GLIAC releases preseason poll - WNEM TV 5

The 2012 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) football season will be highlightedby the additions of three new Ohio-based institutions in Malone University, Notre Dame College and Walsh University.

The GLIAC's three newest members join one of the top NCAA Division II football conferences in the nation. Malone, Notre Dame and Walsh will be among the teams looking to knock off the defending champion of the conference, Hillsdale College. The Chargers wonthe title in a competitive race last fall with a league record of 8-2 – just ahead of 7-3 competitors Grand Valley State University, Saginaw Valley State University and Wayne State University.

While the Chargers emerged as regular-season champions of the GLIAC, Hillsdale was excluded from the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Qualifying for the national tournament from the conference were Saginaw Valley and Wayne State. The Cardinals were eliminated inthe first round of the tournament after a 30-27 overtime loss to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Warriors, however, went on a run that landed Coach Paul Winters' team in the NCAA Division II Championship game. In that contest, Wayne State came up onthe short end of a 35-21 loss to national champion Pittsburg State (Kan.) University in Florence, Ala. on Dec. 17.