Contact: Harold Jameson

Date: Sept. 2, 2003

SAU Ranked 23rd By Dopke

Magnolia, Ark.-Heading into the 2003 football season’s opener, Southern Arkansas University is ranked 23rd in the Dopke.com Division II Rankings. SAU’s opening opponent Thursday night in Stephenville, Tex., Tarleton State University, is ranked 13th.

Defending national champion, Grand Valley State, is ranked first while national runner-up Valdosta State University of the Gulf South Conference is ranked second. The only other team from the GSC ranked in the top 25 is the University of Central Arkansas at 11th. The next GSC team in the top 66 is Harding at number 40.

Besides Tarleton, Lone Star Conference members in the top 25 are Texas A&M-Kingsville fourth, Midwestern State 15th and Eastern New Mexico 21st. Southeastern Oklahoma is 27th.