R-MC Slotted Second, BC and W&L Tight for Third

SALEM, Va. --- Hampden-Sydney College, fresh off its fifth Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football title, was chosen to repeat as gridiron champions in the 2008 ODAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll.  The Tigers received 47 overall votes and five first place nods with Randolph-Macon College occupying the second position with 41 tallies and the remaining two top selections.  One vote separated Bridgewater College from Washington and Lee University (28 to 27) for third place with the same margin benefitting Guilford College over Catholic University (21 to 20) for the fifth slot.  Emory & Henry College sits in the seventh position after receiving 12 poll points.

Hampden-Sydney made its first appearance in the NCAA postseason since current athletic director Joe Bush took the 1987 squad beyond regular season action.  The 2007 Tigers, led by ODAC Coach of the Year, Marty Favret, squared off with Wesley College in the NCAA Division III first round.  The consecutive national semifinalist Wolverines defeated H-SC, 45-17, in Delaware.

While the Tigers must replace the program's all-time leading receiver in Drew Smith, plenty of firepower remains in 2007's second most potent ODAC offense.  Senior running back Josh Simpson returns to Everett Stadium with several records already in his pocket following an exceptional junior campaign.  In just eight games played, the Richmond native ran for 1,042 yards and set ODAC single-season records with 21 rushing touchdowns, 27 overall scores and 164 total points.  Junior Corey Sedlar is back in the fold behind center after a breakout first year as a starter.  Sedlar threw for 3,426 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing nearly 65-percent of his passes.

Randolph-Macon featured a bruising ground game and stifling defense in 2007, and will be looking for much the same this fall.  Junior running back Zak Thornton ran over and past defenders for a school-record 1,551 yards while setting a new ODAC standard with 341 carries, more than 47 more than the previous record.  On defense, seven starters return from the unit that allowed a conference-best 17.3 points per game.  Defensive backs Eric Dardozzi and Hassan Shonekan each picked off three passes a season ago, benefitting from the efforts of linemen like Gamal Alwan and his 8.5 tackles for a loss.

Bridgewater and Washington and Lee will both be younger than a season ago.  The Eagles lost nine starters on each side of the ball and will be looking for new difference makers, like running back David Argaud, to step up immediately.  The Generals return seven offensive starters including quarterback R.J. Varner and running backs Tom Pacicco and Stuart Sitterson, a first team selection in 2007.  The defense must find a way to replace six departed stalwarts.  Defensive end Tommy Matteo, also a first teamer last year, should help with that task.

High-octane passing dominates the headlines for Guilford and Catholic.  Quakers' quarterback Josh Vogelbach owns 10 ODAC records and sits just 2,702 yards and 45 touchdowns shy of becoming NCAA Division III's career leader.  Receivers such as Hagen Miller, who hauled in an ODAC record 10.3 receptions per game in '07, give Vogelbach just that chance.  The Cardinals' Keith Ricca returns under center for his final campaign after tossing 24 touchdown passes.  Defensive back and kick returner Nick Olivero also looks to make headlines in his final year.

Emory & Henry opened the 2007 season with four wins in its first five games and looks to reclaim that momentum in 2008.  The Wasps welcome back several key components on both sides of the ball including running back Caleb Moore and wide receiver Jonathan Hawkins on offense and linebackers Evin O'Sullivan and Kevin Worley on defense.

Below is the entire 2008 ODAC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll.  For more information, visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

2008 ODAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes