CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, June 30, 2005
The Hudson Valley Community College football team is ranked 19th in the NJCAA preseason poll that was released earlier today.
Hudson Valley, which closed out the 2004 season with a five game winning streak, has won or shared three of the last four Northeast Football Conference championships and four of the last five Region III titles.
The Vikings expect to return 11 starters from last year's team that finished 8-3 and was ranked 20th in the final NJCAA poll.
Leading the returnees are All-Conference performers Dane Samuels (Clarkstown/Clarkstown South High School), Ricky Johnson (Newport News, VA/Heritage High School) and Bobby Collett (Middletown/Goshen High School).
Samuels led the conference with 1,125 rushing yards as a freshman, and is only the second freshman at Hudson Valley to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Johnson, a 6-5 wide receiver, caught 27 passes for 372 yards and five touchdowns. Collett was the leading kicker in the conference. He connected on seven-of-12 field goal attempts, including a school-record 47-yard field goal.
Hudson Valley will open camp on Saturday, August 13. The Vikings season opener is set for Sunday, September 4 at Hartwick JV.
2005 NJCAA Preseason Poll
Rank |
Team |
2004 Record |
1. |
Pearl River (MS) |
12-0 |
2. |
Dixie State (UT) |
10-2 |
3. |
Butler County (KS) |
11-1 |
4. |
Tyler (TX) |
8-4 |
5. |
Grand Rapids (MI) |
9-2 |
6. |
Nassau |
8-3 |
7. |
Hinds (MS) |
9-2 |
8. |
Snow (UT) |
7-4 |
9. |
Coffeyville (KS) |
10-2 |
10. |
Glendale (AZ) |
6-4 |
11. |
William Rainey Harper (IL) |
9-2 |
12. |
Rochester (MN) |
9-3 |
13. |
Kilgore (TX) |
10-2 |
14. |
Northwest Mississippi |
7-2 |
15. |
Trinity Valley (TX) |
3-7 |
16. |
Hutchinson (KS) |
7-4 |
17. |
Scottsdale (AZ) |
9-2 |
18. |
Iowa Central |
7-4 |
19. |
Hudson Valley |
8-3 |
20. |
Georgia Military |
5-5 |
21. |
Erie |
7-4 |
22. |
Mesabi Range (MN) |
9-1 |
23. |
Jones County (MS) |
7-3 |
24. |
Garden City (KS) |
6-4 |
25. |
Mesa (AZ) |
6-4 |