PELLA—With a wealth of veteran talent returning, the Central College football team is slotted No. 17 in the NCAA Division III preseason poll by Lindy's National College Football Magazine.
           
Lindy's also named three Dutch players as preseason All-American picks. Kicker Logan Sunvold (fifth year, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) was a first-team choice while punter Austin Burns (fifth year, Williamsburg) and wide receiver Ryan Neu (fifth, West Des Moines, Valley HS) were chosen for the second team.
           
The Dutch return seven starters on both offense and defense in additions to Sunvold and Burns. Central was 8-2 (6-2 American Rivers) in 2023, dropping both games to NCAA Division III playoff qualifiers.
           
Sunvold was 52-53 on extra point attempts and 8-13 on field goals, scoring 76 points. Burns punted 36 times, averaging 32.83 yards and pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line 19 times. Neu totaled 721 yards on 47 catches with 16 touchdowns.
           
Coach Jeff McMartin has posted a 155-48 (.763) mark over 20 seasons. The Dutch open the 2024 season at home against Illinois Wesleyan University on September 7 at 1 p.m.