Tweet #theGAC  WACO, Texas - After claiming a third Great American Conference Championship in four years and advancing to the second round of the NCAA playoffs in 2015, Henderson State is ranked tied for No. 9 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll released Monday.

This is the fifth time since 2010 that the Reddies have been ranked in the AFCA preseason Top 25.

The Reddies, picked to win the 2016 GAC title by the league's coaches, return 15 starters and 51 lettermen from last year's team including GAC Offensive Player of the Year Jaquan Cole.

Cole rushed for 1198 yards in 12 games, averaging 99 yards per contest. The senior from Duncanville, Texas rushed for a HSU record 245 yards on 27 carries against Arkansas Tech.

In addition to Cole, six additional all-conference players return including first-team center Cory Stitle. Defensively, two-time first-team All-GAC selection and All-American outside linebacker Josh Davis returns for his senior year.

Davis is Henderson's top returning defender having 103 tackles along with a team-best 15 tackles for lost yardage in 2015. The product from El Dorado, Ark. also had seven pass break-ups and eight quarterback hurries.

First-Team defensive back Gary Vines also returns after having 76 stops with four interceptions to his credit.

Henderson returns one of the best kickers in the region in Houston Ray. A first-team All-GAC pick, Ray was one of nine NCAA Division II kickers on the Fred Mitchell Award watch list a year ago.

The junior from Owensboro, Ky. led the team in scoring with 87 points from 16 of 21 field goals and 39 of 42 PAT's. A 3-time GAC Player of the Week selection, Ray ranked fourth in Division II in field goals per game.

Also returning are All-GAC selections return specialist Darion Gray and corner back Tavares Garner.

Gray ended the year with 197 yards in punt returns while Garner finished the year with 48 tackles and a team best four interceptions.

The Reddies are in week two of fall workouts with their first scrimmage set for Tuesday at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium beginning at 7 p.m.

Henderson begins the 2016 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 1 when the Reddies play host to Southeastern Oklahoma with kickoff slated for 7 p.m.