HAMMOND, La. – For the fourth consecutive season, the Southeastern Louisiana University football team finished ranked in the final FCS polls released Monday.
 
SLU is one of three FCS schools to be ranked in the last four final polls, along with the last two national champions – South Dakota State and North Dakota State. The Lions finished 12^th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and were picked 19^th in the AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25.
 
Southeastern was one of two Southland Conference schools to finish ranked in both polls. National semifinalist UIW, which SLU defeated, 41-35, in September, was voted third on both lists. South Dakota State was the unanimous No. 1 in both polls after Sunday's 45-21 championship game over North Dakota State.
 
The Southland Conference champion Lions finished 9-4 on the season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs for the third time in the past four years. 2022 SLC Coach of the Year Frank Scelfo's squad will return SLC Offensive Lineman of the Year and FCS All-American John Allen, along with fellow all-conference selections Austin Dunlap, Ivan Drobocky, Dom Serapiglia III, Jhy Orgeron, Riley Callaghan, Arlen Williams and Donte' Daniels.
 
Scelfo expects the growth and success of the program to continue.
 
"We're on solid ground moving forward," Scelfo said. "We had a goal to consistently win on a national level and we've done that. As we continue to take steps forward, the commitment the university is showing with the new athletic building is vital. We're all working together to continue growing this program and if we can keep doing that, we'll continue the on-field success."
 
Scelfo also reiterated his commitment to continue to build the program with in-state products first. Of Southeastern's 20 signees last month, 16 were from Louisiana.
 
"We're going to continue to get quality players through recruiting," Scelfo commented. "We're able to bring in young men who want to be here at Southeastern. We have a great coaching staff here and the retention of those coaches, as well as continuing the influx of talented student-athletes who are buying into what we're doing is a program, are both critical to maintaining and building the strength of our culture."
 
The Lions will hold spring practice Feb. 27-April 1. SLU opens the 2023 season at Mississippi State Sept. 2.
 
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes)                   Record            Points  Prv.
1.         South Dakota State (54)          14-1                 1,350   1
2.         North Dakota State                 12-3                 1,288   4
3.         UIW                                        12-2                 1,218   5
4.         Montana State                         12-2                 1,208   3
5.         Sacramento State                    12-1                 1,140   2
6.         Holy Cross                              12-1                 1,035   7
7.         Samford                                  11-2                 991      8
8.         William & Mary                     11-2                 982      6
9.         Weber State                            10-3                 936      9
10.       Furman                                    10-3                 865      11
11.       Richmond                               9-4                   746      13
12.       Southeastern                          9-4                   645      17
13.       New Hampshire                      9-4                   632      15
14.       Montana                                  8-5                   589      19
15.       Southeast Missouri                  9-3                   490      14
16.       Jackson State                          12-1                 485      10
17.       Elon                                         8-4                   467      12
18.       Idaho                                      7-5                   388      18
19.       Delaware                                 8-5                   343      19
20.       North Dakota                          7-5                   335      20
21.       North Carolina Central           10-2                 333      NR
22.       Fordham                                  9-3                   322      16
23.       Chattanooga                            7-4                   171      21
24.       Mercer                                     7-4                   145      22
25.       UC Davis                                6-5                   115      24
 
Others Receiving Votes: Gardner Webb 87, UT Martin 65, Eastern Kentucky 46, Rhode Island 34, Saint Francis 32, St. Thomas 13, Yale 13, Youngstown State 13, Austin Peay 12, Florida A&M 9.  
 
AFCA Coaches FCS Top 25
Rk.      School (First-place votes)     Rec.     Points  Rk
1.         South Dakota State (26)          14-1     650      1
2.         North Dakota State (4)            12-3     622      4
3.         UIW                                        12-2     565      7
4.         Sacramento State                    12-1     558      2
5.         Montana State                         12-2     545      3
6.         Holy Cross                              12-1     512      6
7.         Samford                                  11-2     472      9
8.         William & Mary                     11-2     445      8
9.         Weber State                            10-3     432      10
10.       Furman                                    10-3     419      11
11.       Jackson State                          12-1     364      5
12.       Richmond                               9-4       325      14
13.       Southeast Missouri State        9-3       294      12
14.       Montana                                  8-5       284      17
15.       New Hampshire                      9-4       276      16
16.       Fordham                                  9-3       262      13
17.       North Carolina Central           10-2     247      21
18.       Elon                                         8-4       210      15
19.       Southeastern                          9-4       208      23
20.       St. Thomas (Minn.)                 10-1     120      19
21.       Mercer                                     7-4       105      18
22.       Idaho                                      7-5       100      24
23.       Florida A&M                          9-2       84        20
T24.     Delaware                                 8-5       69        NR
T24.     Chattanooga                            7-4       69        22
 
Others Receiving Votes: North Dakota State 66, Gardner-Webb 46, Yale 35, UT Martin 16, Austin Peay 12, Princeton 12, UC Davis 6, Stephen F. Austin 5, Pennsylvania 4, North Carolina A&T 3, Eastern Kentucky 2, Youngstown State 2.   
                       
2022 SLU opponents in bold italics
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2022-23 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.