HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) football coaches have selected Trine University to finish the conference season in third but seem to expect another tightly contested title race.
The Thunder came in third by securing 15 points in the poll. Point totals are determined by votes cast by the association's coaches, who cannot vote for their own team, with low point total receiving the top spot. The defending champions from Alma College were selected to repeat, receiving eight points with five of the first-place votes. Hope College came in second with 11 points and the final two first-place votes.
Trine was part of a three-way tie for third in the MIAA standings after the 2023 season. They posted an overall record of 7-3 while going 3-3 in conference play, tying with Adrian College and Hope.
Four All-MIAA players from last season return to lead the Thunder in 2023. Seniors Kale Lawson and Jackson Linback both return for a fifth season after making appearances on first-team All-MIAA. Defensively, seniors Jamon Gibson and Jacob Jackson both return to the team. Gibson was a first-team member while Jackson appeared on the second-team.
Senior Alex Price also returns after serving as starting quarterback for the team in 2022. Price led the team with over 2,000 yards passing and with 391 yards rushing. This will be Price's fifth season with the team, he currently boasts 5,367 career passing yards, second most by a member of the program since it joined NCAA Division III in 2004. Classmate Xaine Kirby also returns to the backfield after serving as a feature back for much of his first four years at Trine. Injuries hampered his season in 2022, but in 2021 he led the team with 822 yards.
Lawson was the team's top receiver last season finishing with 728 yards. Also returning for the team are seniors Brandon Kline, who finished second on the team with 561 yards, and Connor Arthur, who finished third with 459 yards.
Gibson and Jackson are joined by fellow senior Kendall Himes returning to anchor the defense. All three were starters on the defensive line in 2022 and look to be the same again. They finished second, third and fourth in total tackles last season. Gibson also led the team with 10.5 sacks, with Himes in second with six and Jackson in third with five.
Marques Tagliaferri and Jaylin Page are the two other returning starters for the defense. Page led the team in pass defense with six breakups from his spot at corner. Tagliaferri finished with two interceptions along with the fifth most tackles on the team (46 total).
The Thunder open the season on Saturday, September 2 when they travel to face Anderson (Ind.) University. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 6 p.m.