YSU picked to finish fifth in 10-team MVFC

Four Youngstown State players were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s preseason all-league team, conference officials announced Tuesday.

Tailback Jody Webb, placekicker Zak Kennedy, defensive end Derek Rivers and free safety LeRoy Alexander all made the preseason squad.

The Penguins were picked to fifth in the 10-team MVFC in a poll of coaches, media and sports information directors.

Five-time defending national champion North Dakota State was picked to win the conference for a sixth consecutive season. The Bison, 71-5 over the last five years, earned 37 of 39 possible first-place votes and 388 points.

Northern Iowa picked up the other two first-place votes and tallied 343 points. South Dakota State was third (284), Illinois State was picked fourth (274) and YSU was fifth (254).

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