UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University football team was chosen to finish fourth in the 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings when the Preseason Coaches Poll was revealed during the 2024 GLIAC Football Media Day on Thursday afternoon in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Cardinals compiled 30 points to finish in the fourth spot among the eight-member teams in the GLIAC for the 2024 season. Voting was done by the conference member head coaches with the highest point getting finishing atop the poll.

Ferris State received four of the possible eight first-place votes to total 46 points and top the poll. Grand Valley State earned three first-place selections to finish two points shy of the Bulldogs for second. Davenport scooped the last top vote to register 38 points for third. Michigan Tech came four points short of the Cardinals to claim fifth place. Wayne State (20), Northern Michigan (13), and newcomer Roosevelt (7) rounded out the poll.

This season's media day was held at the Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel and included the release of the preseason coaches poll and live stream of each team's media access interview.

The Cardinals were represented by head coach Ryan Brady along with two senior leaders in All-American linebacker Micah Cretsinger, and Second-Team All-GLIAC offensive lineman Connor Cracchiolo.

SVSU finished last season with a 6-5 record and a 3-3 mark in the GLIAC after winning four of the last five games of the 2023 season.

"I couldn't be more excited about the 2024 Saginaw Valley State football team," said SVSU head football coach Ryan Brady. "Our players have been phenomenal over the past seven months. I love the character, discipline, and leadership on this football team. These young men have excelled on and off the field. It is our mission to take this program from good to great in 2024. The love the players have shown to each other, to their coaches, and to their program has been special to see. My staff and I are really looking forward to coaching this group and everyone is excited for the journey to begin."

Cretsinger highlighted the year for Saginaw Valley after tying the NCAA Division II record with four interceptions returned for a touchdown (vs. Grand Valley State 9/30/2023, at Davenport 10/28/2024, vs. Northern Michigan 11/4/2023, at Michigan Tech 11/11/2024). He was the first player in the GLIAC to achieve that feat, and only the fifth player in DII history to meet that mark (the last occurrence came in 2011). The First-Team All-American led the team in tackles with 100 and had 3.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and four pass breakups. His eight interceptions are tied for the most in the GLIAC and ranked second in all of NCAA DII, half of his picks came against Northern Michigan in the home finale where he broke a 17-year-old school record for interceptions in a single game.

Cracchiolo is a three-year starter on the SVSU offensive line. He anchored the o-line in 2023 that helped the Cardinal rushing attack gain more than 200 yards three times including a 406-yard performance against Winona State in the season-opening win. 

The Cardinals start the season on the road at Winona State on Thursday, September 5 at Winona State with an 8:00 p.m. (ET) kickoff in Minnesota.

2024 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll