's coaches poll was the University of Mount Union (Ohio), 6-0, with 40 of 42 first place votes and 1,048 points. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 6-0, followed at #2 and received the final two first place votes. UMHB attained 1,001 points in the poll.

Willamette archrival Linfield College, 5-0, was listed at #3. The Wildcats received 969 points. North Central College (Ill.), 6-0, was ranked #4 with 902 points, while the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 6-0, moved past idle Hobart College (N.Y.) and into the #5 spot in the poll with 822 points.

The Northwest Conference was represented by three teams in the poll, with #3 Linfield, #16 Pacific Lutheran University (5-1) and #19 Willamette receiving the honors. Pacific University, 5-1, who lost 17-16 on the road at PLU last week, received votes but was not listed in the Top 25.