ELON, N.C. -- Following a 9-3 campaign which saw the program's first-ever FCS Playoffs appearance, the Elon Phoenix has earned top-10 preseason rankings from four different national publications.  Elon, which finished ranked as high as ninth in the final 2009 Football Championship Subdivision polls, rates among the top-10 in polls issued by Lindy's Sports, Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and The Sporting News.

 

Three of the four publications – Lindy's, Phil Steele and Athlon – all place the Phoenix sixth in their preseason polls.  Elon checks in at number nine in the poll published in The Sporting News.

 

Defending National Champion Villanova sits atop the Lindy's, Athlon and The Sporting News rankings.  Phil Steele's top five have not yet been released.  Fellow Southern Conference member Appalachian State is ranked second by Lindy's and Athlon and third by The Sporting News.  League rivals Furman, Samford and Wofford are also among teams ranked in at least one of the top-25 polls.

 

Senior quarterback Scott Riddle was also selected as a second-team member of Lindy's 2010 All-FCS Team.  Riddle, who was just named as a member of the 20-player watch list for the Walter Payton Award, completed 285 passes for 3,345 yards and 23 touchdowns during his junior season.  He averaged 278.67 total yards per game, ranking 13th nationally.  Riddle passed for 300 or more yards in six of Elon's 12 contests and twice threw four touchdown passes in a single game.  In a victory at Furman, Riddle passsed for a season-high 374 yards and a touchdown while completing 35 of his 48 passes.  He was honored as the SoCon Player of the Week after passing for 338 yards and a TD and rushing for another score in a win over Georgia Southern.

 

Under head coach Pete Lembo, the Phoenix has continued its rise at the FCS level.  In Lembo's four seasons at the helm of the program, Elon has compiled a 29-17 (.630) record with six victories over top-25 opponents, three top-three finishes in the Southern Conference, regular appearances in national polls and numerous new Elon, SoCon or NCAA records.

 

Elon's 2009 campaign was its most successful at the FCS level.  The Phoenix went 9-3 and placed second in the SoCon with a 7-1 mark while earning the program's first FCS Playoff berth.

 

The Phoenix opens its 2010 season on Sept. 4 with a 7 p.m. tilt at Duke.