GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg University football team welcomes 43 letterwinners, including 17 starters, back into the fold following last year's 8-2 season, facts that helped boost the Tigers into the top spot in one of two preseason polls taken at the 21st annual North Coast Athletic Conference media day in Granville, Ohio. Wittenberg outpolled the College of Wooster in the media balloting by two points, while the Scots were the choice of the coaches by just one point.

In the media poll, a total of 26 ballots were cast and 14 of them had Wooster at the top of the list, while Wittenberg was picked first on 11 of them and defending champion Allegheny earned top billing once. In the coaches poll, Wooster claimed five first-place votes, 2002 champion and national quarterfinalist Wabash earned the top spot three times and Wittenberg was picked first on two ballots. In each case, Wittenberg earned a higher spot in the final poll due to consistency - no voters in either poll had the Tigers lower than third on their sheet.

Wittenberg is hoping to return to the top of the conference after two straight second-place finishes. The Tigers saw their streak of five straight NCAC titles snapped in 2002, and then had their run of six consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances broken in 2003. Both streaks were unprecedented in conference history.

There is good reason for optimism, however, and the voters took notice. The Tigers return leading receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown), leading rusher Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida), starting quarterback Ryan Holmes (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) and three offensive lineman on offense, including All-American guard Brad Kassner (Circleville, Ohio/Circleville), as well as nine defensive starters, led by cornerback Mike Freeman (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne), who returned two interceptions for touchdowns a year ago. All five players made the All-NCAC honor roll a year ago.

To view the NCAC media day release, click here (pdf file). To view the NCAC press release and Web site, click here.