WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ- Monmouth University's football team earned its first national ranking in program history, ranked at 24th in the FCS Coaches Poll which was released Monday.

The Hawks are 7-1 this season and currently riding a five-game winning streak after last week's defeat of Charleston Southern. Monmouth is 2-0 in the Big South and owns a 3-0 record at the newly constructed Kessler Stadium. Monmouth's lone loss came on September 16 to Colonial Athletic Association member Albany. The Hawks also received votes for the 8^th time this season in the STATS FCS Poll.

Monmouth's offense, engineered by redshirt sophomore quarterback Kenji Bahar (Baltimore, MD/Calvert Hall), has scored 30+ points in five of seven victories this season. The Hawks are averaging 35.4 points per game (16^th) behind a potent rushing attack which averages 210 yards per contest. Bahar has completed 64% of his passes, which is ninth in the nation. Monmouth has scored on 90.9 percent of trips in the redzone this season, which ranks ninth among all FCS Teams.

Senior All-America candidate Mike Basile (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) leads a Monmouth defensive unit that allows just 94.8 yards rushing per game, which is 12^th in the NCAA. Basile, the NCAA's active leader in solo tackles, has 87 stops in eight games this year, including 66 solo tackles from his safety position. The opportunistic Hawk defense has forced 15 turnovers and recorded 20 sacks on the year. MU has returned opponent interceptions for touchdowns in two of the last three games.

The Hawks, which are celebrating their 25^th season, will face Big South foe Presbyterian at home on Saturday. The game will air on ESPN3 and kickoff is slated for 1:05 PM.

FCS Coaches Poll
STATS FCS Poll