W&J lands top spot on PAC football preseason poll 8/5/2015 3:46:26 PM Photo Gallery 2015 PAC Players to Watch 2015 Media Day Q&A Videos 2015 Composite Schedule LATROBE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – For the eighth time since 2000 the Washington & Jefferson College football program has been tabbed the favorite in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), according to Wednesday's 2015 PAC Preseason Football Poll. The league’s preseason poll, as voted on by PAC head coaches, sports information directors, and media panel, was announced this afternoon at PAC Football Media Day, hosted for the ninth-straight year by Saint Vincent College at the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion in Latrobe, Pa. W&J collected 28 first-place votes while totaling 368 points to headline the poll. Thomas More College was second with six first-place votes and 341 points, followed by Bethany College in third place with 265 points. The Presidents and 13th-year head coach Mike Sirianni finished the 2014 season with a 10-2 overall record and 7-1 in conference play, earning a share of their league-leading 24th PAC title while posting the program’s 24th NCAA Division III Championship Playoff appearance by securing the league’s automatic qualifying bid. “It’s humbling and is an honor for our program. It’s an honor to have that much respect from other programs, media and those around the league. We’ve been in this position before, but we know that it doesn’t necessarily indicate how the season will play out," said Sirianni. Joining Sirianni at PAC Football Media Day was senior offensive lineman Zack Crossey (Irwin, Pa. / Penn-Trafford), a unanimous Preseason First Team All-America selection and two-time All-PAC First Team selection (2013, 2014). “Being picked number one is just another motivator for our team to work harder to achieve our goals," said Crossey. W&J also claimed the top spot on the PAC’s preseason poll from 2000-2003, 2005, 2007-08 and 2013, and won at least a share of the conference title in six of those seasons (2000-2003, 2007 and 2013). The 2015 PAC football season opens on Saturday, September 5 with all 11 programs slated for non-conference competition, highlighted by Thomas More hosting St. John Fisher College at BB&T Field in Crestview Hills, Ky. The Cardinals rank 19th on this year’s D3football.com Preseason Top 25, while the Saints rank 23rd. 2015 PAC Football Preseason Poll (Predicted order of finish) School (first-place votes) Points 2014 Record (PAC) 1. Washington & Jefferson College (28) 368 10-2 (7-1) 2. Thomas More College (6) 341 8-2 (7-1) 3. Bethany College 265 6-5 (5-3) 4. Waynesburg University 225 8-3 (6-2) 5. Saint Vincent College 212 4-6 (4-4) 6. Westminster College 209 4-6 (4-4) 7. Case Western Reserve University 169 3-7 (3-5) 8. Carnegie Mellon University 148 4-6 (3-5) 9. Geneva College 128 3-7 (2-6) 10. Thiel College 123 4-6 (3-5) 11. Grove City College 56 0-10 (0-8) 2015 PAC Football Players to Watch Bethany Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Phil Acrie Sr. RB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Linsley Eric Blinn Sr. WR Beaver, Pa. / Western Beaver Eric Campbell Sr. DT Hurricane, W.Va. / Hurricane Donavan Hayden Sr. LB Hyattsville, Md. / Northwestern Nadim Raddar Sr. DE Laurel, Md. / Old Mill Carnegie Mellon Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Sam Benger So. RB Hingham, Mass. / Hingham Nico Comsa Sr. OLB Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville Area Drew Fitzmorris So. S Omaha, Neb. / Westside Andrew Hearon Sr. QB Tulsa, Okla. / Metro Christian Academy Graham Schilling Sr. WR Export, Pa. / Franklin Regional Case Western Reserve Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Gage Blair So. OL Elyria, Ohio / St. Edward Jordan Esteban Sr. S Miami, Fla. / Belen Jesuit Preparatory Adam Hochman Sr. FB Austin, Texas / Anderson Brendan Lynch Jr. WR Sarver, Pa. / Freeport Area Gavin Sandidge Sr. ILB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Catholic Geneva Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Thomas Benyo Sr. DB Berlin Center, Ohio / Western Reserve Nate Cannon So. DB Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. / Kings Academy Dylan Jones Sr. RB New Castle, Pa. / Laurel Devin Kelosky Jr. WR Ellwood City, Pa. / Riverside Tim Martin Jr. DB Moon Township., Pa. / Moon Grove City Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Brandon Berringer Sr. ILB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler David Folkmire Sr. WR Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway Ryan Hickey Sr. DE Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional Josh Peach Sr. WR Hartville, Ohio / Lake Bobby Tuttle Sr. ILB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper Saint Clair Saint Vincent Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Shavonta Craft Jr. RB Jeannette, Pa. / Jeannette Matt Jenkins Sr. LB Bellwood, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis Renny LaRue-Holloman Sr. LB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel Dustin Lowman Sr. WR Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Catholic Sherby Saimplice So. DL Lakeland, Fla. / Lakeland Thiel Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Ron Howard Sr. WR Sharon, Pa. / Sharon Chris Jones Jr. CB Waterford, Conn. / Waterford Ryan Radke Jr. QB Lancaster, N.Y. / Lancaster Central Reily Shane Sr. DL Tarentum, Pa. / Highlands Thomas More Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Erick Butler Sr. DL Eminence, Ky. / Henry County Goose Cohorn Sr. WR Independence, Ky. / Dixie Heights Ian Gunn Sr. DB Cincinnati, Ohio / Elder Jake Henderson Sr. OL Fort Wright, Ky. / Covington Catholic Washington & Jefferson Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Pete Coughlin Jr. QB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper Saint Clair Zack Crossey Sr. OL Irwin, Pa. / Penn-Trafford Bryce Merrill Sr. LB New Stanton, Pa. / Hempfield Area Ryan Ruffing Sr. RB Pittsburgh, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson Jon Turner Sr. DE Freeport, Pa. / Freeport Waynesburg Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Willie Leavell Sr. RB Midland Heights, Ohio / East Liverpool Zach Machuga Jr. DL Youngstown, Ohio / Boardman Josh Mundell Jr. DB Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels Nik Sappie Sr. OL Pittsburgh, Pa. / Carlynton Jordan Voitus Sr. DL Poland, Ohio / Poland Seminary Westminster Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School CJ Armstrong So. OLB Lake Worth, Fla. / Park Vista Paul Columbo So. QB Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca Raton Community Justin Dahl Jr. K Cochranton, Pa. / Maplewood Richard Ellabie Sr. DL Farrell, Pa. / Kennedy Christian Todd Jeter So. CB Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway