MCKINNEY, Texas – The Central Washington University Football Team has been selected to finish second in the Lone Star Conference for the 2025 season in the LSC Preseason Football poll, the conference announced Thursday during the LSC Football Media Day at the McKinney ISD Stadium's Event Center. Senior offensive lineman
Slade Edwards and senior defensive back
Chase Coalson were named to the LSC Preseason Players to Watch.
"It's an honor that the schools in the LSC think that highly of us," CWU Head Football Coach
Chris Fisk said. "We've been consistently in the top three of the LSC every year, and in the end it doesn't mean anything. We're just excited to start getting ready for fall camp and facing Colorado Mesa. We're excited to get at it and chase a Lone Star Conference championship."
The Wildcats were picked where they've finished each of their first three seasons as a member of the LSC, second. The Wildcats earned 257 total points that included four first-place votes in the preseason poll. Angelo State was picked to win the LSC after earning the conference crown a season ago. ASU accumulated 292 points and 23 first-place votes. Following the Wildcats is UT Permian Basin with 229 points and two first-place votes followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville with 211 points and one first-place vote. Western Oregon followed with 173 points with West Texas A&M (157 points), Midwestern State (139 points), Eastern New Mexico (88 points), Western New Mexico (53 points), and Sul Ross State (51 points) rounding out the poll.
The preseason poll is voted on by the LSC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors, and one media member to represent each school.
LSC football began in 1931 with Texas A&M-Kingsville posting a conference-best 27 championships with its first coming in 1959 and its last coming in 2009. West Texas A&M (1986, 2005-2007, and 2012) and Angelo State (1978, 1984, 1987, 2022, and 2024) each have five LSC crowns. Midwestern State (2011-12, 2017, and 2021) has four titles, Eastern New Mexico (191 and 2013) and Sul Ross State (1950 and 1965) both have two titles while UT Permian Basin (2023) owns one championship.
Edwards, who was a CSC Academic All-American as well as a member of the D2Football.com Elite 100, named a Don Hansen All-American, was named a member of the Super Region 4 team, and was named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year. He's served as a staple of the offensive line the past few seasons helping the 'Cats have one of the top rushing attacks in NCAA Division II as the crimson and black finished with 3,090 total yards on the ground in 2024. Coalson was tabbed Honorable Mention All-LSC after a breakthrough season last season accumulating 49 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one deflected pass.
The Wildcats will begin the 2025 season with the return of the Rodeo Bowl on Thursday, August 28 at 1:00 p.m., welcoming the Colorado Mesa Mavericks who makes their first appearance back in Ellensburg since 2008.
You can purchase your season tickets for all five home games during the 2025 football season, click
HERE
View the full LSC Football Preseason Poll
HERE
2025 LSC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rank Team 1st Total
1 Angelo State 23 292
2 Central Washington 4 257
3 UT Permian Basin 2 229
4 Texas A&M-Kingsville 1 211
5 Western Oregon 173
6 West Texas A&M 157
7 Midwestern State 139
8 Eastern New Mexico 88
9 Western New Mexico 53
10 Sul Ross State 51
2025 LSC FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Braeden Fuller, QB, Jr., Angelo State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Tristan Exline, LB, Jr., UT Permian Basin
Preseason Offensive Players to Watch
Name School Yr. Pos.
Braeden Fuller Angelo State Jr. QB
Slade Edwards Central Washington Sr. OL
Jarius Stewart Eastern New Mexico Jr. SB
Demonte Green Midwestern State So. WR
Trayvon Young Sul Ross State Jr. OL
Jack Turner Texas A&M-Kingsville Sr. QB
Kory Harris UT Permian Basin Sr. RB
Kanyon Ives West Texas A&M Jr. OL
Deuce Zimmerman Western New Mexico Jr. WR
Kainoa Jones Western Oregon Sr. QB
Preseason Defensive Players to Watch
Name School Yr. Pos.
Owen Seaver Angelo State Sr. DE
Chase Coalson Central Washington Sr. DB
Matthew Quartieri Eastern New Mexico Jr. LB
Kam'rin Devault Midwestern State Sr. DE
Brendon Martin Sul Ross State Sr. DB
D'Cambren Verrett Texas A&M-Kingsville Jr. DB
Tristan Exline UT Permian Basin Jr. LB
Cam Manahan West Texas A&MT Jr. CB
Cole Lalama Western New Mexico Jr. LB
Malcolm Liufau Western Oregon Sr. LB
