NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — The Bethel College football team finished first place in the conference in both the coaches' and media preseason polls at the 2021 KCAC Football Media Day, the conference office announced Thursday. This year's Football Media Day was conducted virtually and was broadcast on the KCAC's Facebook page.
The Bethel football team also received national recognition this week after being ranked the 12th best team in the country in the preseason 2021 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on August 2nd.
Reigning KCAC Coach of the Year Terry Harrison returns eighteen starters and his entire staff from last season, who helped lead them to a 9-2 record in 2020.
The Threshers were last season's conference co-champion alongside Avila and earned the KCAC's postseason playoff bid. Bethel earned seven out of a possible eleven first-place votes from the coaches, receiving a total of 95 points. The order remained the same from top to bottom in the media poll, with Bethel earning 177 total points in the media poll, including nine first-place votes.
"Our big theme for this year is going to be moving on past a successful last year and trying to build on that," said Coach Harrison.
"That's new territory for Bethel. It's one thing to climb to the top and try to get competitive; it's another to stay there. That's the big challenge."
The Threshers will open their season on Thursday, September 2nd against McPherson College at 7:00 p.m. at McPherson Stadium.
2021 KCAC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
| Ranking |
Institution |
Points (First Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Bethel College |
95 (7) |
| 2 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
87 (2) |
| 3 |
Avila University |
86 (1) |
| 4 |
Southwestern College |
73 (1) |
| 5 |
Ottawa University |
63 |
| 6 |
Tabor College |
44 |
| 7 |
McPherson College |
43 |
| 8 |
Friends University |
38 |
| 9 |
Sterling College |
37 |
| 10 |
Bethany College |
20 |
| 11 |
University of Saint Mary |
19 |
2021 KCAC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
| Ranking |
Institution |
Points (First Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Bethel College |
177 (9) |
| 2 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
168 (6) |
| 3 |
Avila University |
155 (1) |
| 4 |
Southwestern College |
139 (1) |
| 5 |
Ottawa University |
117 |
| 6 |
Tabor College |
84 |
| 7 |
McPherson College |
83 |
| 8 |
Friends University |
78 |
| 9 |
Sterling College |
63 |
| 10 |
Bethany College |
35 |
| 11 |
University of Saint Mary |
23 |
