| Sport: | Football |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Team: | Emporia State Hornets |
| Conference: | Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association |
| Short Conf: | MIAA |
| Coachrank: | 10 |
| Record: | 11–2 |
| Conf Record: | 10–1 |
| Head Coach: | Garin Higgins |
| Hc Year: | 10th |
| Off Coach: | Matt Nardo |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Coach: | Mike LoPorto |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Codef Coach1: | Bryan Nardo |
| Codc1 Year: | 5th |
| Captain: | Mitchell Foote |
| Captain Year: | 1st |
| Captain2: | Landon Nault |
| Captain2 Year: | 1st |
| Captain3: | Kole Schankie |
| Captain3 Year: | 1st |
| Captain4: | Eddie Vinson |
| Captain4 Year: | 1st |
The 2016 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University in the 2016 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets played their home games on the newly-renovated[1] Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937.[2] 2016 was the 119th season in school history.[3] The Hornets were led by head coach Garin Higgins, finished his 15th overall season, and 10th overall at Emporia State.[4] Emporia State has a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association since 1991.[5]
The Hornets entered the 2016 season after finishing with an 11–3 overall, 9–2 in conference play last season under Higgins.[6] On August 2, 2016 at the MIAA Football Media Day, the Hornets were chosen to finish tied for third place in the Coaches Poll, and fourth in the Media Poll.[7]
Sporting News released their Top-25 on May 25, 2016, landing Emporia State at #24.[8] On June 15, 2016, Lindy's NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 released its poll, ranking Emporia State at #12.[9]
On August 15, the American Football Coaches Association released the Preseason Division II Poll,[10] landing Emporia State at #24.[11]
On August 22, D2football.com released its Top 25 poll, ranking Emporia State 12th.[12]
Along with Higgins, there were 10 assistants.
| Head coach | 10 | Emporia State (1992) | |
| Mike LoPorto | Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach | 9 | Emporia State (2007) |
| Co-defensive coordinator/linebackers Coach | 5 | Ohio (2008) | |
| Matt Nardo | Off. coordinator/recruiting Coord./Inside & H-backs/Receivers coach | 2 | Ohio (2005) |
| Nathan Linsey | Secondary/special teams coordinator | 5 | Emporia State (2010) |
| Justin Wieser | Running backs/Strength and Conditioning | 4 | Emporia State (2010) |
| Tony Koehling | Offensive line coach | 2 | Ohio (2013) |
| Terence Coleman | Outside Receivers | 4 | Northwestern Oklahoma State (2000) |
| Daniel Goodman | Graduate Assistant – Tight ends coach | 2 | Emporia State (2014) |
| Antwan Crutcher | Graduate Assistant – Defensive line | 1 | Ohio (2015) |
| Daniel Siehndel | Graduate Assistant – Defensive backs | 1 | Southeast Missouri State (2015) |
| Reference:[13] |
Source:[14]
See also: 2016 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team.
See also: 2016 Nebraska–Kearney Lopers football team.
See also: 2016 Missouri Southern Lions football team.
See also: 2016 Central Missouri Mules football team.
See also: 2016 Northeastern State RiverHawks football team.
See also: 2016 Lindenwood Lions football team.
See also: 2016 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team.
See also: 2016 Fort Hays State Tigers football team.
See also: 2016 Missouri Western Griffons football team.
See also: 2016 Washburn Ichabods football team.
See also: Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs. For the first time in school history, Emporia State was selected to host an NCAA postseason football game.[15]