ANNVILLE (PA) – The Delaware Valley University football team has been picked by the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) coaches as the favorite to win the 2017 conference championship. The preseason poll was released by the conference office on Monday.
The Aggies, coming off a 9-2 campaign (7-2 MAC) and their 13th trip to the postseason in the last 14 years, notched five first-place votes and a total of 75 points in this year’s poll. Defending MAC champion Stevenson University and postseason participant Albright College were just three points behind and tied for second. Stevenson received three first-place votes while Albright had the remaining two.
The entire 2017 MAC preseason coaches’ poll is as follows:
1. Delaware Valley University (5) -- 75 points
T2. Stevenson University (3) -- 72 points
T2. Albright College (2) --
4. Widener University --
4. Widener University --
5. King’s College --
6. Lycoming College --
7. Lebanon Valley College -- 33 points
8. Wilkes University --
9. FDU-Florham --
10. Misericordia University -- 12 points
* Number in parentheses indicates first place votes
Head coach Duke Greco, has 18 starters back (seven offense, nine defense, two specialty) back from the 2016 squad that won at Muhlenberg College in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. It was the team’s second straight postseason crown. Among the returnees are senior team captains and all-conference honorees Nicholas DiGati (linebacker), Shawn Miller (safety) and Tyler Sylvester (offensive lineman).
DelVal, which is ranked 20th in the country by D3football.com, opens its 2017 campaign on Thursday, August 31 (7 p.m.) when it hosts No. 11 Wesley College for a non-conference game. MAC play begins on Saturday, September 9 (1 p.m.) when the Aggies travel to Lycoming College. DelVal and Stevenson (ranked 17th) will meet in Doylestown on Saturday, September 23 (12 p.m.) while the Aggies will travel to Albright (received votes in the national poll) on Saturday, October 7 (1 p.m.).
