The St. Lawrence University football team, fresh off a Liberty League title and NCAA tournament appearance, has been recognized by Sporting News as the No. 19 Division III team in the country, according to the magazine's preseason Division III preseason poll.

The Saints finished the 2015 season with an 8-3 record, winning the Liberty League regular season title and earning an NCAA tournament bid for the first time since 2010.

"It is quite an honor to have the respect of the national media, being ranked that high heading into the season, especially with the changes we've had since the end of last season," said first-year head coach Dan Puckhaber. "The media knows what we already know – that we have some great players and have expectations as high as they have ever been here at St. Lawrence."

Linfield is the top ranked team in the poll followed by defending national champion Mount Union. The Saints are the second-ranked team from New York, with SUNY Cortland ranked No. 18 in the poll.

"Our team knows that it is not where you start the season but where you finish that matters," said Puckhaber. "We have a tough schedule against some of the best teams in the East and every week we will be tested. Our first test comes Sept. 2 under the lights against SUNY Morrisville. That is where our focus is right now."

The Saints return several key players from the 2015 squad, including All-America defensive tackle Chyron Brown-Wallace and First-Team All-Liberty League selections James Holley-Grisham, Alec Dietsch, Kevin Dean and Mitch Gallagher.

"We have come a long way as a program because of the quality student-athletes that play for St. Lawrence and that have played for St. Lawrence," said Puckhaber. "It's nice to have a team that is now consistently recognized alongside some of the other top sports teams at our nationally recognized university."