The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) announced the 2022 football coaches’ preseason poll on August 1st. The voting is completed by the league’s head football coaches, coaches cannot vote for their own team. Dickinson State (N.D.) ended up the unanimous pick to win the conference title for the eighth consecutive year.
Presentation College was selected to finish sixth in the NSAA coaches’ preseason poll, tallying 12 total points. The Saints were able to edge out the NSAA football newcomer Iowa Wesleyan who tallied 6 points. Starting with a low target on Presentation’s back Coach Heiman looks forward to this season, when asked about the underdog ranking he states “There is high quality football played in the NSAA. We are looking forward to the challenge of playing very talented and well coached NSAA football teams.”
The Blue Hawks earned six first place votes after tallying 36 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll, making them the eight year favorite to bring home the title. Valley City State (N.D.) and Waldorf (Iowa) were tied for second with 28 points each.
Mayville State (N.D.) placed fifth with 15 points, and NSAA’s football associate member Iowa Wesleyan finished in seventh with 6 points.
Each North Star football member will play a total of six conference games during the season, with each team receiving a bye for one week. The league officially starts on Oct. 1, where the Saints face Waldorf (Iowa) on the road in Forest City, IA.
The NSAA conference season with conclude on Nov. 12 with Presentation traveling north to face ranked Dickinson State University (16). Presentation makes their 2022 season debut on Thursday, Aug. 25 versus the Mount Marty Lancers at Swisher Field in Aberdeen. Kick-off is slated for 6 p.m.
Below are the complete results of the 2022 NSAA Football Coaches’ Preseason Poll:
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) | Points |
| 1 | Dickinson State (N.D.) (6) | 36 |
| T2 | Valley City State (N.D.) (1) | 28 |
| T2 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 28 |
| 4 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 22 |
| 5 | Mayville State (N.D.) | 15 |
| 6 | Presentation (S.D.) | 12 |
| 7 | Iowa Wesleyan | 6 |
