LATROBE, Pa. - Thiel has been selected to finish sixth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, according to the preseason poll released at the 2010 PAC Football Media Day at Saint Vincent College on Wednesday. Voters in the poll included PAC head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media.
Thomas More was picked to repeat as champions in the conference, receiving 22 of 30 first-place votes. The Saints posted a perfect 10-0 regular season record en route to their second consecutive PAC football title in 2009. Washington & Jefferson, which along with Thomas More gave the PAC two representatives in last year's NCAA Division III tournament, was voted second and received five first-place votes.
Thiel, which was represented by head coach
Kurt Reiser and senior offensive lineman
Gary Petrucci (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), was the only other school to garner first-place votes with three. In addition to Thomas More and W&J, the Tomcats were picked behind Waynesburg, Grove City and Westminster and ahead of Bethany and Saint Vincent. Geneva, a NCAA Division III provisional member is not eligible for the PAC until a tentative start date of 2011, but was predicted to finish 5-3 against PAC opponents.
Thiel finished 3-7 overall and 1-5 in the conference last season. The Tomcats begin their 2010-11 campaign on Sept. 4, with a home game against Marietta.
Following is the complete 2010 PAC Football Preseason Poll:
Points Record
1. Thomas More (22) 220 11-1 (6-0)
2. Washington & Jefferson (5) 191 9-2 (5-1)
3. Waynesburg 154 5-5 (2-4)
4. Grove City 132 5-5 (4-2)
5. Westminster 114 4-6 (2-4)
6. Thiel (3) 92 3-7 (1-5)
7. Bethany 87 3-7 (1-5)
8. Saint Vincent 35 0-10 (0-8)
(xx) - first place votes
