North Central Claims Their Third National Title
January 6, 2025
WACO, TEX.– North Central (Ill.) went wire to wire at No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll way back on August 26, the Cardinals remained undefeated all season and finished with a 15-0 record after a dominating second half in the 51st Stagg Bowl. North Central outscored No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio), 27-15 in the final two quarters to win their third NCAA Division III national championship, 41-25.
Johns Hopkins (Md.) rose 14 spots to finish the season at No. 3 thanks to their semifinal run in the playoffs. The other semifinal participant was Susquehanna (Pa.), who ends the 2024 season at No. 4. Salisbury (Md.) rounds out the top five after going 12-1 and making it to the quarterfinals. Springfield (Mass.) went from No. 20 to No. 6 after recording one of the best seasons in program history. The Pride won 12 games for the first time ever and became just the second team from New England to reach the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. Bethel (Minn.) and Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) also reached the quarterfinals and went from unranked to finishing at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Postseason Head Coach
1 North Central (Ill.) (43) 15-0 1250 1 D. No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 41-25, in Stagg Bowl Brad Spencer
2 Mount Union (Ohio) 14-1 1200 3 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 41-25, in Stagg Bowl Geoff Dartt
3 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 12-2 1120 17 Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 45-37, in semifinals Dan Wodicka
4 Susquehanna (Pa.) 12-2 1054 6 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 66-0, in semifinals Tom Perkovich
5 Salisbury (Md.) 12-1 938 7 Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 38-17, in quarterfinals Sherman Wood
6 Springfield (Mass.) 12-1 925 20 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 27-3, in quarterfinals Mike Cerasuolo
7 St. John’s (Minn.) 11-1 825 4 Lost to No. 6 Susquehanna (Pa.), 41-38, in third round Gary Fasching
8 Cortland (N.Y.) 11-1 773 2 Lost to No. 20 Springfield (Mass.), 40-28, in third round Curt Fitzpatrick
9 DePauw (Ind.) 11-1 766 8 Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 14-9, in third round Brett Dietz
10 Bethel (Minn.) 11-3 764 NR Lost to No. 6 Susquehanna (Pa.), 24-21, in quarterfinals Mike McElroy
11 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) 8-4 731 NR Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 17-10, in quarterfinals Larry Harmon
12 Wartburg (Iowa) 10-2 654 10 Lost to Bethel (Minn.), 24-14, in third round Chris Winter
13 Hope (Mich.) 11-1 634 14 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 41-21, in third round Peter Stuursma
14 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) 10-2 632 15 Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 24-19, in third round Ryan Larsen
15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 10-1 614 5 Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 17-13, in second round Jesse Burleson
16 Linfield (Ore.) 10-2 518 12 Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 28-18, in third round Joseph Smith
17 Wisconsin-Platteville 9-2 447 9 Lost to No. 10 Wartburg (Iowa), 19-14, in second round Ryan Munz
18 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 10-2 433 22 Lost to No. 7 Salisbury (Md.), 35-14, in third round Pedro Arruza
19 Endicott (Mass.) 10-2 402 11 Lost to No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), 17-9, in second round Paul McGonagle
20 Grove City (Pa.) 9-2 364 16 Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 17-14, in second round Andrew DiDonato
21 Wisconsin-La Crosse 8-4 236 19 Lost to No. 4 St. John’s (Minn.), 24-13, in second round Matt Janus
22 Aurora (Ill.) 9-2 235 13 Lost to No. 14 Hope (Mich.), 49-21, in second round Don Beebe
23 Whitworth (Wash.) 10-2 177 21 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 42-17, in second round Rod Sandberg
24 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) 9-2 163 18 Lost to No. 22 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 38-22, in second round Mike Sirianni
25 Coe (Iowa) 9-2 85 24 Lost to Bethel (Minn.), 31-26, in first round Tyler Staker
Dropped Out: Lake Forest (Ill.) (23), Wisconsin-River Falls (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Hobart (N.Y.), 80; Lake Forest (Ill.), 49; John Carroll (Ohio), 42; Trinity (Tex.), 37; Wheaton (Ill.), 26; Wisconsin-River Falls, 24; King’s (Pa.), 15; Centre (Ky.), 11; Maryville (Tenn.), 10; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 5; Texas Lutheran, 5; Ursinus (Pa.), 3; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 2; Alma (Mich.), 1.
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WACO, TEX.– North Central (Ill.) went wire to wire at No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll way back on August 26, the Cardinals remained undefeated all season and finished with a 15-0 record after a dominating second half in the 51st Stagg Bowl. North Central outscored No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio), 27-15 in the final two quarters to win their third NCAA Division III national championship, 41-25.
Johns Hopkins (Md.) rose 14 spots to finish the season at No. 3 thanks to their semifinal run in the playoffs. The other semifinal participant was Susquehanna (Pa.), who ends the 2024 season at No. 4. Salisbury (Md.) rounds out the top five after going 12-1 and making it to the quarterfinals. Springfield (Mass.) went from No. 20 to No. 6 after recording one of the best seasons in program history. The Pride won 12 games for the first time ever and became just the second team from New England to reach the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. Bethel (Minn.) and Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) also reached the quarterfinals and went from unranked to finishing at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Postseason | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (43) | 15-0 | 1250 | 1 | D. No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 41-25, in Stagg Bowl | Brad Spencer | |
| 2 | Mount Union (Ohio) | 14-1 | 1200 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 41-25, in Stagg Bowl | Geoff Dartt | |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 12-2 | 1120 | 17 | Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 45-37, in semifinals | Dan Wodicka | |
| 4 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 12-2 | 1054 | 6 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 66-0, in semifinals | Tom Perkovich | |
| 5 | Salisbury (Md.) | 12-1 | 938 | 7 | Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 38-17, in quarterfinals | Sherman Wood | |
| 6 | Springfield (Mass.) | 12-1 | 925 | 20 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 27-3, in quarterfinals | Mike Cerasuolo | |
| 7 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 11-1 | 825 | 4 | Lost to No. 6 Susquehanna (Pa.), 41-38, in third round | Gary Fasching | |
| 8 | Cortland (N.Y.) | 11-1 | 773 | 2 | Lost to No. 20 Springfield (Mass.), 40-28, in third round | Curt Fitzpatrick | |
| 9 | DePauw (Ind.) | 11-1 | 766 | 8 | Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 14-9, in third round | Brett Dietz | |
| 10 | Bethel (Minn.) | 11-3 | 764 | NR | Lost to No. 6 Susquehanna (Pa.), 24-21, in quarterfinals | Mike McElroy | |
| 11 | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) | 8-4 | 731 | NR | Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 17-10, in quarterfinals | Larry Harmon | |
| 12 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 10-2 | 654 | 10 | Lost to Bethel (Minn.), 24-14, in third round | Chris Winter | |
| 13 | Hope (Mich.) | 11-1 | 634 | 14 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 41-21, in third round | Peter Stuursma | |
| 14 | Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | 10-2 | 632 | 15 | Lost to No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), 24-19, in third round | Ryan Larsen | |
| 15 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 10-1 | 614 | 5 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 17-13, in second round | Jesse Burleson | |
| 16 | Linfield (Ore.) | 10-2 | 518 | 12 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 28-18, in third round | Joseph Smith | |
| 17 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 9-2 | 447 | 9 | Lost to No. 10 Wartburg (Iowa), 19-14, in second round | Ryan Munz | |
| 18 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 10-2 | 433 | 22 | Lost to No. 7 Salisbury (Md.), 35-14, in third round | Pedro Arruza | |
| 19 | Endicott (Mass.) | 10-2 | 402 | 11 | Lost to No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), 17-9, in second round | Paul McGonagle | |
| 20 | Grove City (Pa.) | 9-2 | 364 | 16 | Lost to No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 17-14, in second round | Andrew DiDonato | |
| 21 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 8-4 | 236 | 19 | Lost to No. 4 St. John’s (Minn.), 24-13, in second round | Matt Janus | |
| 22 | Aurora (Ill.) | 9-2 | 235 | 13 | Lost to No. 14 Hope (Mich.), 49-21, in second round | Don Beebe | |
| 23 | Whitworth (Wash.) | 10-2 | 177 | 21 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 42-17, in second round | Rod Sandberg | |
| 24 | Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) | 9-2 | 163 | 18 | Lost to No. 22 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 38-22, in second round | Mike Sirianni | |
| 25 | Coe (Iowa) | 9-2 | 85 | 24 | Lost to Bethel (Minn.), 31-26, in first round | Tyler Staker |
Dropped Out: Lake Forest (Ill.) (23), Wisconsin-River Falls (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Hobart (N.Y.), 80; Lake Forest (Ill.), 49; John Carroll (Ohio), 42; Trinity (Tex.), 37; Wheaton (Ill.), 26; Wisconsin-River Falls, 24; King’s (Pa.), 15; Centre (Ky.), 11; Maryville (Tenn.), 10; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 5; Texas Lutheran, 5; Ursinus (Pa.), 3; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 2; Alma (Mich.), 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.
