SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- The Shepherd University football team has garnered preseason recognition from the Lindy's Sports and Street and Smith's publications. Additionally, senior offensive lineman Lavonte Hights (N. Chesterfield, Va./Meadowbrook) was named to the the 2017 Street & Smith Preseason All-America Team while also gaining second team honors on the Lindy's 2017 All-Division II Team.

Shepherd is ranked 15th by Lindy's Sports and 13th by Street and Smith's in their respective preseason polls.

Hights keyed an offensive line that enabled the Rams to average 37.4 points a game and rank second among NCAA II schools in team passing  efficiency (168.26) in 2016.

The Rams will open the 2017 season on Sept. 2 at home  when they host Notre Dame with kickoff slated for noon.

2017 LINDY'S SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25

1. Northwest Missouri State
2. Ferris State
3. Grand Valley State
4. Emporia State
5. Indiana (Pa.)
6. Harding
7. California (Pa.)
8. Texas A&M­-Commerce
9. UNC Pembroke
10. Sioux Falls
11. Minnesota­ Duluth
12. LIU Post
13. Azusa Pacific
14. Colorado Mines
15. Shepherd
16. North Greenville
17. Valdosta State
18. Central Missouri
19. North Alabama
20. Ashland
21. Newberry
22. Tuskegee
23. Texas A&M­-Kingsville
24. West Georgia
25. Colorado Mesa
 
2017 STREET AND SMITH'S NCAA II PRESEASON NATIONAL RANKINGS

1. Northwest Missouri State
2. Grand Valley State
3. California (Pa.)
4 .Emporia State
5. Ferris State
6. Texas A&M-Commerce
7. Southwest Baptist
8. Colorado State-Pueblo
9. Bemidji State
10. Valdosta State
11. Indiana (Pa.)
12. Minnesota-Duluth
13. Shepherd
14. North Alabama
15. Azuza Pacific
16. Edinboro
17. Sioux Falls
18. Colorado School of Mines
19. Central Missouri
20. Assumption
21. West Chester
22. LIU Post
23. Winston-Salem State
24. Colorado-Mesa
25. Texas A&M Kingsville

Lindy's 2016 ALL-DIV II TEAM

First Team Offense
QB Braxton Marstall Sr. Emporia State 
RB Marty Carter Jr. Grand Valley State
RB Max Mickey Sr. Sioux Falls
WR Brody Oliver Jr. Colorado Mines
WR Damon Gibson Sr. MSU Moorhead
TE Erik Fuller Sr. Minnesota State
OL Joe Hillen Sr. Mars Hill
OL  Andrew Alten Sr. Findlay 
OL Alex Cappa Sr. Humboldt State
OL George Roberts Sr. Delta State
OL Jake Daugherty Sr. Ferris State
AP Antwuan Haynes Jr. Florida Tech
K Ryan Sheehan Sr. Colorado Mesa

First Team Defense
DL Whitney Richardson Sr. Lane
DL Zach Sieler Jr Ferris State
DL Marcus Martin Sr. Slippery Rock
DL Brandon Jones Jr. Texas A&M Kingsville
LB David Smith Jr. Morehouse
LB Zach Bassuener Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
LB Osband Thompson Sr. Tuskegee
DB Carlo Thomas Sr. Johnson C. Smith
DB Drew Hebel Jr. Black Hills
DB Joshua Simmons Sr. Limestone
DB Tavierre Thomas Sr. Ferris State
P Carter Anchors Jr. Pittsburg State

Second Team Offense
QB Luis Perez Sr. Texas A&M- Commerce
RB Ja'Quan Gardner Sr. Humboldt State
RB Reggie Bell Sr. Ferris State
WR Jason Moore Sr. Findlay
WR Jalen Tolliver Sr. Arkansas- Monticello
TE Tanner Hudson Sr. Southern Arkansas
OL Lavonte Hights Sr. Shepherd
OL Brandon Kemp So. Valdosta State
OL Gavin De Los Santos Sr. Harding
OL Tommy Richardson Sr. Wayne State
OL Joseph Lacey Sr. LIU Post
AP Ta'Nauz Gregory So. Edinboro
K Perry Schmiedeler Sr. Washburn

Second Team Defense
DL Chris Gary Jr. Bloomsburg
DL Dario Simmons Sr. McKendree
DL Jarell Bright Jr. Winston-Salem State
DL Kahzin Daniels Jr. Charleston
LB Zachary Blair Sr. UVa-Wise
LB Kyle Kitchens Sr. Catawba
LB Kevin Haynes Sr. Central Washington
DB Adehkeem Brown Sr. Quincy
DB Jonah McCutcheon Sr. Tuskegee
DB Jay Watkins Sr. Indiana (Pa.)
DB Anthony Lane Sr. Northwest Missouri State
P Jonathan King Sr. Carson-Newman
 
STREET AND SMITH'S PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
 
OFFENSE
QB –  Braxton Marstall (Emporia State)
RB – Marty Carter (Grand Valley State)
RB –  Bubba Jenkins (SW Baptist)
OL –  Alex Cappa (Humboldt  State)
OL – Jared Machorro (Texas A&M-Commerce)
OL – Joe Hillin (Mars Hill)
OL – Gavin De Los Santos (Harding)
OL – Lavonte Hights (Shepherd)
WR – Damon Gibson (Minn.St.-Moorhead)
WR – Brody Oliver (Colo. Sch. of Mines)
WR – Trey Brock (Hillsdale)
 
DEFENSE
DL – Marcus Martin (Slippery Rock)
DL – Whitney Richardson (Lane)
DL – Zach Sieler (Ferris State)
LB – Osband Thompson (Tuskegee)
LB – Kyle Kitchens (Catawba)
LB – Kevin Haynes (Central Washington)
LB – Bo Highburger (Western Oregon)
DB – Drew Hebel (Black Hills State)
DB – Jay Watkins (IUP)
DB – Dustin Rivas (Colorado Mesa)
DB – Carlo Thomas (Johnson C. Smith)


 SPECIALISTS
K – Cole Antley (Ouachita Baptist)
P – Gerrett Lee (Concord)
AP – Kamal Cass (East. New Mexico)