Central football unanimous pick to win GNAC

SPOKANE, Wash. — Despite returning only seven of 22 starters from last season, Central Washington is the unanimous pick of GNAC football coaches to repeat as conference champions, the conference announced Friday.

Central Washington received all five first-place votes for a total of 25 points. Western Oregon (19), Dixie State (14), Humboldt State (12) and newcomer Simon Fraser (5) complete the poll.

CWU coach Blaine Bennett has retooled the program with 14 Division I transfers, including quarterback Alex Cate (Oklahoma State), linebacker Jared Silva-Purcell (Nevada) and defensive back Eric Hunter (Idaho).

CWU has won the conference title five times in the seven-year history of the football conference and is 31-4 in GNAC play.

During Bennett’s two-year tenure, the Wildcats have yet to lose a regular-season game against a Division II opponent. Their three losses include two Division II playoff defeats and a three-point defeat on the road against Division I FCS Montana.

Central opens against Minnesota Duluth at Tomlinson Stadium on Aug. 28. The game will be televised on SWX, a subchannel of KNDO-TV available over the air on channel 23-3 and on Charter cable channel 287.