Thomas More was picked to capture the 2012 football championship in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, according to the preseason poll released at the 2012 PAC Football Media Day held at the Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion on the campus of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
The Saints led by sixth-year head coach Jim Hilvert return 46 lettermen, including 17 starters from last season's 9-2 squad. Thomas More earned 23 of 25 total first-place votes and 223 points in the conference poll to top second place Washington & Jefferson (188), followed by Waynesburg (165), Bethany (117), Saint Vincent (114), Geneva (105), Westminster, Pa. (101), Grove City (79) and Thiel (32).
"It is a privilege and a honor to be preseason No. 1," said Hilvert. It is a credit to our past and present players and coaches hard work to get the Thomas More football program to this point. I am a firm believer that preseason polls do not mean anything. It is about the championship intensity that we have to have every day to achieve the lofty goals that the football team has set in 2012."
W&J coach Mike Sirianni will open his 10th preseason camp as head coach with 121 players on Aug. 11 at Cameron Stadium. W&J recorded a 6-4 overall mark last fall, including a 5-3 record in the PAC.
“I feel we have the best skill players in the conference and I think we will see a different football team than we did last year,” said Sirianni, who owns an 85-18 career record. “After the spring practices, I think we have our confidence back and we’ll see on Aug. 11.”
2012 PAC Preseason Football Poll
Team |
Points |
2011 Record |
| 1. Thomas More (23) | 223 | 9-2 (7-1) |
| 2. Washington & Jefferson | 188 | 6-4 (5-3) |
| 3. Waynesburg (2) | 165 | 5-5 (5-3) |
| 4. Bethany | 117 | 5-5 (3-5) |
| 5. Saint Vincent | 114 | 6-5 (5-3) |
| 6. Geneva | 105 | 4-6 (4-4) |
| 7. Westminster | 101 | 5-5 (4-4) |
| 8. Grove City | 79 | 3-7 (3-5) |
| 9. Thiel | 32 | 0-10 (0-8) |