EAST STROUDSBURG - The East Stroudsburg University football team is ranked No. 9 in the American Football Coaches Association poll, it was announced Tuesday.

Valdosta State is the No. 1 team in the poll and had 19 first-place votes. Pittsburgh State was second with four first-place votes, followed by Grand Valley State, which received two first-place votes.

The Warriors are coming off a 10-2 season and return 21 starters and 40 letterwinners. ESU has 10 starters back on offense, nine on defense and both kickers.

ESU opens its season Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. at Bentley College in Waltham, Mass.

Four East Stroudsburg opponents are in the top 25. Edinboro, which plays at ESU Sept. 3, is No. 14 while West Chester is No. 19 and C.W. Post 25th. The Warriors play at C.W. Post Sept. 10 and at West Chester Oct. 22.

American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parentheses, followed by 2004 record.
1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (19) 13-1
2. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (4) 14-1
3. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (2) 10-3
4. Texas A&M-Kingsville 9-2
5. Northwest Missouri St. 11-2
6. North Dakota 11-3
7. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-3
8. Nebraska-Omaha 8-3
9. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 10-2
10. Northwood (Mich.) 10-2
11. Albany St. (Ga.) 11-1
12. Central Oklahoma 8-2
13. Winona St. (Minn.) 10-2
14t. Colorado School of Mines 12-1
14t. Edinboro (Pa.) 9-3
16. Tuskegee (Ala.) 10-2
17. Delta St. (Miss.) 6-4
18. Arkansas Tech 10-2
19. West Chester (Pa.) 11-4
20. Catawba (N.C.) 7-4
21. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) 7-3
22. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 8-3
23. Tarleton St. (Texas) 7-4
24. Michigan Tech 9-2
25t. C.W. Post (N.Y.) 8-3
25t. South Dakota 9-2