With the release of the 2017 Conference USA Preseason Media Poll, Western Kentucky was picked to win the East Division with 20 of a possible 28 first-place votes.

The Hilltoppers are aiming to become the first team in league history to win three consecutive C-USA titles.

Monday, WKU earned recognition with a league-best seven players on the Preseason All-C-USA Team out of 29 possible spots.

In addition, quarterback Mike White and kick returner Kylen Towner were named Preseason C-USA Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year, respectively.

The Hilltoppers begin their 2017 campaign at home against in-state rival Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 2. With first kick at 6 p.m., WKU will look to extend its win streak to nine after finishing the 2016 campaign on an eight-game tear in which the squad outscored its opponents 418-179.

Over the past two seasons, the Hilltoppers have gone 15-1 in regular season C-USA contests and then proceeded to win both the 2015 and 2016 championship games on the home turf of Houchens-Smith Stadium.

WKU was previously voted to win the East prior to the 2015 season, and backed up the selection with a perfect 8-0 year in conference games.

Chosen as the No. 2 team in 2016, the Hilltoppers exceeded expectations to repeat as back-to-back champions with a 7-1 record in league play.

In the team’s inaugural 2014 season in C-USA, WKU was picked to finish fourth in the East and ended up with a 4-4 record and the No. 3 spot at the end of the campaign.

Winners of the West Division in 2016, Louisiana Tech, also received 20 first-place votes to repeat as tops in the other half of the conference. The Hilltoppers defeated the Bulldogs 58-44 in the 2016 championship game to claim their second-straight trophy.

The 13th annual C-USA championship game will be held Dec. 2.

C-USA media members predicted order of finish

(First-place votes in parenthesis)

East Division

1. WKU (20)

2. Middle Tennessee (4)

3. Old Dominion (3)

4. Marshall (1)

5. Florida Atlantic

6. FIU

7. Charlotte

West Division

1. Louisiana Tech (20)

2. UTSA (7)

3. Southern Miss (1)

4. North Texas

5. Rice

6. UTEP

7. UAB

White named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list

Western Kentucky earned its 10th preseason awards recognition Tuesday, as quarterback Mike White was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list. He is one of 108 FBS players listed as initial candidates.

It’s the third honor in the past week for White, who also appears on the Maxwell Trophy watch list and was voted the Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches.

The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented annually. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from Florida, the award honors the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

White ranked in the top 10 nationally last season in completion percentage (67.3, eighth), passing yards (4,363, fifth) and touchdowns (37, eighth), while boasting the third-best passer rating (181.4) and the second-best yards per attempt mark (10.5) in 2016.

In the Bowling Green community, White has spent time volunteering with such programs as the Special Olympics and visiting elementary schools to promote the importance of reading, having a good attitude and working hard in the classroom. During the spring semester, the team combined for 640 community service hours.

Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ sports information departments. Semifinalists for the award will be announced Nov. 2 and finalists will be announced Nov. 22.

The formal presentation of the 2017 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s news conference Dec. 5 in New York City.

Hilltoppers on National Watch Lists

DB Joe Brown: Jim Thorpe Award (Top defensive back)

P Jake Collins: Ray Guy Award (Top punter)

OL Dennis Edwards: Rimington Trophy (Top center)

WR/PR Nacarius Fant: Paul Hornung Award (Most versatile)

K Skyler Simcox: Lou Groza Award (Top kicker)

WR/KR Kylen Towner: C-USA Preseason Special Teams POY

DB Marcus Ward: AFCA Good Works Team

QB Mike White: C-USA Preseason Offensive POY, Maxwell Award (Top player), Wuerffel Trophy (Community service)