Marian, SXU are champions, to meet in post-season
NAIA Post-Season Release:
http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211780111
FINDLAY, OHIO – Marian University and Saint Xavier University are the 2018 Mid-States Football Association Mideast League and Midwest League champions, respectively, each completing an unbeaten conference season.
The Knights and Cougars also earned automatic berths into the NAIA Football Championship Series and will square off in a first-round encounter Saturday in Indianapolis. Marian, 10-0 on the year and national champions in 2012 and 2015, is seeded No.2. Also earning post-season at-large berths are Concordia University and the 2-time defending NAIA champion University of Saint Francis. Concordia, which was runner-up to Marian in the Mideast at 9-2 overall, 5-1 in league play, will travel to fourth-seeded Reinhardt (Ga.), last year's 24-13 loser to Saint Francis. USF (8-2) will host Grand View University (8-2), a former MSFA Midwest League team and the 2013 national titlists.
In a season-opening encounter at Marian back on August 25th, Marian posted a 52-7 victory over Saint Xavier. Marian also owns wins over Saint Francis (37-28) and Concordia (48-17).
A year ago, Concordia fell 39-10 to Reinhardt, while Saint Xavier beat Grand View 39-23 before falling 52-7 to Morningside (Iowa), 11-0 and the top seed in 2018. Saint Xavier captured the 2011 NAIA title, while Marian followed as champion in 2012 and 2015, giving the MSFA six championships in seven seasons.
Marian went 6-0 in winning the 2018 Mideast crown, equaling its unbeaten 6-0 league mark in 2016. The Knights shared the 2014 crown with Siena Heights University at 5-1, went 4-1 in 2012 along with Saint Xavier (yes, the Cougars) and the University of St. Francis (Ill.) and were 5-0 in 2011. Saint Francis (Ind., 8-2, 4-2) placed third this season, followed by Siena Heights (7-3 3-3), Missouri Baptist (4-7, 2-4), Taylor University (3-7, 1-5) and Lindenwood-Belleville University (0-11, 0-6).
In 12 years, Marian has compiled a 50-23 record in Mideast play and in six seasons under Mark Henninger's leadership, the Knights are 57-14 overall.
Saint Xavier's title this season is its third in the Midwest League in four campaigns. With a 5-0 MWL mark and an 8-3 overall record, the Cougars finished ahead of Olivet Nazarene University (5-3, 4-1), St. Ambrose University (6-4, 3-2), St. Francis (4-7, 2-3), Robert Morris University (2-9, 1-4) and Trinity International University (1-9, 0-5).
Overall, SXU coach Mike Feminis is 174-65 in 20 seasons. The Cougars just posted their 19th straight league winning season and are 102-44 in league games since becoming a charter member of the MSFA in 1994.
Marian is 15-4 in the post-season, while Saint Xavier is 16-10, Concordia is making just its second appearance and Saint Francis is in the playoffs for 18 time with a 31-15 record.
NAIA Final Regular-Season Poll:
http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211780108
