FERRIS STATE WINS SECOND STRAIGHT NATIONAL TITLE
December 19, 2022
For the second straight season, Ferris State (Mich.) takes home the NCAA Division II National Championship and with it, the No. 1 ranking in the final AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for 2022. The Bulldogs rolled through the playoffs, avenging their only loss this season by beating conference rival No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.) in the quarterfinals. Ferris State handed No. 4 West Florida a 38-17 loss in the semifinals, then dominated No. 2 Colorado School of Mines in the championship game, 41-14. The Orediggers rose eight places in the final poll thanks to their championship game appearance.
Shepherd (W.Va.) rose five places to end the season at No. 6 thanks to their run to the semifinals while Wingate (N.C.) jumped seven spots to No. 15 because of their appearance in the quarterfinals. Bemidji State (Minn.) reenters the poll at No. 24 after being ranked in the preseason poll, then falling out the rest of the regular season. The Beavers made an appearance in the second round and ended the season at 10-3.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (28) 14-1 725 5 D. No. 10 Colorado Mines, 41-14, in championship Tony Annese
2 Colorado School of Mines 13-3 690 10 Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-14, in championship Brandon Moore
3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 12-1 649 1 Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 24-21, in quarterfinals Matt Mitchell
4 West Florida 12-2 622 6 Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 38-17, in semifinals Pete Shinnick
5 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 12-1 581 4 Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 17-14, in second round Brian Wright
6 Shepherd (W.Va.) 13-2 538 11 Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 44-13, in semifinals Ernie McCook
7 Angelo St. (Tex.) 12-1 533 2 Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 42-24, in quarterfinals Jeff Girsch
8 Northwest Missouri St. 10-3 495 8 Lost to No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 13-8, in second round Rich Wright
9 Delta St. (Miss.) 11-2 458 9 Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 38-27, in second round Todd Cooley
10 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 11-1 408 3 Lost to No. 8 Northwest Missouri St., 47-17, in first round Todd Knight
11 Indiana (Pa.) 10-2 394 15 Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 48-13, in quarterfinals Paul Tortorella
12 Benedict (S.C.) 11-1 388 7 Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 23-6, in second round Chennis Berry
13 Ashland (Ohio) 10-2 372 12 Lost to No. 15 Indiana (Pa.), 19-13, in second round Lee Owens
14 Minnesota St. 10-3 341 19 Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 48-45, in second round Todd Hoffner
15 Wingate (N.C.) 11-3 331 22 Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 45-14, in quarterfinals Joe Reich
16 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 10-3 296 20 Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 37-27, in second round Shawn Lutz
17 Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-2 241 13 Lost to No. 4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-0, in first round Chris Keevers
18 Virginia Union 9-2 197 14 Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 32-7, in first round Alvin Parker
19 West Georgia 8-2 171 16 DNQ Playoffs David Dean
20 Davenport (Mich.) 8-3 166 21 Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-7, in first round Sparky McEwen
21 Newberry (S.C.) 9-2 109 18 DNQ Playoffs Todd Knight
22 Harding (Ark.) 9-2 103 17 DNQ Playoffs Paul Simmons
23 Notre Dame (Ohio) 9-3 94 24t Lost to No. 12 Ashland (Ohio), 20-13, in first round Garrett Mack
24 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 10-3 90 NR Lost to No. 2 Angelo St. (Tex.), 33-7, in second round Brent Bolte
25 Truman St. (Mo.) 9-2 72 23 D. Tiffin (Ohio), 28-27, in America’s Crossroads Bowl Gregg Nesbitt
Dropped Out: Emporia St. (Kan.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Emporia St. (Kan.), 70; Wayne St. (Neb.), 68; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 57; Assumption (Mass.), 39; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 24; New Haven (Conn.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 15; Nebraska-Kearney, 15; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 14; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 12; Henderson St. (Ark.), 11; Concord (W.Va.), 5; Washburn (Kan.), 5; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
« « Previous PostNext Post » »
For the second straight season, Ferris State (Mich.) takes home the NCAA Division II National Championship and with it, the No. 1 ranking in the final AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for 2022. The Bulldogs rolled through the playoffs, avenging their only loss this season by beating conference rival No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.) in the quarterfinals. Ferris State handed No. 4 West Florida a 38-17 loss in the semifinals, then dominated No. 2 Colorado School of Mines in the championship game, 41-14. The Orediggers rose eight places in the final poll thanks to their championship game appearance.
Shepherd (W.Va.) rose five places to end the season at No. 6 thanks to their run to the semifinals while Wingate (N.C.) jumped seven spots to No. 15 because of their appearance in the quarterfinals. Bemidji State (Minn.) reenters the poll at No. 24 after being ranked in the preseason poll, then falling out the rest of the regular season. The Beavers made an appearance in the second round and ended the season at 10-3.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (28) | 14-1 | 725 | 5 | D. No. 10 Colorado Mines, 41-14, in championship | Tony Annese |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines | 13-3 | 690 | 10 | Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-14, in championship | Brandon Moore |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 12-1 | 649 | 1 | Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 24-21, in quarterfinals | Matt Mitchell |
| 4 | West Florida | 12-2 | 622 | 6 | Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 38-17, in semifinals | Pete Shinnick |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 12-1 | 581 | 4 | Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 17-14, in second round | Brian Wright |
| 6 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 13-2 | 538 | 11 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 44-13, in semifinals | Ernie McCook |
| 7 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 12-1 | 533 | 2 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 42-24, in quarterfinals | Jeff Girsch |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 10-3 | 495 | 8 | Lost to No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 13-8, in second round | Rich Wright |
| 9 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 11-2 | 458 | 9 | Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 38-27, in second round | Todd Cooley |
| 10 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 11-1 | 408 | 3 | Lost to No. 8 Northwest Missouri St., 47-17, in first round | Todd Knight |
| 11 | Indiana (Pa.) | 10-2 | 394 | 15 | Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 48-13, in quarterfinals | Paul Tortorella |
| 12 | Benedict (S.C.) | 11-1 | 388 | 7 | Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 23-6, in second round | Chennis Berry |
| 13 | Ashland (Ohio) | 10-2 | 372 | 12 | Lost to No. 15 Indiana (Pa.), 19-13, in second round | Lee Owens |
| 14 | Minnesota St. | 10-3 | 341 | 19 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 48-45, in second round | Todd Hoffner |
| 15 | Wingate (N.C.) | 11-3 | 331 | 22 | Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 45-14, in quarterfinals | Joe Reich |
| 16 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 10-3 | 296 | 20 | Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 37-27, in second round | Shawn Lutz |
| 17 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-2 | 241 | 13 | Lost to No. 4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-0, in first round | Chris Keevers |
| 18 | Virginia Union | 9-2 | 197 | 14 | Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 32-7, in first round | Alvin Parker |
| 19 | West Georgia | 8-2 | 171 | 16 | DNQ Playoffs | David Dean |
| 20 | Davenport (Mich.) | 8-3 | 166 | 21 | Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-7, in first round | Sparky McEwen |
| 21 | Newberry (S.C.) | 9-2 | 109 | 18 | DNQ Playoffs | Todd Knight |
| 22 | Harding (Ark.) | 9-2 | 103 | 17 | DNQ Playoffs | Paul Simmons |
| 23 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 9-3 | 94 | 24t | Lost to No. 12 Ashland (Ohio), 20-13, in first round | Garrett Mack |
| 24 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 10-3 | 90 | NR | Lost to No. 2 Angelo St. (Tex.), 33-7, in second round | Brent Bolte |
| 25 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 9-2 | 72 | 23 | D. Tiffin (Ohio), 28-27, in America’s Crossroads Bowl | Gregg Nesbitt |
Dropped Out: Emporia St. (Kan.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Emporia St. (Kan.), 70; Wayne St. (Neb.), 68; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 57; Assumption (Mass.), 39; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 24; New Haven (Conn.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 15; Nebraska-Kearney, 15; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 14; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 12; Henderson St. (Ark.), 11; Concord (W.Va.), 5; Washburn (Kan.), 5; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
