Football | 8/6/2025 3:30:00 PM
PAC Players to Watch
LATROBE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - After winning a share of their 27th Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship a season ago, Washington & Jefferson College was selected as the preseason favorite during the PAC Football Media Day.
The results of the league’s annual preseason poll, voted on by PAC head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media, were announced Wednesday at PAC Football Media Day, hosted by Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for the 18th straight year.
Washington & Jefferson College, led by 23rd-year head coach Mike Sirianni, secured 17 first-place votes and 431 total points in the poll.
Joining Sirianni at PAC Media Day Wednesday was senior running back Kobe Derosa (New Castle, Pa./Laurel), an Honorable Mention All-PAC selection after he scored 12 touchdowns in 2024.
“It’s an honor, but we felt a little disrespected that no one talks about us as the defending conference champions,” stated Sirianni. “This is good though and we’ll take the attention, but that doesn’t change the fact that we have a chip on our shoulders as it still has to be won on the field."
Grove City College, who was one of three teams to tie for the PAC title a season ago, was selected second with 13 first place votes and 413 points. Westminster College, who capped an 8-3 campaign with a victory in the Opendorse Bowl Series Extra Points Bowl, was picked third with 12 first-place votes and 400 points. Ranking fourth was Case Western Reserve University with 347 points, followed by Geneva College with 267 points, Waynesburg University (260), Thiel College (167), Allegheny College (158), Saint Vincent College (152), Bethany College (117) and Hiram College (60).
The 2025 season will be Hiram's first in the PAC since 1988, as the Terriers return to the conference in all sports for 2025-26.
The event started with a brief welcome from PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko, which was followed by John Sacco being recognized as this year's recipient of the Dow Carnahan Media Award (PAC Sports Network Video). Carnahan, a longtime supporter and friend of the PAC, passed away unexpectedly on April 29, 2016. The award is presented annually to a distinguished member of the media or on-campus representative for his or her commendable service while covering and promoting the conference’s student-athletes, coaches and programs.
An award-winning journalist with a career spanning more than 40 years, Sacco is currently a freelance writer who also writes for harness racing magazines and related online services, Sacco has worked for the Observer-Reporter in Washington, Pa., who he still provides articles for today, as well as the Pittsburgh Sports Report from 1998-2006. His career also includes being a Steel Reporter for American Metal Market LLC and a Public Relations/Communications Specialist for the Canon-McMillan School District. In addition to his journalism work, Sacco also does work as a color analyst for WJPA radio in Washington.
The opening weekend of the 2025 football season begins on Thursday, Sept. 4th with a pair of games and continues through the 6th with all 11 teams playing a non-conference tilt. The PAC schedule kicks off Sept. 20th with four league games.
| 2025 PAC Football Preseason Poll (Predicted order of finish) |
| School |
Points (first place votes) |
2024 Record (PAC) |
| 1. Washington & Jefferson College |
431 (17) |
9-2 (9-1) |
| 2. Grove City College |
413 (13) |
9-2 (9-1) |
| 3. Westminster College |
400 (12) |
8-3 (7-3) |
| 4. Case Western Reserve University |
347 |
6-4 (6-4) |
| 5. Geneva College |
267 |
5-5 (5-5) |
| 6. Waynesburg University |
260 |
4-6 (4-6) |
| 7. Thiel College |
167 |
3-7 (3-7) |
| 8. Allegheny College |
158 |
1-9 (1-9) |
| 9. Saint Vincent College |
152 |
1-9 (1-9) |
| 10. Bethany College |
117 |
1-9 (1-9) |
| 11. Hiram College |
60 |
0-10 (0-8 NCAC) |
2025 PAC Football Players to Watch
| Allegheny - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Braden Layer & LB Fletcher Hammond |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Elisah Banks |
So. |
DB |
Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Pines |
| Coltin Colucci |
Sr. |
LB |
Brewster Ohio/Fairless (Seton Hill) |
| Chris Gisewhite |
Sr. |
WR/KR |
Corpus Christi, Texas/Flour Bluff (Sul Ross State) |
| Fletcher Hammond |
Sr. |
LB |
Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes |
| David Williams |
Jr. |
DB |
Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton |
| Bethany - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Brandon Robinson & QB Brett Phillips |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Jacob Burns |
So. |
WR |
Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover |
| Elijah Moffatt |
Sr. |
TE |
Atlanta, Ga./New Manchester |
| Brett Phillips |
So. |
QB |
Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park |
| Grant Snyder |
Jr. |
DL |
Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg |
| Amarion Williams |
Sr. |
DL |
Miami, Fla./South Dade |
| Case Western Reserve - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Greg Debeljak & LB Daniel King |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Dylan Cave |
Sr. |
WR |
Malvern, Pa./Great Valley |
| Osi Chukwuocha |
Sr. |
DB |
Wilmington, Del./Wilmington Friends |
| Aaron Filips |
Sr. |
QB |
Medina, Ohio/Highland |
| Daniel King |
Sr. |
LB |
Mt. Lebanon, Pa./Mt. Lebanon |
| Owen Myer |
Sr. |
OL |
Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson |
| Geneva - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Geno DeMarco & OL Roman Costanza |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Nicholas Ciriello |
Sr. |
LB |
Port Colborne, Ontario/Canisus |
| Roman Costanza |
Jr. |
OL |
McMurray, Pa./Peters Township |
| Reed Gordon |
Sr. |
LB |
Boonsboro, Md./Boonsboro |
| Coltin Hill |
Jr. |
DL |
New Castle, Pa./Laurel |
| Caleb Romano |
Jr. |
QB |
Mount Dora, Fla./Mount Dora Christian Academy |
| Grove City - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Andrew DiDonato & LB Jack Jollie |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Ben Bladel |
Sr. |
LB |
Moon Township, Pa./Moon |
| Caleb Brubaker |
Sr. |
LB |
Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg |
| Jack Jollie |
Sr. |
LB |
Jeannette, Pa./Penn-Trafford |
| Luke Jollie |
Sr. |
OL |
Jeannette, Pa./Penn-Trafford |
| Ryan Montgomery |
Sr. |
S |
Harrisville, Pa./Slippery Rock |
| Hiram - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Xavier Dupree & LB Devyn Mercilliott |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Gavin Cruser |
Sr. |
LB |
Springville, Utah/Springville |
| RJ Johnson |
So. |
RB |
Denham Springs, La./Denham Springs |
| Devyn Mercilliott |
Sr. |
LB |
Ashtabula, Ohio/Saint John |
| Jordan Stapleton |
So. |
WR |
Mentor, Ohio/Mentor |
| Kole Tarary |
Sr. |
LB |
Warren, Ohio/Kennedy Catholic |
| Saint Vincent - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Casey Goff & OL Anthony Capozzoli |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Anthony Capozzoli |
Sr. |
OL |
Canonsburg, Pa./Chartiers-Houston |
| Robbie Labuda |
Jr. |
S |
Acme, Pa./Mount Pleasant |
| Jakub Pickett |
So. |
WR |
Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley (California-Pa.) |
| Jake Phillips |
So. |
QB |
Jeannette, Md./Hempfield (California-Pa.) |
| Ian Tuffs |
So. |
WR |
Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield (Edinboro) |
| Thiel - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Sam Bauman & DL Alexander Mittner |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Jake Badger |
Sr. |
LB |
Mercer, Pa./Mercer Area |
| Matt Jordan |
Jr. |
DB |
New Castle, Pa./Kennedy Catholic |
| Deon Logan |
Sr. |
RB |
Richmond, Va./James River |
| Alexander Mittner |
Jr. |
DL |
New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton |
| Jayveerh White |
Jr. |
DL |
Sharon, Pa./Sharon |
| Washington & Jefferson - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Mike Sirianni & RB Kobe Derosa |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Kobe Derosa |
Sr. |
RB |
New Castle, Pa./Laurel |
| Joey Lacey |
Sr. |
LB |
Bristow, Va./Avalon School |
| Jacob Macosko |
Sr. |
WR |
Venetia, Pa./Peters Township |
| John Peduzzi |
Sr. |
WR |
Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian Academy |
| Aidan Thomas |
Sr. |
DL |
Johnstown, Pa./Richlanad |
| Waynesburg - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Dr. Cornelius Coleman & WR Isaac Trout |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Jacob Brisky |
Sr. |
OL |
Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe |
| Zayne Cawley |
Sr. |
RB |
Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown |
| Tyler Richmond |
Jr. |
WR |
Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels |
| Dalton Scruggs |
Sr. |
OL |
Lusby, Md./Patuxent |
| Isaac Trout |
Sr. |
WR |
Ruffs Dale, Pa./Southmoreland |
| Westminster - Media Day Interviews with Head Coach Scott Benzel & LB Dylan Sleva |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Lamont Austin |
So. |
DB |
Sharon, Pa./Sharon |
| Brite Cannon |
Sr. |
WR/DB |
Parkland, Fla./Monarch |
| Ty McGowan |
Sr. |
QB |
Moon Township, Pa./Moon |
| Braden Mika |
Jr. |
OL |
Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski |
| Dylan Sleva |
Sr. |
LB |
McDonald, Pa./Moon |
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