ELON, N.C. -- Coming off of an 8-4 2008 campaign, the Elon Phoenix football team has earned top-15 rankings in four preseason national top-25 polls. Elon, which finished at 6-2 in the Southern Conference last year, rates anywhere from ninth to 14th in the rankings published by The Sporting News, Any Given Saturday (AGS), Athlon Sports and Lindy's.
The highest ranking, ninth, comes from The Sporting News while the AGS poll rates the Phoenix 10th. Elon comes in at number 14 in both the Athlon and Lindy's publications.
SoCon rival Appalachian State sits atop the polls from both Athlon and Lindy's while defending national champion Richmond ranks first in the polls from The Sporting News and AGS. Fellow SoCon members Wofford, Georgia Southern, Furman and Samford all also appear in the rankings in various positions.
Senior wide receiver
Terrell Hudgins was also selected to Athlon's Preseason FCS All-America Team as one of two wide receivers honored. Hudgins has been named a First Team All-SoCon wide receiver by the Southern Conference Sports Media Association each of the last three seasons. The league’s coaches tabbed him a Second Team All-SoCon selection in 2006 and a First Team All-SoCon choice in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, Hudgins was declared a First Team All-American by the Associated Press, College Sporting News, CollegeSportsReport.com, The Sports Network and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. In 2006, he was dubbed a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press.dgins
The Phoenix continues to demonstrate dramatic improvement during coach Pete Lembo's three-year tenure at the helm of the program, posting a 20-14 slate (.588) with six victories over top-25 opponents, a pair of top-three finishes in the Southern Conference, regular appearances in the national polls and 99 new Elon, Southern Conference or NCAA records. The Phoenix struggled to put together a 14-42 ledger (.250) over the five years prior to Lembo's arrival.
Elon finished the 2008 season with the program's most victories in nine years while knocking off three top-25 FCS teams in the same season for the first time ever. The Phoenix also forged its most successful campaign in its six-year membership in the Southern Conference, fashioning a 6-2 league ledger for sole possession of third place. Elon's previous best SoCon showing was a 4-3 conference mark for a share of third place last year. The Phoenix finished in last place in each of its first three Southern Conference campaigns before Lembo came onto the scene.
The Phoenix opens its 2009 season on Sept. 5 with a home game with Davidson. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets should contact the Elon Athletics Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.
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