SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Texas A&M-Kingsville was tabbed in the fourth spot in the Lone Star Conference and senior linebacker Jeremy Aguilar (Los Angeles, CA/Roosevelt HS) was named the Defensive Player of the Year, according to the 2012 LSC preseason football poll released on Tuesday at the annual LSC Media Day.

Midwestern State was selected to repeat as the LSC champion. The league’s preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.

The 2012 football season kicks off on September 1 for the Javelinas when they host Central Washington at 7 p.m. at Javelina Stadium. The LSC has nine teams set to compete for the conference title with each team playing a total of eight conference games.

MSU, which claimed the 2011 LSC title with a perfect 8-0 mark, received first-place votes on 19 of the 25 ballots to finish with 215 total points. Abilene Christian was second with 187 points and five first-place nods, while West Texas A&M was third with 179 points. The Javelinas were picked fourth with 158 points and the remaining first place vote, followed by Tarleton State fifth (131), Angelo State sixth (99), Incarnate Word seventh (74), Eastern New Mexico eighth (43) and Texas A&M-Commerce ninth (39).

The Javelinas return 15 starters from a year ago on a team that went 6-5, the team’s fourth straight winning season. Aguilar, a 6-1, 235-pound senior, is the reigning LSC Linebacker of the Year. He led the Javelinas with 91 tackles last year while making 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and 11 quarterback hurries. He was the clear choice with 13 votes ahead of Tarleton State’s Marquis Wadley (four) and six others who garnered votes.

Abilene Christian senior quarterback Mitchell Gale was chosen as the LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
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