The Muhlenberg College football team is ranked 19th in the Division III preseason poll published by Street & Smith’s 2005 College Football Yearbook.

This is the third time in the last five years that the Mules have earned a

Street & Smith’s preseason top 20 1. Linfield 2. Mt. Union 3. Rowan 4. St. John’s 5. Mary Hardin-Baylor 6. Washington & Jefferson 7. Delaware Valley 8. Ohio Northern 9. Occidental 10. Hardin-Simmons 11. Wittenberg 12. Trinity (Texas) 13. Bridgewater 14. Salisbury 15. Wis.-La Crosse 16. St. Norbert 17. Wheaton (Ill.) 18. Alma 19. MUHLENBERG 20. Carthage 21. St. John Fisher 22. Olivet 23. Wis.-Eau Claire 24. Capital 25. Whitworth

Leanch’s blocking helped the Mules average an eight-minute advantage in time of possession per game despite using four different starting running backs.

preseason top-20 ranking. They were 16th in the Lindy’s poll in 2001 and were ranked 14th by Football Gazette and 17th by Street & Smith’s in 2003. Last year, they received votes in the D3football.com preseason poll.

Muhlenberg returns 17 starters from a team that went 8-3 and finished in a five-way tie for the Centennial Conference championship, earning the CC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Mules have shared the CC title four years in a row and participated in the NCAAs three straight seasons. With a record of 41-14, the program is one of 21 in Division III to win at least 40 games this decade.

Muhlenberg has seven starters back on a defense that led all of college football by allowing only 195.5 yards per game last year. The Mules also ranked in the top five in Division III in scoring defense (third), rushing defense (third) and pass efficiency defense (fifth).

Ironically, it is a player from Muhlenberg’s offensive unit who has garnered preseason accolades. Senior offensive lineman Michael Leanch, an Emmaus product, was named to the D3football.com preseason All-America second team.

A starter at right guard since midway through his freshman season, Leanch was an All-Centennial Conference first-team selection last year. He was named the team’s offensive MVP by the coaching staff.

Leanch is the seventh Muhlenberg football player to be selected as a preseason All-American. His selection also marks the sixth time in the past eight years that a Mule has been selected for the honor.

Muhlenberg is scheduled to open its 2005 season with a Friday night game at The College of New Jersey on September 2.