Lycoming Football Picked Seventh in Annual Preseason Poll

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College football was voted seventh in the annual Middle Atlantic Conference preseason coaches poll released at the MAC football media luncheon on Wednesday, August 3.  Delaware Valley College, last season’s conference champion, earned first ranking with 98 points including nine of 11 first place tallies.  Lycoming, normally a fixture at the top of the yearly preseason predictions, garnered 50 total votes.

The Warriors, last season’s number one team in the preseason poll with 96 total votes, fell short of the program’s 30^th consecutive winning season finishing the 2004 campaign with a record of 3-7.  With 15 starters returning and one additional game within the friendly confines of David Person Field, Lycoming looks to prove that last season was nothing more than a hiccup in the great history of Warrior Football.

Among the 2004 holdovers looking to prove such a point are offensive lineman Lucas Baltz (Jr.; Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) and defensive back Matt Murdock (Jr.; Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia), both members of last season’s Middle Atlantic Conference Second Team.  Baltz, an imposing figure at right guard (6-3, 297 lbs.), leads a stout offensive line that surrendered only 14 sacks a year ago.  Murdock, earning his all-conference accolades as a return specialist, led the MAC with an average of 12.9 yards per punt return.  He also recorded 45 tackles (36 solo) and two interceptions from his spot in the secondary.

Linebacker Luke Sterling (Sr.; Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton) led the Warriors on the defensive side of the ball, finishing the 2004 schedule as the unit’s top tackler for the second time in his three seasons.  Sterling registered 53 tackles (17 solo) including four sacks and one interception.

Lycoming opens its season with Juniata College on September 10, at David Person Field in Williamsport.  Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 P.M.

2005 Middle Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll
1.    Delaware Valley (9)   98 pts
2T   Moravian (2)              78 pts
2T   Widener                   78 pts
4.    Albright                    71 pts
5.    Wilkes                     69 pts
6.    King's                       61 pts
7.    Lycoming                 50 pts
8.    Susquehanna           37 pts
9.    Lebanon Valley         28 pts
10.  FDU-Florham            25 pts
11.  Juniata                     10 pts