VERMILLION, S.D. -- The South Dakota Football Team (9-4), which earned a berth and won a national playoff game for the first time in 20 years, was ranked 13th in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II coaches poll, released earlier today.

Grand Valley State (15-0) was the top-ranked team after finishing the season 15-0 and winning the Division II football title for the second straight season. Grand Valley State received all 28 first place votes and 700 points. National runner-up Northwest Missouri State, which lost 17-14 to GVSU in the finals, was second with 672 points. The AFCA Coaches Poll was released every Tuesday during the regular season and consists of a board of 28 AFCA member head coaches from Division II schools around the country.

In the national playoffs, The Coyotes defeated 18th-ranked Northwood (Mich.), 31-28 in overtime, at Northwood, Mich. Then, USD dropped a 35-17 decision to Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich., in the second round. USD has been ranked in the AFCA poll for 27 straight weeks, dating back to the first week of the 2005 season.

Under the direction of head coach Ed Meierkort, South Dakota has a 27-8 record, including a national playoff berth in 2006 and a league title in 2005, in the past three years. During that period, USD has had two finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Wesley Beschorner, 2005; Stefan Logan, 2006); and three finalists for the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award (Brian Alderson, 2004, 2005; Christian Morton, 2006). In its proud 111-year history, USD now has had 42 different players named to All-American teams. In the past three seasons, seven different Coyotes (Alderson, 2004, 2005; Tim Schellhammer, 2004; Wesley Beschorner, 2005; A.J. Schable, 2005; Logan, 2005, 2006; and Christian Morton and Jordan Davis, 2006) have received 28 All-American honors from various organizations and media outlets.

In 2006, USD had two ESPN The Magazine Academic All American selections with Frank Leibfarth (first team) and Matt Murphy (second team) earning honors. In addition, the Coyotes Football Program has had 22 All-NCC selections and four MVPs (Alderson, Beschorner, Logan, and Jordan Davis) in the past three years. USD has also had 12 Academic All-NCC selections during that time.

Final AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll (Team, record, coaches poll point total) 1. Grand Valley State (Mich.), 15-0, 700 2. Northwest Missouri State, 14-1, 672 3 Delta State (Miss.), 12-3, 627 4. Bloomsburg (Pa.), 12-2, 591 5. Chadron State (Neb.), 12-1, 569 6. North Alabama, 11-1, 547 7. North Dakota, 11-2, 544 8. Shepherd (W. Va.), 11-1, 504 9. North Carolina Central, 11-1, 452 10. West Texas A&M, 11-2, 413 11. Nebraska-Omaha, 8-3, 397 12. Newberry (S.C.), 11-2, 385 13. South Dakota, 9-4, 351 14. Valdosta State (Ga.), 8-2, 338 15. Pittsburg State (Kan.), 10-2, 299 16. Missouri Western State, 9-3, 274 17. Midwestern State (Texas), 10-3, 269 18. Northwood (Mich.), 8-3, 216 19. Winona State (Minn.), 9-3, 159 20. Abilene Christian (Texas), 8-3, 149 21. Elizabeth City State (N.C.), 9-3 22. Tiffin (Ohio), 10-1, 144 23. Bemidji State (Minn.), 9-3, 92 24. West Chester (Pa.), 9-4 25. Indiana (Pa.), 8-2, 58