Already picked to finish first in the PSAC West in the conference coaches poll, IUP has been ranked 25th in the nation in the AFCA Division Two Coaches Poll. The Crimson Hawks are the only PSAC West team to make the Top 25. Kutztown is the only other PSAC school in the rankings, at number three in the nation. Ferris State is the preseason top choice, followed by Harding, Kutztown, Pittsburg State and Minnesota State.
Other PSAC schools receiving votes but not making the Top 25 include Slippery Rock (#30), Cal (#31), and East Stroudsburg (#51).
IUP’s first opponent this season, Ashland, is ranked thirteenth. The Crimson Hawks will travel to Ohio to play the Golden Eagles on Thursday night, September 3rd.
AFCA PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2025 Rec. | Pts. | 2025 Rank | Season Opener | Head Coach | |
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 16-0 | 775 | 1 | Aug. 27 at No. 4 Pittsburg St. | Tony Annese | |
| 2 | Harding | 15-1 | 738 | 2 | Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. | Roddy Mote | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 14-1 | 684 | 3 | Sept. 3 at Assumption | Jim Clements | |
| 4 | Pittsburg St. | 10-3 | 647 | 6 | Aug. 27 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. | Tom Anthony | |
| 5 | Minnesota St. | 10-4 | 587 | 8 | Aug. 27 at Colorado Mesa | Todd Hoffner | |
| 6 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 10-2 | 581 | 11 | Aug. 27 vs. Central Missouri | Philip Vigil | |
| 7 | Central Washington | 10-2 | 478 | 13 | Sept. 5 at Cal Poly | Scott Power | |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 9-3 | 470 | 17 | Aug. 29 at Texas A&M-Kingsville | John McMenamin | |
| 9t. | Grand Valley St. | 7-3 | 451 | NR | Aug. 27 at Charleston | Scott Wooster | |
| 9t. | UIndy | 11-2 | 451 | 10 | Aug. 27 vs. Marian | Chris Keevers | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 10-3 | 379 | 12 | Aug. 27 at West Texas A&M | Jas Bains | |
| 12 | Minnesota-Duluth | 10-2 | 372 | 16 | Aug. 27 at Slippery Rock | Curt Wiese | |
| 13 | Ashland | 10-3 | 328 | 15 | Sept. 3 vs. No. 25 Indiana (Pa.) | Doug Geiser | |
| 14 | Virginia Union | 9-3 | 318 | 21 | Aug. 28 at Lenoir-Rhyne | Alvin Parker | |
| 15 | Newberry | 12-2 | 276 | 4 | Sept. 5 vs. Reinhardt | Todd Knight | |
| 16 | Findlay | 10-2 | 250 | 19 | Sept. 5 at No. 9t UIndy | Tyler Johns | |
| 17 | Frostburg St. | 11-3 | 228 | 14 | Sept. 5 at Shepherd | Eric Wagoner | |
| 18 | UT Permian Basin | 11-3 | 197 | 5 | Aug. 29 at UT Rio Grande Valley | Chris Softley | |
| 19 | Wingate | 9-3 | 183 | NR | Aug. 27 at UNC Pembroke | Rashaan Jordan | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 9-2 | 181 | 25 | Aug. 27 at Missouri Western | Jerry Olszewski | |
| 21 | Albany St. | 12-2 | 172 | 7 | Aug. 29 at Florida A&M | David Bowser | |
| 22 | Western Oregon | 8-3 | 165 | NR | Aug. 29 at Colorado Mines | Arne Ferguson | |
| 23 | Johnson C. Smith | 10-2 | 159 | 18 | Aug. 29 at Benedict | Maurice Flowers | |
| 24 | Ouachita Baptist | 7-4 | 146 | NR | Sept. 3 vs. East Central | Todd Knight | |
| 25 | Indiana (Pa.) | 7-4 | 97 | NR | Sept. 3 at No. 13 Ashland | Paul Tortorella |
*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2025
Others Receiving Votes: Valdosta St., 86; Chadron St., 83; Central Oklahoma, 64; North Greenville, 61; Slippery Rock, 56; California (Pa.), 53; Northwood, 50; Delta St., 33; Michigan Tech, 31; Assumption, 29; Bentley, 27; Benedict, 25; Lenoir-Rhyne, 21; Colorado Mines, 18; Northeastern St., 16; Southern Arkansas, 14; Charleston, 13; Fort Hays St., 13; Truman St., 13; West Texas A&M, 10; UNC Pembroke, 8; Central Missouri, 7; Edward Waters, 7; Henderson St., 6; Angelo St., 4; East Stroudsburg, 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 4; Upper Iowa, 3; Davenport, 2; Carson-Newman, 1.
