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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football coaches picked Lewis College to finish eighth in the 10-team league in 2011, RMAC Assistant Commissioner Eric Danner announced this morning.
 
Additionally, FLC senior linebacker Phil Odell, a 6-foot, 200-lb. senior from Show Low, Ariz., was named to the Preseason All-RMAC team. Odell is a two-time RMAC All-Academic selection, having earned the honors each of the past two years. He carries a 3.47 grade point average in Business Administration-Management.
 
“We're excited that Phil could get the individual honor even though he'd prefer team accomplishments over individual accolades,” said third-year FLC head coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval. “He understands that it's all about where you finish, not where you begin. He's been a very productive football player the past three years in the conference and opposing coaches have noticed.”
 
Odell was also a National Football Foundation All-Colorado second team pick in 2011 — a season that saw him rank among RMAC leaders in fumble recoveries (second, 3, 0.27 per game), forced fumbles (fourth, 3, 0.27 per game), and tackles (sixth, 101, 9.2 per game) as a junior in 2011.
 
Colorado State-Pueblo, last year's undefeated RMAC regular season champions (11-1 overall, 9-0 in league games) was the near-unanimous choice to repeat as league champions. The ThunderWolves received nine first-place votes and 9 total points in the poll.
 
Colorado Mines (8-3 overall, 6-3 RMAC) was picked second with 20 points. Both the Orediggers and ThunderWolves made the NCAA Division II playoffs a year ago, losing second-round home games.
 
Trailing the top three teams were Chadron State (6-5, 6-3, one first place vote, 30 points), Adams State (6-5, 4-5, 31), Colorado Mesa 4-7, 3-6, 43), New Mexico Highlands (4-7, 2-7, 51), Western New Mexico (5-6, 4-5, 51), Fort Lewis (3-8, 2-7, 68), Western State (1-10, 1-8, 69), and Black Hills State (3-7, no RMAC record, 78). The Yellow Jackets are in their first season as RMAC members in 2012.
 
Ross Dausin, a 6-foot-5, 230-lb. senior quarterback from Colorado State-Pueblo, was chosen as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Jordan Campbell, a 6-foot, 230-lb. senior linebacker from New Mexico Highlands, was picked as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Taylor Accardi, a 6-foot-2, 200-lb. senior punter from Colorado Mines, was tabbed the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year for the second season in a row.
 
Rivas-Sandoval, Odell, and senior quarterback Tim Jenkins represented the Skyhawks at today's RMAC Media Day in Colorado Springs. Interviews from players and coaches from all 10 RMAC football-playing colleges and universities are posted at http://www.youtube.com/user/RMACSPORTS.
 
Fort Lewis opens its 2012 season with an exhibition game against Denver's Zoubida Cole College at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1 at Boulder High School's Recht Field. The Jaguars are a second-year program that went 1-7 in 2011 and has aspirations of joining the NAIA.
 
The Skyhawks open their regular season, RMAC schedule, and home slate at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, against New Mexico Highlands at Ray Dennison Memorial Field. That game is the first of five home contests for FLC.