WACO, Texas – Augustana University football is ranked No. 25 in the 2016 American Football Coaches' Association Preseason Top 25 poll the national organization announced Monday.
 
Last year's national champion, Northwest Missouri State University, opens the season ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Top 25 poll.
 
Augustana is one of four NSIC teams ranked in the AFCA Top 25 to start the season. Minnesota State is ranked seventh, Minnesota Duluth 19th and Sioux Falls 23rd.
 
The Vikings closed-out the season ranked 24th in the final release of the AFCA Top 25 poll. Augustana is coming off one of its most successful seasons in program history in 2015. The Vikings finished 9-3 and made the program's fourth NCAA Playoff appearance. Augustana finished 6-1 in the NSIC South Division last season, earning a share of the division title.
 
Augustana was also ranked 20th in the final D2football.com Top 25 poll last season.
 
The Vikings were picked to finish second overall and in the South Division in the 2016 NSIC Preseason poll. Senior quarterback Trey Heid was named the South Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches.
 
Augustana is currently in its fourth day of fall camp. The Vikings are set to open the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, hosting Northern State at 1:05 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.