Football Ranked Second on Middle Atlantic Coaches Preseason Poll

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 

READING, PA – Following an impressive 7-4 finish last season, the coaches of the Middle Atlantic Football conference voted that Albright College alongside Delaware Valley College will once again battle it out for second place on this seasons Preseason Poll released on Tuesday at the MAC Media Day.

Taking the top spot for the second consecutive season was the defending Conference champions Widener University who pulled in a majority of the first place (4) votes as well as accumulating a total of 53 points.  Albright and Delaware Valley each earned a total of 48 points.  The Red and White tallied two first place votes, while the Aggies managed one.

In fourth place was Wilkes University with 43 points and one first place vote.  Lycoming College was ranked fifth with 29 points, and Lebanon Valley came in at 6th place with 28 points.  King’s College (PA) came in at seventh place with 24 points, and FDU-Florham closed out this season poll in eighth with 14 points.

Along with the announcement of this season coaches poll, conference Executive Commissioner Ken Andrews announced the new PAC-MAC challenge which will be a series of games between the members of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and the Middle Atlantic Conference starting in 2010. 

Those games will be determined by the final standings of the 2009 season, with the champions of both conferences squaring off, as will the second-place finishers, third-place finishers, etc.  All eight MAC schools will host the games in 2010 with the 8 PAC schools hosting the games in 2011.  Making up the PAC are Bethany College, Geneva College, Grove City College, Saint Vincent College, Thiel College, Washington and Jefferson College, Waynesburg University, and Westminster College.

With the 2008 opening kick-off only four weeks away the Red and White are set to report to training camp next Wednesday, August 13th.  The season opener against nationally ranked Salisbury University will take place on Saturday, September 6th at 6 p.m. at Shirk Stadium.

2008 Middle Atlantic Conference Football Preseason Poll
1.  Widener (4)       53 pts.
2.  Albright (2)      48 pts.
     Del. Valley (1)   48 pts.
4.  Wilkes (1)         43 pts.
5.  Lycoming          29 pts.
6.  Leb. Valley       28 pts.
7.  King’s               24 pts.
8.  FDU-Florham   14 pts.
(first place votes are in parentheses)

Matt Christ Named D3Football.com Preseason All-American (July, 23, 2008)
Football Ranked on the USA Today Top 25 Preseason Poll (June 26, 2008)