CLINTON, Miss. --- Seniors Chris Manning and Matthew Turcotte and junior Arik Washington have been selected to the 2017 Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Football Team, it was announced on Thursday (August 3) after a vote of the league's nine head coaches.

The Mississippi College football team was picked to finish 8th in the preseason poll, while reigning conference champion North Alabama has been picked to win the league in their final year as a Division II member. The Lions are currently in transition to Division I.

The Lions (62 pts) claimed seven of the available first-place votes, while Valdosta State (54 pts) and West Georgia (49 pts) collected the other two top-spot nods. Rounding out the preseason poll were: Florida Tech (47 pts), West Alabama (32 pts), Delta State (31 pts), West Florida (25 pts), MC (16 pts) and Shorter (8 pts).

Turcotte (Philadelphia, Miss.) comes back after a Second Team All-GSC selection in 2016, leading the league in punting average (42.59). He currently has the second-best career punting average in school history after sending 32 kicks for 1363 yards and a long of 69 last season. He had seven punts go over 50 yards, while eight landed inside the 20-yard line.

Manning (Section, Ala.) was MC's top tackler a season ago, posting 70 stops, 24 more than any other Choctaw on the season. The three-year starter also led the way with three interceptions, including returning one for a touchdown against West Florida. Manning is the GSC's lone nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and joins Turcotte on MC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Washington (York, Ala.) started all 10 games in 2016, catching 11 passes for 195 yards and along of 64 yards in the season-opening win over Point University. His 17.73 yards per reception average was the tops on the team, while he had a season-high four catches for 62 yards against rival Delta State.

The Choctaws also had four players named to the Top Newcomers List. All junior transfers, QB Ty Jobe (Lebanon, Tenn. / Tennessee Tech), OL Randan Knight (Hattiesburg, Miss. / MS Gulf Coast CC), LB Colton Magee (Tylertown, Miss. / Copiah-Lincoln CC) and DB Blake Miller (Sandy, Utah / Snow College) found their names on the list.

The 2017 season opens this Saturday (August 5) with the team moving back on campus and practice starting on Monday (August 7).

The Choctaws will travel to Clark Atlanta for the 2017 season opener on Thursday, August 31st.
 

---

Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.

The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.

For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.