BISMARCK – They’re in the middle of a not-so-big pack.

University of Jamestown Football is third in the North Star Athletic Association preseason poll, as selected by the league’s coaches.  It was released Monday.

The Jimmies, one of the founding members of the NSAA in 2013, return for the conference’s final season after having played in the Great Plains Athletic Conference for the previous six seasons.  Only six schools are in the NSAA this season.  Bellevue does not have a football program, so five schools are in the football league, meaning each school will play the other both on the road and at home.

Jamestown received a total of 15 votes.  Coaches were allowed to vote for their own team.

As expected, nine-time defending conference champion Dickinson State leads the poll and all five coaches picked the Blue Hawks to win the league title.  Dickinson State has won 33 consecutive NSAA games and last lost in league play on October 26, 2019, a 23-22 loss to Valley City State.

UJ will open its season against future NSIC opponent University of Mary in Bismarck on Thursday, August 29, with coverage beginning at 6:30 on The Voice of the Jimmies, Jamestown 107.1.

2024 NSAA Preseason Coaches Poll
First-place votes in parentheses

1 Dickinson State (5) 25
2 Valley City State 19
3 Jamestown 15
4 Mayville State 8
5 Dakota State 7