The Missouri Valley College football team will start its upcoming season picked fourth in the 2024 Heart of America Athletic Conference Football Coaches’ Poll.

The Vikings placed fourth in the Heart South Division at the end of the 2023 season. The team finished 5-5 overall, with a 2-3 record in divisional play. Both win totals were the most for the program since the 2017 season.

Benedictine (Kan.) was selected first overall, followed by Baker (Kan.) and MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) to round out the top three. Missouri Baptist was fifth, while Central Methodist (Mo.) and conference newcomer William Woods (Mo.) finished out the Heart South Division poll. Grand View (Iowa) was selected first in the Heart North Division poll.

Missouri Valley will be led by first-year Head Coach Casey Creehan. Creehan will be the thirteenth head coach in program-history and has compiled an overall coaching record of 21-16 after stints leading teams at Peru State (Neb.) and Lyon (Ark.), to go with 25 seasons of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels.

The 2024 football season begins with a home game, September 7, against Graceland (Iowa) at 6 p.m. Other home games include Central Methodist (Mo.) on September 29, Benedictine (Kan.) for Homecoming on October 26, William Woods (Mo.) on November 9, and William Penn (Iowa) for Senior Day on November 16.

2024 Heart South Division Football Coaches’ Poll
1. Benedictine (Kan.)-35 votes
2. Baker (Kan.)-31 votes
3. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)-37 votes
4. Missouri Valley-19 votes
5. Missouri Baptist-17 votes
6. Central Methodist (Mo.)-12 votes
7. William Woods (Mo.)-6 votes