BRIGHTON, Mich. -- Hope College has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Football Preseason Poll, earning all-possible seven first-place votes and seven points. Alma College follows with 15 points, while Adrian College received 17 points and one first-place vote to round out the top three.
The MIAA announced the preseason poll following a vote of the league’s eight head coaches. The 2026 season features a strong group of All-MIAA selections, All-Region honorees, and All-America performers as the conference prepares for another competitive football season.
1. Hope College – 7 points (7 first-place votes)
Hope finished second in the MIAA standings in 2025 with a 6-1 regular-season record and a 9-2 overall mark. The Flying Dutch bring back a veteran core highlighted by four All-MIAA selections.
Senior tight end/h-back Seth Luhmann enters his final season as a two-time All-MIAA honoree, following a First Team selection in 2025. Luhmann was also recognized as a Second Team All-Region selection by D3football.com. Senior cornerback Austin Harvey is another returning two-time All-MIAA honoree and received First Team recognition last season, along with Second Team All-Region honors from D3football.com. Senior quarterback Alex Thole will lead the offense after earning Second Team All-MIAA honors in 2025, while senior wide receiver Jonny Rohen-Blanton provides another experienced target following his own Second Team selection.
2. Alma College – 15 points
Alma captured the 2025 MIAA regular-season championship with a perfect 7-0 conference record and finished 8-3 overall.
Senior linebacker Jett King anchors the Scots’ returning defense as a two-time All-MIAA honoree and 2025 First Team selection. Junior tight end Miles Haggart is also back following a Second Team All-MIAA campaign. At quarterback, junior Tyler Herzog is Alma’s leading returning passer after completing 10-of-14 attempts for 148 yards and one touchdown across five games last season. Sophomore wide receiver TJ Seiler gives the Scots another offensive option after catching 11 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown in five regular-season contests.
3. Adrian College – 17 points (1 first-place vote)
Adrian placed third in the MIAA last season with a 5-2 conference record and an 8-2 overall mark. The Bulldogs boast one of the conference’s deepest collections of returning All-MIAA and All-America talent.
Junior wide receiver Braiden Whitaker headlines the offensive group following a First Team All-MIAA season. Senior offensive lineman Joe Pruchnic also claimed First Team honors while receiving D3football.com First Team All-Region and Second Team All-America recognition. The defensive unit features senior defensive lineman Andrew VanDyke, who was a First Team All-MIAA and D3football.com Second Team All-Region selection in 2025. Senior defensive back Ethan Burrows brings an extensive list of accolades into his final season, including First Team All-MIAA, D3football.com First Team All-Region, AFCA First Team All-America, Associated Press Division III Second Team All-America, and D3football.com Third Team All-America honors. The Bulldogs' special teams also feature a decorated contributor in sophomore punter Cooper Tracy. Tracy was a First Team All-MIAA selection and added D3football.com First Team All-Region and Second Team All-America honors. Senior defensive lineman Chris Jackson and senior linebacker Maddox Woods round out the group of returning Second Team All-MIAA selections.
4. Calvin University – 28 points
Calvin finished fourth in the MIAA last season with a 4-3 conference record and a 7-3 overall mark.
Junior linebacker Carson Schnurstein anchors the Knights’ defense after a First Team All-MIAA campaign that also resulted in D3football.com Second Team All-Region honors. Schnurstein was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following his performance in Calvin’s victory over Concordia-Wisconsin. Junior running back Hunter Hogan and junior offensive lineman Brayden Steinbacher provide continuity on offense following Second Team All-MIAA seasons. Senior defensive end CJ Sheets also enters the 2026 campaign as a Second Team All-MIAA honoree.
5. Trine University – 29 points
Trine placed fifth in the MIAA in 2025 with a 3-4 conference record and a 5-5 overall mark.
Senior offensive lineman Jaiden Boykin and senior inside linebacker Ridge Howard anchor the returning group after both received Second Team All-MIAA recognition last season. Senior quarterback RJ West II will direct the Thunder offense after completing 144 passes for 1,503 yards and 12 touchdowns across six regular-season contests in 2025. Junior free safety Emil Drake provides another key piece in the secondary, having recorded 33 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups last season.
6. Albion College – 40 points
Albion tied-for-sixth in the MIAA last season with a 1-6 conference record and a 3-7 overall mark. The Britons enter 2026 looking to replace all of their 2025 All-MIAA selections while leaning on several experienced contributors.
Senior wide receiver Braden Fracassi highlights the offensive group following a D3football.com Second Team All-Region season for his performance on special teams. Junior running back Alex Trudell also enters the year with momentum after landing on the D3football.com Team of the Week following Albion’s double-overtime victory over Bluffton. Sophomore outside linebacker Isaac Rehberg recorded 36 tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack during the regular season last year. Sophomore quarterback Davis Crossman also enters his second season after completing 94 passes for 1,103 yards and seven touchdowns across six regular-season games.
7. Kalamazoo College – 42 points
Kalamazoo tied-for-sixth in the MIAA last season with a 1-6 conference record and finished 4-6 overall.
Senior defensive lineman Nolan Jannenga leads the defensive group after a Second Team All-MIAA season in 2025. Sophomore defensive back Aidan Paquin also enters his second season following a D3football.com Team of the Week selection for his performance in the Hornets’ win over Albion. Senior wide receiver Aaron Zekman gives Kalamazoo an experienced offensive target after hauling in 46 passes for 642 yards during the regular season. Senior quarterback Brayden Ledin will also be back under center after throwing a team-best seven touchdowns across four regular-season contests.
John Krajacic begins his first season as head coach after more than two decades with the Kalamazoo football program. Krajacic first joined the program as a student-athlete before moving into multiple coaching roles beginning in 2008. Most recently, he served as associate head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach.
8. The University of Olivet – 46 points
Olivet tied-for-sixth in the MIAA last season with a 1-6 conference record and finished 1-9 overall.
Junior quarterback Danny Avila enters his third season after competing in four regular-season games in 2025, completing 37 passes for 362 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jaylan Johnson also provides a promising option in the backfield after carrying the ball 94 times for 434 yards and four touchdowns, including a long rush of 75 yards. On the defensive side, sophomore linebacker Javon Peterson recorded 75 tackles, including 45 solo stops, and five tackles for loss last season. Junior defensive lineman Dontrell Thomas also provides experience up front after totaling 32 tackles, including 22 solo stops, six tackles for loss, and three sacks for a loss of 15 yards.
Up Ahead
The 2026 MIAA football regular season opens September 26 with Hope hosting Albion, Alma hosting Adrian, Calvin hosting Olivet, and Kalamazoo hosting Trine.